DRAFT Rules for making Armour in DnD 5e

Intent

These rules are intended to replace the crafting rules from the DMG and XGE for the production of armour.

The rules are intended to give a somewhat realistic mechanism for armour manufacture. Pseudo-realism (for a late
medieval technology level and economy) is given precedence over game balance. The effect of this is that some
armours may be available relatively cheaply to players with the right tools, proficiency and time; while some armour
is uneconomical for players to produce.

For example, mail armour was historically relatively cheap because large numbers of people were employed in the
unskilled task of making and joining metal rings in an early example of mass production. A lone smith would not be
able to buy metal cheaply enough, nor have the time, to make a chain shirt. One smith could make a breast plate
efficiently, where skill and steel quality were the limiting factors.

In working with leather and wood, more material will be needed than is used in the final product. This is reflected
in the amounts needed for some recipes.

Resources for Crafting

There are three resources used to allow a player to make weapons and armour:

1. Proficiency with the right Tools and access to those tools. The least skilled crafting does not require Tool
Proficiency and can be attempted by any player.
2. Possession of the Raw Materials, usually requiring purchase for gold.
3. The Time to complete crafting. For simple work, this will be a flat number of Days (8 hours of work) taken to
produce the item. At DM discretion this Time could be split into smaller units to allow players to complete small
projects around other activities. For highly skilled work the time will be measured in a new mechanic of Crafting
Points.

Acquiring Crafting Points

Producing Crafting Points requires one full Day of skilled work using the correct Tools. Only players with the
correct Tool Proficiency and Tools can produce Crafting Points.

The player rolls a Tools Check (d20 + relevant ability score + proficiency bonus). Proficiency bonuses are doubled
if the player has Expertise in those tools. The player then gains a number of Crafting Points representing how
fast the work progressed that Day.

Tool Check Roll (including modifiers) Number of Crafting Points achieved

1-4 0
5 - 13 1
14 - 21 2
22 + 3

Crafting Sequences

Some types of armour contain, or build upon, other types of armour. In these cases the base type of armour must
be bought or made as part of the recipe for the more advanced armour.

For example: Full Plate could be made in only a few days by buying Half Plate and improving that armour; to make
it entirely from scratch would require thick cloth, 65 Lb of High Carbon Steel and 2- 4 weeks of depending on the
skill of the artisan.
Armour Crafting

Armour Type Tools needed Tool proficiency Raw materials Gold Cost Time Cost
required (GP)
Padded Needle and thread No Thick Cloth 1 2 Days
Leather Leatherworker’s Yes 12 Lb Tanned Hides 4 1 Day
Studded Leatherworker’s or Yes Leather Armour 10 1 Day
Leather Tinker’s 3 Lb Standard Steel 9
Hide Leatherworker’s Yes 15 Lb Tanned Hides 5 2 Crafting
Lacquer 1 Points
Chain Shirt Tinker’s or Smith’s No Leather Armour 10 10 days
10 Lb Steel Wire 30
Scale mail Tinker’s or Smith’s Yes Padded Armour 5 2 days
Leather Armour 10
27 Lb Standard Steel 81
Breast Plate Smith’s Yes Padded Armour 5 5 Crafting
12 Lb High Carbon Steel 120 Points
Half Plate Smith’s Yes Breast Plate 400 6 Crafting
20 Lb High Carbon Steel 200 Points
Ring Mail Tinker’s or Smith’s No Padded Armour 5 18 days
Leather Armour 10
22 Lb Steel Wire 66
Chain Mail Tinker’s or Smith’s No Padded Armour 5 35 days
Leather Armour 10
37 Lb Steel Wire 111
Splint Tinker’s or Smith’s Yes Padded Armour 5 6 days
52 Lb Standard Steel 156
Plate Smith’s Yes Half Plate 750 7 Crafting
25 Lb High Carbon Steel 250 Points
Shield Carpenter’s Yes 8 Lb of Dry Hardwood 0.4 1 day
1 Lb Standard Steel 3