17

I have both Light Armor and an Armored Kilt on. Now this means that my armor is automatically treated as Medium armor.

Now I have three questions:

  1. How does this affect my max DEX bonus to AC?
  2. How does this affect my speed (overland, flying, swimming, and climbing)?
  3. How does this work with the Barbarian's increased speed?

The reason I am asking is due to an argument me and another player had about my barbarian being able to still move at 40 ft. per move action despite wearing Medium armor.

mxyzplk
  • 175,309
  • 30
  • 437
  • 660
Flotolk
  • 2,272
  • 3
  • 23
  • 34

2 Answers2

10

Quickly over viewing this are the answers I can give:

  1. The Armoured Kilt has a maximum dexterity bonus of +6, I am unsure of what armour you are also wearing but your maximum dexterity bonus is the lowest of the two figures.
  2. The Armoured Kilt has no armour check penalty so it should not affect your swimming or climb checks, regarding land speed Can Canbek's answer below has now covered it as well as clearing up any confusion on the matter regarding armour properties.

  3. This should not have an adverse effect on the barbarians improved speed:

    Fast Movement (Ex)

    A barbarian's land speed is faster than the norm for her race by +10 feet. This benefit applies only when he is wearing no armor, light armor, or medium armor, and not carrying a heavy load. Apply this bonus before modifying the barbarian's speed because of any load carried or armor worn. This bonus stacks with any other bonuses to the barbarian's land speed.

    As described the Fast Movement (Ex) ability continues to work in medium armour.

Dancing Kobold
  • 705
  • 4
  • 10
  • 1
    It should be noted that the extra weight of the Armored Kilt could place the character in heavy load by encumbrance rules which could change the outcome. – Colin D Aug 26 '13 at 14:45
  • I disagree on the second point, since medium or heavy armor slows the wearer down – Trajan Aug 26 '13 at 14:45
  • @Trajan I think the tactical speed table here supports your disagreement. http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/movementPositionAndDistance.htm – Colin D Aug 26 '13 at 14:50
  • 2
    @Colin D I am acting under the assumption that encumbrance is been taken into account already or has been ignored (which is surprisingly common in most groups). – Dancing Kobold Aug 26 '13 at 14:59
  • 1
    @Trajan Updated the second point with your counter point. – Dancing Kobold Aug 26 '13 at 15:00
  • @ColinD Yes I knew it existed in D&D 3.5 but I couldn't find it in Pathfinder rules. – Trajan Aug 26 '13 at 15:01
  • @Trajan, the 3.5 rules table is more clear, but I am pretty sure the same information can be obtained at: http://paizo.com/prd/additionalRules.html under the carrying capacity section – Colin D Aug 26 '13 at 15:06
  • Point 2 of the question was: does it affect my speed? The answer to that is Yes. Skill checks are not relevant, but speed is slower in medium armor. If you want a complete answer, it's worth pointing that out explicitly rather than referring to another answer. – mcv Jun 02 '14 at 08:20
8

When it says "treated as medium armor" it means two things;

First, you must be proficient in medium armor if you want to wear an armored kilt with a light armor.

Secondly, it means you should treat it like you are wearing a medium armor such as a breastplate which means your speed will be reduced. However, barbarian's fast movement works with medium armor which means your speed will be 30 ft(Assuming you're not a Dwarf, Gnome or Halfling) instead of being normally reduced to 20 ft.

Medium or heavy armor slows the wearer down. The number on Table: Armor and Shields is the character's speed while wearing the armor. Humans, elves, half-elves, and half-orcs have an unencumbered speed of 30 feet. They use the first column. Dwarves, gnomes, and halflings have an unencumbered speed of 20 feet. They use the second column. Remember, however, that a dwarf's land speed remains 20 feet even in medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load.

Source; http://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment---final/armor#TOC-Speed

It should be noted that Speed column in armor and shield tables show the speed when you only wear that armor. An armored kilt on its own is a light armor and so is a chain shirt. Individually those don't slow you down but if you wear them together chain shirt + armored kilt becomes a medium armor that weighs around 35 lbs which is heavier than most of the medium armors and it slows you down like a medium armor.

About the maximum dexterity bonus Dancing Kobold's answer is correct. You should use the lower maximum dexterity bonus.

Can Canbek
  • 1,684
  • 1
  • 17
  • 22
  • 1
    Where does it say Medium Armor reduces speed by default? Medium Encumbrance does, but each armor has its specific speed change listed in the Armor table, no? – leokhorn Aug 27 '13 at 13:53
  • See the updated answer. – Can Canbek Aug 28 '13 at 07:04
  • 2
    @CanCanbek: What I mean is that Armored Kilt is specifically listed as giving a speed of 30ft if your speed is 30ft. Thus, not changing it. It doesn't seem like it slows down anyone. – leokhorn Aug 28 '13 at 15:00
  • It's a valid point but those speed figures show if you wear only that armor, if you only wear an armored kilt it doesn't slow you down, but if you wear it under a chain shirt for example, the chain shirt + armored kilt becomes a medium armor and slows you down like a medium armor – Can Canbek Aug 29 '13 at 07:09
  • 1
    @CanCanbek Ah it seems myself and our DM have been confused on the matter and have been ruling it incorrectly, I've updated my answer accordingly. – Dancing Kobold Aug 29 '13 at 07:51
  • @CanCanbek: I haven't been able to find an explicit rule stating medium armors always slow you down, but after much research I have to admit many other elements seem to point to that being true. I guess it's one of those implied things that don't need to be said. – leokhorn Aug 29 '13 at 11:43
  • 1
    I agree, that speed property in armor and shields table is a bit misleading since it shows each armor individually like it matters, I think they should make a new table with armor types and how they effect movement speed, that would be much clearer. – Can Canbek Aug 29 '13 at 11:51
  • 1
    Well, if you use leather armor (15lbs) and a kilt (10lbs) it seems to me it still weighs as much as light armor, and therefore shouldn't slow down movement at all. – Flotolk Aug 29 '13 at 13:47
  • If you have Armor Expert trait and Mithral breast plate with Kilt you get an armor that has quite the AC, while still allowing up to +5 dex bonus. If medium doesn't automatically slow you down this seems overpowered, as even people not proficient with medium armor would reap full benefits and no downsides (i.e. apply full non-existent penalty of 0 to str/dex skills and combat related rolls). A cool breast plate with some things hanging around the legs is similar to what the Romans wore... can't really imagine that impeding movement, but balance needs it to. – Julix Feb 23 '14 at 11:04
  • @Julix I don't see how 1AC is very OP. Even if you are worried about enchantments, the way enchantments are expplained by Mourdos here: http://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/49866/what-effect-does-combining-mithril-and-an-armored-kilt-have-on-armor-category

    Seems to make this a pointless worry. It just seems like it is similar to buying a better form of the same armor

     – Flotolk Oct 24 '14 at 17:30