Armour smithing

[Ursan]

I was prompted to float this thought by something I saw in the game recently, and a thread in General Discussion about rangers wearing metal armour.

I was just wondering if this might be included into the Construct command for Armour Smithing.

It would probably need to be linked to elven smiths for appropriateness

Either as an addition, or perhaps in place of one the other armour types such as Banded, the ability to fashion Leafmail as an armour type.

[Aran]

I was thinking of that as well. Would leafmail be restricted to just elven smiths though? Just curious

[Timaeus]

Leafmail is merely a style of armor, the shape of the scales is that of a leaf. It can be metal or leather. It should not be restricted to just elven smiths. It should be possible for anyone who can make metal armor to make the scales leaf shaped and similarly for those who can work leather armors.

In the 3rd edition Faiths and Pantheons it describes leafmail under the Silvanus entry.

The ceremonial dress for both clerics and druids of Silvanus is a suit of armor made of overlapping leaves. For clerics, the leaves are made of metal plates and the suit functions as a set of scale mail. For druids the leaves are made of green-tinted leather and the suit functions as leather armor.

Timaeus Valierius,
Warrior of Kelemvor.

[Ursan]

I stand corrected. For some reason I had it in mind that this was a crafting peculiar to elves.

Must have spent too much time with a certain dwarven smith....

[Stayne]

I found references somewhere to a fairly unique elven form of armor smithing which involves the use of darkwood. A properly trained elf (usually a druid) can harden the leaf and wood into a form of scale that equals metal, yet does not hinder spellcasting etc.
Perhaps someone can provide an extract for what I refer. It mightbe what you were thinking of.

－Ｓｔａｙｎｅ

[Andreas]

Ursan, are you thinking of the oooooooold Gazeteer series elves that could craft weapons and armour from leaves, bark and wood?

[Ursan]

If I said yes, would that make me ooooold too?

Not sure where I got the notion, but its certainly something from way back when.

[Andreas]

*cough* Well.... I have most of them... and of course I have the one about elves!

Could probably hook something up to that effect in one of my areas *GRIN*

[Paxos]

I believe one thing that may also be thought of here, something misunderstood...

There is another type of armor called "Leafarmor" described in the Arms and Equipment guide that is less hindering than leather and much stronger. Perhaps this is the type that came to mind rather than leafmail?

If this might have been what you are thinking of, please reply and I can post the stats when I get home.

[Drakenor]

On another thread that was about elven metal, that only elves could craft the metal and it had some of the elven powers enchanted into it (if someone can find a thread please post it on this thread) Maybe have all armourers able to create leafmail. But elven smiths leafmail could have some magics enchanted into it. Maybe also have leafmail created by elven smiths stronger, as it would appear that they would craft the leafmail more than a dwarven smith.

[Selveem]

While a good idea, I don't think that's really something that needs to happen. I'm certain a Dwarven blacksmith of great ability could craft Elven leafmail just as well as an Elf. After all, it's still armor, albeit a different style. I'm not saying every Dwarf could make it just as good, of course. Perhaps simply give Elves a slight racial bonus to their crafting of leafmail?

[Glim]

Im afraid I have to disagree with you, Selveem. Elven armor is forged with techniques known only to elves and they guard their secrets carefully. A dwarf is practiced at making armor suited to a dwarf, thicker, less enchanted, shorter and stockier armors. While an elf would be more used to working with enchanted armors, thin light and soundless, but still as strong.

A dwarf would probably need practice and an elf model to even try and attempt armor that would fit and elf. Let alone make it as soundless and uninhibitive as elven armor. Im not gonna go into enchantments.

[Micheal]

Do not make armour from exotic creatures that have skin made of something other than skin. Xorns, Mephits, elementals. Although such armour is possible, it needs to have magical preperations made to it, just like dragon skin.

[Telk]

Skin of a elemental, Hmmm....I believe as well that those are restricted as they are humanoids and should not be skinned.

[Gratey]

From waht I know, It is bad and could be code abuse to skin something that does not have skin, Elementals do not have leather skin, They are usually made of whatever element they are from, Ice mephits and Fire mephits are made or Fire and Ice, and therefore should not be skinned.

If you dont feel the creature has a fitible skin to skin and make into leather than I suggest dont skin it, You might get in trouble for skinning it and making it into armour.

Just wanted to put in my two cents

*Tyler*

[Tempus]

For the record, I personally didn't know that mephits did not have proper skin, until I checked the Monster Manual recently. I am also sure that a lot of other people did/do not know this either, especially since Mephit skin is a common item in other AD&D based games such as everquest.

Thank you for pointing this out, even if you chose to express your knowledge as some sort of unilateral declaration.

I am sure that now people have been educated as to the nature of these specific beasts, they will be discouraged from continuing to skin them. However, I take issue with the fact that people very quickly jumped into calling this code abuse, both here and on another (restricted) forum. Code abuse is a serious accusation, and in my opinion should be reserved for situations where someone KNOWS they are doing something wrong, but does it anyway. In this case I would think that skinning mephits was a simple mistake, since one would reasonably expect that if you can skin something then it had a skin to begin with. The only issue that should concern players is the morality of taking a skin - e.g. from humanoid mobs.

As such, I will raise the technical aspects of which mobs should and should not be skinnable with the builder admins.

[Gratey]

I am sorry to jumping to conclusions but I was told from when I asked other and they said it was a form of Code abuse, I was only expressing what I had heard.

[Lathander]

Please limit the future scope of this thread to the discussion of armor NOT made by the slicing/tanning/etc. of creatures. The Warrior's Council is currently reviewing the acceptability of that line of thought.