# mithral breastplate vs. adamantine chain shirt



## Bad Paper (Dec 4, 2005)

I know that there was a thread recently on "what's DR worth for armor bonus" or something, but I can't find it.  Here is my specific dilemma: I have a cleric whose AC penalty I want to keep low, and whose speed I want to keep high, so I'm thinkin either of the choices in the thread title.  Dex is 12, so that high max-Dex rating for the mithral is wasted, even with Cat's Grace or something.  The breastplate is lighter and cheaper than the chain shirt, but the DR is naturally tempting.  Strength is 13, for those of you tallying weight.

mithral breastplate:
4200gp, AC +5, max Dex +5, ACP -1, 15#

adamantine chain shirt:
5100gp, AC +4, max Dex +4, ACP -1, 25#, DR 1/-


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## Scharlata (Dec 4, 2005)

Bad Paper said:
			
		

> mithral breastplate:
> 4200gp, AC +5, max Dex +5, ACP -1, 15#




Hi!
I'd try not to get hit at all before I'd consider minimizing damage taken.
Enjoy!


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## Stalker0 (Dec 4, 2005)

Here's the link btw:

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=158244


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## Lord Pendragon (Dec 4, 2005)

What level are we talking here?  As you level, both of those respective advantages (+1 AC vs. 1/- DR) are going to fade into insignificance.  What's +1 to AC vs. a critter that has a +30 to hit?  What's 1/- DR vs. a critter that hits for 2d8+20?  Nothing.

That said, if you're buffing yourself up with AC boosting spells to get yourself in the same ballpark as the foes you're facing, I can see the +1 to AC at least becoming relevant, if not exactly significant.  The 1/- DR, on the other hand, is worthless at high levels, IMO.

Plus, a Str 13 is not very high.  So that gives the Adamantine another mark against it, weighing 10 lbs. more than the Mithral, if your DM pays any kind of attention to encumbrance.

My vote: Mithral.


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## Peter Gibbons (Dec 4, 2005)

Bad Paper said:
			
		

> mithral breastplate:
> 4200gp, AC +5, max Dex +5, ACP -1, 15#
> 
> adamantine chain shirt:
> 5100gp, AC +4, max Dex +4, ACP -1, 25#, DR 1/-



+1 AC is worth more than DR 1/-, even at low levels (except in the limited circumstance where just about everything you fight deals a very small amount of damage).  At high levels, the disparity is even greater.

In every other way (cost, weight, and even max Dex -- which you don't care about anyway), the mithral breastplate is superior.  This is a no-brainer.


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## Darklone (Dec 4, 2005)

Agreed. Mithral breastplate... I'm just surprised that a low dex dude gets it, does that mean the other group members already have better armours?


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## green slime (Dec 4, 2005)

Mithral Breastplate,

Because it is cheaper.
Because it weighs less.
Because it has a higher AC, and 5% less chance to get hit is worth more than DR 1/-, unless the guy hitting you is really whimpy. 
At higher levels, you can aquire boosts (via items) to your Dex that puts you up at a +5 modifier on Dex, so the higher roof isn't wasted at all, it is merely anticipating a future development.


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## Nonlethal Force (Dec 4, 2005)

Bad Paper said:
			
		

> mithral breastplate:
> 4200gp, AC +5, max Dex +5, ACP -1, 15#
> 
> adamantine chain shirt:
> 5100gp, AC +4, max Dex +4, ACP -1, 25#, DR 1/-




I voted for the mithril between the two.  For the same reasons.  DR 1/- is really not that big of a deal.  dr 5/- or dr 10/- is a big deal.  But 1/- is not really worth all the things that you would lose by picking up the adamantine.  About the only time that 1/- might be nice is if a creature had a bunch of small itteritive attacks ... but by the time a creature you are facing has a bunch of attacks, usually the damage die is significant enough to make that 1/- look pretty small.

But, what's the bigger picture?  Cleric of Kord might go with the Adamantine just because it fits better.  Cleric of Heironeous might do the same.  Cleric of Ehlonna would more than likely choose the mithril.  Think more than just numebrs - also think concept, too.


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## Joker (Dec 4, 2005)

Go for adamantine.  It looks cooler, it has that new armor smell to it, and since no-one else takes it, you become special.


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## Bad Paper (Dec 4, 2005)

This is a cleric of Boccob.  He's 3rd level right now; I'm just considering what armor he'll want to buy at 5th or 6th level when he's (hopefully) got the cash.  Don't want to carry around all that money.  He made friends with an armorsmith with whom he is opening an account of sorts, and will drop off money as he gets it until he has paid off whatever armor he's buying.  The problem is that he has not yet decided *which* armor to buy...hence this thread.

I want to keep the AC penalty down because (aside from it TOTALLY SUCKING when you fail a check because of ACP) he is a cleric of trickery and wants to actually be able to use that Hide skill.

The link that Stalker0 posted is not the one of which I was thinking, but it's certainly a nifty one, thanks.  The thread of which I was thinking showed how the DR vs AC thing changed over time, and how at higher levels the higher DR may actually be more valuable.  But I can't find it.

oh, and 







			
				green slime said:
			
		

> At higher levels, you can aquire boosts (via items) to your Dex that puts you up at a +5 modifier on Dex, so the higher roof isn't wasted at all, it is merely anticipating a future development.



I cannot think of any way he will get his adjusted Dex score above 18, without spending a couple of ability modifiers on Dex, which is silly.  Oh, and I guess being reincarnated as an elf, but, uhh, let's not count on that.


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## Scion (Dec 4, 2005)

Bad Paper said:
			
		

> oh, and I cannot think of any way he will get his adjusted Dex score above 18, without spending a couple of ability modifiers on Dex, which is silly.  Oh, and I guess being reincarnated as an elf, but, uhh, let's not count on that.




enhancement to dex, inherant to dex, and, if you can get away with it, reduce or compression (a double compression would be very interesting for an AC boost! Such an item would be costly, but it could be possible to have a constantly active one if you try hard enough.. talk about a boost to your hide check!).


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## Bad Paper (Dec 5, 2005)

Here's the thing, though: why spend 4200gp on mithral breastplate when you can just spend 1100gp on mithral chain shirt?  Is the extra +1 AC really worth that trade-off of the -1 AC penalty?


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## HeapThaumaturgist (Dec 5, 2005)

I'm currently playing a Bbn1/ClrX of St. Cuthbert ... (he's a little hot-headed at times).

I'm sort of in the same boat.  With Barbarian speed + Divine Vigor, I REALLY like my 50' movement rate.  My big-nasty combat mode, currently, involves Enlarge Person + Rage + Bull's Strength + Bear's Endurance, etc etc, so my AC goes down to something like ... 10.  It's an all-or-nothing build.  I can get a cleave off of a Strength-Smite with a 30Str doing something like 2d8+24 with P.A. and Brambles.  

Me or Him, basically.  

But I'm contemplating if I want a Mithril Breastplate (keeping my big movement) or an Adamantine Shirt ... I just sort of conned the Rogue out of a +1 Mithril Chain Shirt, but I'm contemplating giving it to him.  At higher levels I'll need huge amounts of spells to get my AC up to anything remotely looking like a miss-chance.  I figure I'll do better to try for Stoneskin and Protection from Arrows from the Wizard and hope I can obliterate the enemy before he can whittle me down.

Worked pretty good so far.

--fje


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