Goblin Slayer
As I said on Monday, armor isn’t always given much attention in fantasy. The exceptions are magical and legendary pieces that are key plot points. Beyond that, an author may mention if a character is wearing platemail or chainmail, but then move on to the rest of the description. Unfortunately, a reader may remember this fact while an author doesn’t pay it a second thought. Then, you get into a hint of trouble. So, what can you do when it comes to armor?
- Consider the character’s fighting style and upbringing before choosing a type of armor. The faster and more agile the warrior, the lighter and more flexible you need their defense to be. They might not be able to afford stronger armor too, so they will have to start at something either cheaper or nothing at all. Don’t go with what’s flashiest or a type usually has. For example, a knight typically has platemail, but one who just started might not have that yet. Work up to it, which might not happen if they develop a faster fighting style.
- Like swords, armor needs maintenance. They are taking blows, so dents and scratches build up. This weakens the material regardless of what it is. The owner either needs to know how to do repairs on the road or go looking for a blacksmith at times. If the armor is repeatedly getting damaged with no maintenance, it’s going to lose its effectiveness and possibly break. This is very true if the same spot is getting hit like over the heart or the helmet.
- The heavier and more complex the armor, the longer it takes to put it on. You can’t just toss on a suit of platemail during a sneak attack. Warriors will have to either risk their lives getting ready or going without. Same goes for getting ready in the morning and taking the suit off. There’s no way around this either because this is simply how armors work.
- Aside from fighting, you have to think about armor’s effect on other activities. Will it get in the way of climbing and jumping? If it’s very heavy, swimming will be nearly impossible. Same goes for walking and running because this is a lot of weight on a body. The character’s stamina will drain faster while wearing armor than if they were in regular clothes.
- Simple armor like padded robes and hides have their advantages, but aren’t as strong as metal. These work best with those who aren’t frontline fighters or are from more natural cultures. I’m talking barbarians, shamans, and others who craft gear out of animals and wood. So, you have to remember that these aren’t going to do much against heavy weapons.
- Helmets . . . Just remember if the character has one and is wearing it. This is a scene-by-scene tip. These can muffle voices a bit and reduce peripheral vision. Put on a helmet of any kind to see how that works. I’d recommend a fencing helmet to get a good feel for it.
- Chainmail bikinis aren’t practical or safe. They will pinch and hurt without leather backing. This goes for both genders.
Legends of Windemere 
Great, practical post! Number 7—😆😆😆 I wonder if people don’t think about armor because they don’t really know that much about it (though they could do the research to learn). This is why I love the behind-the-scenes videos of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy of movies. Watching the artisans at Weta make chainmail (and how arduous that was) was very inspiring and eye opening. Even costume armor is heavy and sweat-producing. And, like you said, things take damage. Even a casual playthrough of a Breath of the Wild shows that!
LikeLike
I’ve found that armor takes more time to research than weapons. There’s more to consider too. Weight, flexibility, protection level, gaps, etc. So much to think about.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So true. It has to be so carefully fitted on a person.
LikeLike
As I understand it, even with full plate, it’s possible to run, jump and climb if you’ve trained for that. One reason knights had squires was to start training them at 8 or 9 so when they reached their adult growth they would be ready for it. (Also, the squires helped maintain the knight’s armor, giving them a good understanding of all the parts.)
In video games, we’re all accustomed to grabbing found armor or weapons and just strapping them on with a mouse click, and I think we agree that isn’t realistic. It works within the frame of the games, though.
LikeLike
I think I read that too. Looked it up again and saw that the armor was not a fully connected piece. This means it allowed joints to move and wasn’t as heavy as people would think. The weight was spread around the body too.
Games definitely work best with the general categories. Though it would be funny if you had to find a suit of armor that matched your height. Can’t use the 5’10’’ platemail if you’re 6’0’’.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Or if sometimes they have “evening campsite” animations that include oiling/polishing armor, honing weapons, etc.
LikeLike
More interesting stuff, Charles. Thanks
LikeLike
You’re welcome.
LikeLiked by 1 person
😊
LikeLike
Excellent points, find myself while writing conveniently forgetting about some of these.
One that I would like to add is that a lot of times, I read about characters who simply somehow procure the armor with ease or get one “crafted” in a speedy time, almost instantly.
So what I am trying to say is: armor availability, I guess. Armor takes time, does not fall from the sky and the best plate/metal armor is not always so readily available.
LikeLike
That’s always a tough one. Nobody wants to read about characters waiting for armor. I think many authors bypass that fact just to save on time. That or you do a time passes thing.
LikeLike
I’d bet you could roast like a tri-tip during the summer months in plate armor. Can you imagine fighting in that stuff on one of our hundred degree days.
LikeLike
Looks like you suffered or kept the helmet off until battle.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good point about chainmail bikinis, Charles. I often wonder, when looking at fantasy pictures, how the artist thought what use the scanty armour, usually on females, would be in a battle, but I never thought about comfort before.
LikeLike
The concept stems entirely from fantasy art. It was never supposed to be taken seriously for protection.
LikeLike
Pingback: 7 Tips to Using Armor in Fantasy | The Official Christyleinc. Blog
Chainmail bikinis are not helpful in life, let alone battle. Interesting points about using armor. Thank you for sharing
LikeLike
They’re only useful during for the yearly Round Table calendar. Even King Arthur and his knights need to use thirst traps and cheesecake pictures.
LikeLike
Hahaha okay you got me there
LikeLiked by 1 person
😁
LikeLike