Armor Modifications (5e Variant Rule)

Armor Modifications

Many an adventure have wanted to make small modifications to their armor but have lacked the skills and expertise to due so. When this happens, these adventures will seek out skilled artisans to help make these armor modifications. These modifications sometimes cost a pretty penny and may come with some unfortunate downsides, but you did manage to finally get that spiked armor you always wanted.

Armor may possibly be bought with any armor modification, but generally, pcs should have to seek out an appropriate artisan in order to have them modify their armor with an armor modification.

Want your own special weapon? Check out Weapon Modifications.

Rules Clarification

Prerequisite: What armors this modification works for
Artisan Requirement: What type of artisan is required to make this modification
Cost: The cost of the armor modification itself when you provide the armor
Downsides: Any downsides added to this armor due to the modification

Adamantine Armor

Prerequisite: Armor made of metal
Artisan Requirement: Blacksmith
Cost: Cost of an uncommon magic item
Downsides: —
This suit of armor is reinforced with adamantine, one of the hardest substances in existence. While you're wearing it, any critical hit against you becomes a normal hit.

Duplex Plate

Design Note: This armor modification uses, at bare minimum, renaissance era technology which is not automatically assumed to be available in D&D campaigns.

Prerequisite: Armor made of steel plates (including breastplate, half plate, and plate)
Artisan Requirement: Blacksmith
Cost: Double the cost of the original armor
Downsides: —
Duplex plate is an advanced form of plate armor, made from a complicated process in which two heat-treated plates of different hardness are welded together, allowing a significant weight reduction without loss of strength. Duplex plate armor weighs 40% (four-tenths) less than the original armor, rounded down. For example, a duplex breastplate weighs only 12 lb., duplex half plate weights only 24 lb., and a suit of duplex full plate weighs only 39 lb.

Extra Padding

Prerequisite: Light or medium armor with disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks
Artisan Requirement: Leatherworker
Cost: Half of the cost of the original armor
Downsides: Armor weighs 10 lbs more, your movement speed decreases by 5ft while wearing the armor
Extra padding is added between joints and any other place that could possibly make noise on the armor. Because of this, the noise creatures make while wearing armor with extra padding is significantly reduced at the cost of additional bulkiness and maneuverability. Armor with extra padding which used to have disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks no longer has disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.

Lighter Leather Armor

Prerequisite: Armor made of leather
Artisan Requirement: Leatherworker
Cost: Half of the cost of the original armor
Downsides: —
Key parts of your leather armor are replaced with lighter and tougher leather, then stained to look the same as your armor, making your armor weigh 3 lbs lighter.

Mithral Armor

Prerequisite: Armor made of metal
Artisan Requirement: Blacksmith
Cost: Cost of an uncommon magic item
Downsides: —
Mithral is a light, flexible metal. A mithral chain shirt or breastplate can be worn under normal clothes. If the armor normally imposes disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks or has a Strength requirement, the mithral version of the armor doesn't.

Polished Armor

Prerequisite: Metal armor
Artisan Requirement: Blacksmith
Cost: 10 GP
Downsides: Lasts for 48 hours or until the armor is dirtied
The metal armor has been polished to a mirror's sheen. While in bright light, you may position your body into just the right spot as a bonus action, forcing one creature within 30 feet to succeed a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or become blinded and stunned until the end of their next turn.

Silvered Armor

Prerequisite: Metal armor
Artisan Requirement: Blacksmith
Cost: 100 gp
Downsides: Armor weighs 1.5 lbs more
The metal armor is coated in a thin layer of silver, which is known to react adversely with certain creatures. When a creature that is immune to bludgeoning, slashing, and piercing damage dealt by non-silvered weapons (such as lycanthropes, devils, and night hags) makes a melee attack against the wearer without a weapon (such as with claws, tusks, beards, or bites), fails to escape a grapple with the wearer, or that creature otherwise touches their armor, that creature takes 1d4 + 1 radiant damage. In addition, if such a creature swallows the armor, they take 2d6 + 2 radiant damage at the start of each of its turns while you are swallowed.

Alchemical Silvered Armor

Prerequisite: Metal armor
Artisan Requirement: Blacksmith
Cost: 50 gp
Downsides: —
Devised as a way to reduce the amount of required silver and increase the ease of application, though at the cost of effectiveness. When a creature that is immune to bludgeoning, slashing, and piercing damage dealt by non-silvered weapons (such as lycanthropes, devils, and night hags) makes a melee attack against the wearer without a weapon (such as with claws, tusks, beards, or bites), fails to escape a grapple with the wearer, or that creature otherwise touches their armor, that creature takes 2 radiant damage. In addition, if such a creature swallows the armor, they take 2d4 + 1 radiant damage at the start of each of its turns while you are swallowed.

Cold Iron Armor

Prerequisite: Metal armor
Artisan Requirement: Blacksmith
Cost: 250 gp
Downsides: Armor weighs 3 lbs more
The metal armor is reinforced with cold iron, mined from deep underground and forged at low temperatures. When a creature that is a fey, giant, or ooze makes a melee attack against the wearer without a weapon (such as with claws, tusks, beards, or bites), fails to escape a grapple with the wearer, or the creature otherwise touches their armor, the creature takes 1d4 + 1 radiant damage. In addition, if such a creature swallows the armor, they take 2d6 + 2 radiant damage at the start of each of its turns while you are swallowed.

Darkwood Armor

Prerequisite: —
Artisan Requirement: Druid
Cost: 400 gp
Downsides: AC reduced by 1
The armor is reinforced with veins of darkwood, reducing its integrity while increasing maneuverability. The amount to which you can add your Dexterity modifier to the armor increases by 2 (i.e. a Half Plate changes from 15 + Dex modifier (max 2) to 14 + Dex modifier (max 4), Plate armor changes from 18 to 17 + Dex modifier (max 2).

Deep Crystal Armor

Prerequisite: Metal armor
Artisan Requirement: Jeweler
Cost: 175 gp
Downsides: Armor weighs 1 lbs more, AC is decreased by 1
The metal armor is encrusted with a thin layer of deep crystal, mined from only the largest of crystal veins. While worn, the crystals absorb the brunt of any psionic energy directed toward you, granting you resistance to psychic damage.

Spiked Armor

Prerequisite: —
Artisan Requirement: Blacksmith for metal armor, leatherworker for leather-made armor
Cost: 60 gp
Downsides: Armor weighs 4 lbs more
The metal armor becomes adorned with spikes across the arms, shoulder plates, chest, and boots. Whenever a creature attempts to grapple you and whenever a creature starts its turn while grappling you, a creature takes 1d4 piercing damage. In addition, if a creature swallows you it takes 2d6 piercing damage at the start of each of its turns while you are swallowed, as the spikes cause grievous, profusely bleeding wounds to the creature's innards.

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