Armor and Clothing: Both together, or is it either / or?


Rules Questions


Can you wear clothing, such as a Cold Weather Outfit, with armor?


yes


Clothing is assumed to be in most cases under the armor. One point about this is clothing that provide AC bonuses do not count if you are wearing armor unless the clothing says specifically it does.


@Derek Dalton .. do you recall where that is stated?

Generally, I've found an absence of rules saying you can't, which is not the same as saying you can. so I was hoping for something more affirmative.


Mechanically, they would use different 'slots' on the body?


They would actually yes, use different "slots".

Under wondrous items "body" is where you'll find robes and the like.

Personally the idea of not wearing something under chain mail would be suicidal to me. Death by chaffing.

Grand Lodge

Actually, if both the clothing and the armor provide an Armor Bonus to AC, only the better bonus applies.

Armor/Shield Bonus: Each type of armor grants an armor bonus to AC, while shields grant a shield bonus to AC. The armor bonus from a suit of armor doesn't stack with other effects or items that grant an armor bonus. Similarly, the shield bonus from a shield doesn't stack with other effects that grant a shield bonus.


The armor bonus not stacking, and getting only the better, is understood... if it applies.

Neither is it a questions of body slots, as clothing is not assigned to a slot (as far as I can tell).

What I am concerned about is a situation like the PCs need to travel in extreme cold conditions.

Do they need to choose between wearing armor (which provides an armor bonus, but no protection against the exposure to cold weather), or wearing a Cold Weather Outfit (which provides a +5 circumstance bonus to Fort saves against exposure to cold weather, but no armor bonus).

Based on the description and illustration, it seems likely that suits of clothing ( "X Outfit", "Cleric's Vestments", "Monk's Robes", etc.) are not intended to be worn with armor.

However, I can find no direct statement one way or the other (although I notice the Tabard mentioned it is typically worn over armor), so I ask the question. :)

Grand Lodge

No, you have to wear something with your armor, or you wind up taking moderate to serious injuries. That chain mail bikini is never worn directly on the skin.

Cold weather gear, in your example, is stuff that could be worn over armor or clothing, just like a parka or heavy cloak.

If you are in serious doubt, there is always wands/scrolls/potions of Endure Elements, since that covers the whole subject anyhow.


I think the outfits do factor in the idea of armour, especially given how most heavy armours were worn with some sort of underpadding to avoid, as mentioned, death by chaffing.

'Body' and 'Chest' are distinct magic item slots, and it's hard to not imagine outfits counted as one or two of these. And by the time you're looking to wander around the Crown of the World with expensive magic items, Endure Elements is a thing.


Urath DM wrote:


Neither is it a questions of body slots, as clothing is not assigned to a slot (as far as I can tell).

I must correct myself.

The definitions of the body slots in Ultimate Equipment clearly calls out the Body and Chest slots as being for articles of clothing.. so that seems to settle the question for me.

Thanks all for your responses.


It's neither. Adventure only on nude beaches and in co-ed public baths. Put that Con/Cha focus to work. (Don't have a Con/Cha focus? Retraining rules can be found in Ultimate Campaign. No excuse for your body to be less than beach-ready.)

P.P.S.: In all seriousness, clothing can - and indeed MUST - be worn with armor. Just plain leather armor would be extremely uncomfortable without something under it, and anything more would be penalty-inducing levels of horrible. Getting down to specific clothing is just too much detail to track - "well, the Monk's Outfit and Cleric Vestments can be worn under armor, but the Explorer's Outfit has to be worn some beneath, some over the armor, and the Cold Weather Outfit...".

Non-magical clothing can be worn with magical or non-magical armor. Magical clothing can be worn with non-magical armor, or even with magical armor assuming they have different slots (most clothing doesn't share a slot with armor). In the case that your magical clothing provides an armor bonus, however, only the higher of your armor's or your clothing's will apply, regardless of if the armor is also magical. (A +1 Cold Weather Outfit will not increase your AC if worn with any sort of armor.)

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