Altering Dragonhide armor

[lalallaalal]

I have a druid in our game that has been loaned a set of dragonhide full plate. At the moment my DM has ruled that I don't need the heavy armor proficiency feat because the text says druids can wear it without penalty.

I expect this ruling to change so I'm wondering if it is possible to have the suit altered to a medium type of armor. I was thinking about having it altered into a breastplate and then any extra material turned into a buckler or light shield.

If I can't alter it I probably won't wear it because it's really heavy and with a 14 strength I would only be 9 pounds away from carrying a medium load.

[Serum]

I'd say that the chest-piece of full-plate is essentially a breastplate, so if it's non-magical, you should be able to take it apart while still keeping it functional.

Also, if you're going to be wearing medium armor anyway, then there's no problem with going into medium load, since all of the medium armors aside from hide have a worse ACP and max dex than the medium load penalties.

[Paladin of Baha-who?]

There are no rules about altering a set of armor into another type of armor, so this would be a case of DM discretion. If this is for PFS, no.

[Mauril]

Paladin of Baha-who? wrote:

There are no rules about altering a set of armor into another type of armor, so this would be a case of DM discretion. If this is for PFS, no.

There are rules for this, actually. Variant rules, but rules nonetheless. Turning the spare material (the legs and arms portions) into a shield, however, would be a GM's call.

[voska66]

In the Ultimate combat book under Piecemeal Armor for the torso there is this:

"Plate Torso Armor Piece: This is a breastplate made of steel. When worn in conjunction with other armors, it also includes a helmet. When worn alone, it counts medium armor, acts as a breastplate, and does not include a helmet."

[HaraldKlak]

I'd say your druid is the worst kind of friend out there...

Someone loaned you their dragonhide fullplate, and you are going to rip it apart... Mind you, we are talking the hide of a creature 4 size categories larger than themselves. So if your friend is human, he have done the deed of slaying a Great Wyrm Red Dragon, or something similar. He has defeated one of the mightiest dragons in the world, and following that epic battle, he pried the thickest scales from its belly and crafted himself a glorious plate armor - the like of which has seldom been seen.

But you - entrusted with this relic, this memory of his most glorious battle - you are going to tear it apart, because it doesn't fit... ;-)

[lalallaalal]

HaraldKlak wrote:

I'd say your druid is the worst kind of friend out there...

Someone loaned you their dragonhide fullplate, and you are going to rip it apart... Mind you, we are talking the hide of a creature 4 size categories larger than themselves. So if your friend is human, he have done the deed of slaying a Great Wyrm Red Dragon, or something similar. He has defeated one of the mightiest dragons in the world, and following that epic battle, he pried the thickest scales from its belly and crafted himself a glorious plate armor - the like of which has seldom been seen.

But you - entrusted with this relic, this memory of his most glorious battle - you are going to tear it apart, because it doesn't fit... ;-)

lol at the moment it has been loaned, but most likely it will be mine eventually. My character is new to the group so he needs to gain a little more trust before getting to keep anything.

It was found in a bandit hoard so I'm not taking anyone's epic prize :)

[Gignere]

lalallaalal wrote:

HaraldKlak wrote:

I'd say your druid is the worst kind of friend out there...

Someone loaned you their dragonhide fullplate, and you are going to rip it apart... Mind you, we are talking the hide of a creature 4 size categories larger than themselves. So if your friend is human, he have done the deed of slaying a Great Wyrm Red Dragon, or something similar. He has defeated one of the mightiest dragons in the world, and following that epic battle, he pried the thickest scales from its belly and crafted himself a glorious plate armor - the like of which has seldom been seen.

But you - entrusted with this relic, this memory of his most glorious battle - you are going to tear it apart, because it doesn't fit... ;-)

lol at the moment it has been loaned, but most likely it will be mine eventually. My character is new to the group so he needs to gain a little more trust before getting to keep anything.

It was found in a bandit hoard so I'm not taking anyone's epic prize :)

Just take the feat, Heavy Armor Proficiency, if the DM changes his mind. It isn't a bad feat for you particularly, since you have the full plate right in front of you.

[blackbloodtroll]

Polymorph any object.

[lalallaalal]

I don't know about taking the feat because I'm not a melee focused Druid. I'm level 2 right now and my feat plan is:

1st: spell focus (conjuration)
3rd: Augment Summoning
5th: natural spell
7th: spell penetration
9th: greater spell penetration

I'll mostly be out of close combat so I don't want to burn a feat just to get a few more points of AC.

[Gignere]

lalallaalal wrote:

I don't know about taking the feat because I'm not a melee focused Druid. I'm level 2 right now and my feat plan is:

1st: spell focus (conjuration)
3rd: Augment Summoning
5th: natural spell
7th: spell penetration
9th: greater spell penetration

I'll mostly be out of close combat so I don't want to burn a feat just to get a few more points of AC.

Anyway I doubt you need both spell penetration feats since you are concentrating on summoning spells.

If you are pure casting, than I recommend just wear the full plate without proficiency. Not like you will need to roll to attack anyway. So get the benefit of the added AC without wasting a feat.

[lalallaalal]

I might just wear it without proficiency. Spell Penetration isn't for sure yet, might go with some other spell focus feats or metamagic. Summoning won't be my only thing.

[Harrison]

Sell it to an armorsmith NPC and have him remake it into the medium armor version you actually want (ie. sell it at the nearest town and buy a dragonhide breastplate or dragonhide agile breastplate).

There may be weird rules for taking apart gear that the PCs have to follow, but for a NPC? Pfft. Done in a few days, no problem.

[Gauss]

I see no problem with just stripping off the arm and leg peices (via Peicemeal armor) to result in Breastplate Armor. Keep the peices around in case the lender wants the armor back.

As per peicemeal armor the magic stays with the breastplate.

- Gauss

[Mauril]

Full plate armor is actually added on in pieces anyway. It's not a single bodysuit that you just clip on at one side. You actually have to attach the breastplate as separate from the pauldrons, vambrances, gauntlets, greaves, etc. So just putting on the breastplate shouldn't be a problem. There might be a few extra straps dangling off of it, but there is no destruction required to convert full-plate into a breastplate.