[PFS] Barding vs. Non-humanoid armor; GM clarification request

[FLite]

Ultimate Equipment lists two ways a creature with non-human body shape can get armor.

One is Non-humanoid armor, which is twice the cost of humanoid armor.

The other is Barding, which is also twice the cost of humanoid armor.

Barding takes five times as long to put on as normal armor, prevents you from carrying anything except a saddle, rider, and saddle bags, and if it is medium or heavy prevents you from flying (which may be a left over rule from 3.5 that got missed when they removed the general restriction on medium load preventing you from flying.)

Non-humanoid armor has none of those restrictions or limitations.

So why would anyone buy barding? The only thing I can think of is that given barding is in the "animal gear" section is that barding is made to be put on an animal that is not helping get it on. Which would imply that non-sentient animals can only wear barding, while sentient animals can wear non humanoid armor (though without hands, they may still need help putting it on.)

How is this intended to work in PFS?

[andreww]

As I recall from animal archive animals have a barding slot not an armour one. Barding is for animals, non humanoid is for stuff like Xill's and what have you.

[FLite]

Nope. Just went and checked. All animal archive animals that have a slot for it have an armor slot, not a barding slot.

[BigNorseWolf]

Slight correction

A barded
animal cannot be used to carry any load other than a rider,
and normal saddlebags.

There's other equipment and things you can still put on there

[FLite]

BigNorseWolf wrote:

Slight correction

A barded
animal cannot be used to carry any load other than a rider,
and normal saddlebags.

There's other equipment and things you can still put on there

bridle and saddle I assume. (I am assuming saddle is part of the load of a rider.)

I'm not sure I understand the distinction you are making.

also, what, no Flutter? :(

[Aaron B]

The PRD calls out Barding as armor for non humanoid creatures. So armor for a non humanoid is Barding. The terms appear interchangeable.

http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/ultimateEquipment/gear/animalsAndTranspo rts.html#barding

Plus under the armornfor unusual creature table it lists by humanoid/non humanoid. Sentience does not appear to be a qualifier.

http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/ultimateEquipment/armsAndArmor/armor.htm l#armor-for-unusual-creatures-table

[Nefreet]

Obligatory plug for a somewhat related question: What is the price of a Mithral chain shirt sized for a large, nonhumanoid creature?

At least 145 inquiring minds want to know!

[FLite]

barding:

Barding

Price varies; Weight varies

Barding is a type of armor that covers the head, neck, chest, body, and possibly legs of a horse or other mount. Barding made of medium or heavy armor provides better protection than light barding, but at the expense of speed. Barding can be made of any of the armor types found on the Armor and Shields table.

Armor for a horse (a Large non-humanoid creature) costs four times as much as armor for a human (a Medium humanoid creature) and also weighs twice as much (see the Armor for Unusual Creatures table). If the barding is for a pony or other Medium mount, the price is only double, and the weight is the same as for Medium armor worn by a humanoid. Medium or heavy barding slows a mount that wears it, as shown on the table below.

Flying mounts can't fly in medium or heavy barding.

Removing and fitting barding takes five times as long as the figures given on the Donning Armor table. A barded animal cannot be used to carry any load other than a rider, and normal saddlebags.

Actually, it says barding is a type of armor a mount can wear, and which prevents the mount from carrying any load except for rider and saddle bags.

unusual creatures:

Armor for Unusual Creatures

Armor and shields for unusually big creatures, unusually little creatures, and non-humanoid creatures (such as horses) have different prices and weights from those given in the Armor and Shields table. Refer to the appropriate line on the table below and apply the multipliers to price and weight for the armor type in question.

Armor for unusual sized creatures has none of those stipulations, and does not refer you to barding.

If what you are saying is accurate, then, for example, Centaurs would only be able to wear barding, not armor.

To me it sounds more like barding is a subset of armor for unusual creatures. Which is why I would like it clarified.

[Aaron B]

A centuar is considered a large monstrous humanoid as per their bestiary entry.

http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/monsters/centaur.html

This would mean that they would fall in the unusually large humanoid category, therefore would not use barding.

[thistledown]

And (since I've been asking similar things recently) what about armor/barding for druids who are wild-shaped into animal forms?

[Nefreet]

Presumably said Druids would be smart enough to purchase armor, and not barding, since there is literally no benefit to having barding.

I've always just thought it was a redundancy in the rules that would eventually be removed in an errata. If the Developers intended for barding to be handled differently, their intention sure didn't make it through the editing stage.

[Aaron B]

Well since armor polymorphs with you, you wouldn't need Barding, unless you wanted something someone else could equip you with after you polymorphs.

[FLite]

Aaron Bryant wrote:

Well since armor polymorphs with you, you wouldn't need Barding, unless you wanted something someone else could equip you with after you polymorphs.

I think the later was the general idea. If you have a single form that you use most of the time, that is a heck of a lot cheaper than the wild enhancement.