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While reading through the armor in 2e I got to wondering, is it a good time for Studded Leather to get a new name and/or description?
From everything I've read it sounds like the original idea in Dungeons and Dragons(and possibly earlier) was due to misunderstanding various reinforced armors that involved studs and leather, where the studs were actually a side effect of whatever method was used to strengthen the armor(metal plates being the most common, if my memory is right) being fastened to the leather.
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The types of armor most likely the cause of this confusion was Brigandine.
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The types of armor most likely the cause of this confusion was Brigandine.
Yeah, and the similar Coat of Plates. The rivet heads were seen and apparently assumed that it was just soft leather with studs instead of leather with multiple small plates riveted to the inside. Just adding studs wouldn't make soft leather a useful armor.
I don't think just renaming the problematic Studded Leather to Brigandine would really be a good idea though. Brigandine should probably be a Medium Armor not a light, so it'd change the stats too. Studded leather does occupy a good design space, but the name is problematic. Maybe Gambeson? That's kind of already covered by Padded armor, but the stats of Studded leather are probably more appropriate than the ones for Padded. Those things were surprisingly good armor. Maybe rename Padded Armor as Thick Clothing and then rename Studded Leather to Gambeson. And note what they are in the descriptive text. A gambeson being multiple layers (many, 18 and 30 are two numbers thrown around for number of layers) of quilted fabric with a stuffing. There were thinner ones for just wearing under other armor, but here I think we're just concerned about the ones used as armor by themselves.
Relatedly, can we get rid of Mail in the names of things that aren't mail? Thankfully only Scale Mail, and Splint Mail remain. Mail = Chain Mail. Rename Scale Mail to Scale Armor or just Scale. Splint is also problematic in being a fictional armor. There was splinting as armor, but it was mostly for limb protection and used with other armor, not full suits. This can be an easy fix though, change the name to Splinted Mail and change the description (if we get descriptions, which we should). The -ed ending changes the meaning to be an actual real armor, mail with small plates embedded over vital areas. Popular in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, India and the rest of Asia. I don't think it shows up in Central or Western Europe though.
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'Padded Armor' should be renamed to 'Gambeson' in my opinion. But then we get back into the same issues we had over in our discussion about the various swords. I do think it would be a far simpler fix in this case as I feel fewer people are as invested in the name 'Padded Armor' as in the sword names.
I think that 'Leather Lammellar' would better fit the design space of 'Studded Leather', and be more authentic to boot.
Drop the Splint Mail and go with 'Iron Lamellar'.
And yes, please drop Mail (properly 'Maille') and call it Scale Armor.
I do think Lamellar is just really cool armor, and like to see it get some love. So I certainly wouldn't mind that solution. Although I tend to think iron lamellar works better as a medium armor.
I'm not sure padded armor is really good enough for a gambeson though, that's why I was thinking of moving it to the stats of studded leather. The things were tough, I don't think they deserve the fragile trait.
And of course the artwork is likely a reason why Studded Leather won't go away. It's really popular in the artwork like the iconic Rogue, Hunter and Swashbuckler. I guess it can just be stated that is leather armor, and simply has studs in it. The Bloodrager does have steel lamellar though, if only on his limbs.