HYPERBOREA » Armour 'Proficiency'

Osric_of_O · 4/20/2025 5:02 pm

Firstly: I only came to this game in HYPERBOREA 3e, but the forum describes this area as an AS&SH thing...
Is that still apt, or is it time for a bit of an update? (Software tester by profession! Proofreader by natural inclination.)

I have a fellow party member who's an Assassin...
I noted that his Favoured Weapons include Long sword / Broad sword, where every other weapon type stops at smaller versions. (E.g. Scimitar (small) but not the Scimitar (large) that would be comparable to a Long sword.)
And it occurred to me how Long sword, being such a staple, might be important to impersonating all sorts of character classes.

And then I thought, what about armour?
How it would be handled if an Assassin were required to wear, say, Full Plate to impersonate a knight (cataphract) as part of an assassination mission? RAW just have such armour as not allowed to the Assassin class. But it would be wrong for the game if it could be assumed that anyone wearing heavy armour was by definition not an Assassin.
Should they be allowed to swan about in such armour (outside of combat situations) without giving themselves away? And if they were wearing such armour in order to play a role and combat ensued, should they suffer a 'non-proficiency penalty'? (As well as presumably all that thiefy stuff being impossible, or massively disadvantaged...?)

Carnby · 4/20/2025 5:53 pm

Personally, I'd allow it since a disguise makes sense, but if they end up in combat they should definitely suffer penalties. I'd assume at minimum they wouldn't be able to use their dexterity defense adjustment, and as noted on page 37 of the Player's Manual, climb, hide, and move silently are all already impossible in heavy armour. Plus, I might add in a penalty for tests of dexterity and extraordinary feats of dexterity. I'd tentatively let them have the full plate AC, but also remember the movement modifier. The assassin is gonna want to shed that armour before making a break for it over the rooftops, which will presumably be quicker than donning it but will still take some time and if done quickly probably won't be a quiet procedure.

BlackKnight · 4/21/2025 12:20 pm

I agree with Carnby. I'd allow them to wear the armor as it would be part of their disguise. However, if it came down to Combat, like him, I'd also say that there would be several negatives. I'd give them the AC of Full plate, but I'd dock -2 AC for it being unacustomed to it, No Dexterity bonuses, also If any Dexterity based saving throws are needed they should be at -2, also because of it, I'd say that Attacks are also at -2 because of them being unable to move as they are accustomed too...

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4/20/2025 5:02 pm #1

Armour 'Proficiency'

4/20/2025 5:53 pm #2

Re: Armour 'Proficiency'

4/21/2025 12:20 pm #3

Re: Armour 'Proficiency'

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