Unique Armors, 5 (d100)

Splint mail, studded leather and sturdy shields of all shapes, sizes and mysterious backgrounds. Fictional characters wear their armor like a second skin, seemingly owning no clothes but their ever-present protective gear. Armor can define a character’s personality as well as their fighting style and fuel a growing character arc. From Darth Vader’s futuristic full plate, Sturm Brightblade in his father’s ancient suit of Solamnic armor, Batman’s pitch black suit and cloak (Or any superhero costume) designed to evoke fear in criminals, Warhammer 40k’s Space Marines and their enormous powered armor, Croaker’s baroque Widowmaker armor, Goblin Slayer’s grubby armor and concealing helmet, the frost covered armor of Prince Arthas and any complete armor set from any video game, a character’s protective gear is a full body first impression. These examples are not powerfully magical or even technologically more advanced than other armors in their various settings but the rich description, emotional attachment and narrative focus allows the protection to almost become a character in its own right. This table of Unique Armor can serve as the physical basis for family heirlooms, legendary artifacts and magical or masterwork weapons. Alternatively they can be found as loot and become part of a PC’s distinctive appearance, allowing the player to become fully immersed in their character’s look and feel. —Note: Some entries call for the DM to “Roll a Random armor” which simply means that the DM can roll from the pregenerated lists on this blog or choose whatever armor they feel would be appropriate for the situation.

d100 Result

1

A set of chainmail decorated with a row of small metal disks, each stamped with a tankard symbol.

2

A suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor decorated with remarkable imagery associated with the divine concept of Roll on "Good Domains". The bearer feels a weak sense of devotion to that sacred ideal and feels slightly motivated to perform acts in its name or support those who follow it. The wielder is not compelled to act in this way and is not forced to violate any strongly held morals or beliefs. Whenever the wielder actively exemplifies or supports that Godly domain, the armor noticeably glows and the wielder experiences a euphoric high.

3

A set of studded leather armor consisting of a black leather jerkin with silver steel pauldrons, black leather gauntlets with reinforced steel plates covering the knuckles and forearms.

4

A nearly indestructible kite shield fashioned from a single enormous scale of a sea serpent. The shield is a shimmering deep blue and catches the light like a cresting wave. A creature grasping the shield can feel and smell a calm ocean breeze and hear the faint cries of gulls in the distance. 

5

A darkly hued suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor. A particularly observant creature will notice that the shadows cast by the armor’s wielder are of the wrong size and shape. They always seem too big, too black, and sometimes shift of their own accord or in opposition to the wielder’s movements.

6

A stout wooden shield with an upraised iron horseshoe serving as the boss. Holding the shield causes the wielder to feel as if the odds are in their favour.

7

A set of armor consisting of cloth woven with and placed over multiple layers of padding (Leather armor statistics). The coif, which is decorated as an eagle’s head, frames the bearer’s face with a beaklike visor. The tightly woven leggings are fashioned with decorative talons.

8

A set of concealed armor that resembles a suit of regular clothes; a long sleeved shirt and trousers. Cunningly incorporated sections of padding and resistant cloth strips are woven into a protective shell around the wearer’s body, without betraying their existence to the casual observer. While the suit only offers the same protection as padded armor, it is better than nothing and can be further enchanted if the bearer possesses the funds to do so.

9

A suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor that is dyed a deep black with stars and other cosmic phenomena worked into the dark design.

10

A halfling sized set of battered half-plate armor painted with brightly colored, many petaled flowers.

11

A chain shirt trimmed with silver that glistens in the sunlight. Pure white cloth trappings and an embroidered tabard cover most of the chain,

12

A ceremonial cuirass (Scale mail statistics) of thick leather scales, dyed green. Each scale is gilt along its edges and the lacing is shot through with thin gold wire.

13

A magnificent suit of scale mail armor crafted from solid gold, but it seems as solid as steel. The image of a peacock, its tail fanned prominently, is emblazoned on the breastplate.

14

A set of splint mail. The vertical bands of steel that make up the cuirass of this armor are painted the muddy-scarlet color of congealed blood.

15

A suit of scale mail armor consisting of offset rows of rectangular metal scales overlap atop a leather tunic, the silk ties tying it all together artfully concealed beneath the tiny steel plates.

16

A sturdy chain shirt, constructed mainly of steel with a third of the links being iron.

17

An elegant and lightweight suit of mithral elven chainmail, with platinum pauldrons, gauntlets and tassets shaped like overlapping leaves and a large platinum ironwood leaf, inlaid with gold, emblazoned in the centre of the chestpiece. It is treated as light armor.

18

A suit of ancient bronze half-plate. It is surprisingly well maintained and shows very little wear.

19

A finely crafted suit typically seen worn by court bards during high profile events. The composition is primarily hardened leather (Leather armor statistics), outfitted with fine, tooled etchings and adorned with several semiprecious gems.

20

A hide shirt with thin strips of bone lining the outside (Chain shirt statistics), making this armor both light and durable. Although it offers excellent protection compared to leather armor, it does not have the durability of comparable heavy metal armor. This armor may be worn by druids or those incapable of wearing metal armor without penalty.

21

A medium sized suit of chainmail painted red, with black sleeves. A faint preservative aura surrounds it but is too weak to provide any actual protection.

22

A suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor that while not in any other way inferior to others of its ilk, simply looks weak, puny and generally unimposing.

23

A suit of padded armor of drab olive-green quilted cloth, trimmed with wolf fur.

24

A polished suit of black leather armor with a double-headed eagle engraved in the center of the breastplate.

25

A suit of blue-grey studded leather armor with silver trim, bearing the crest of the Locher noble family.

26

A suit of intricately carved leather armor, covered with abstract spirals and arabesques, and topped with a mail pixane.

27

A suit of skintight and supple midnight blue leather armor, with a dozen small pockets, some hidden, designed to hold lockpicks, small blades, small stolen trinkets and other thieves’ tools.

28

A suit of fine armor made from leather covered in narrow strips of fire‐hardened mahogany. A black spider is painted in the center of the chest, and another on the back; each has tiny azurite eyes.

29

A suit of light brown elf-made leather armor, decorated with delicate leaf patterns inlaid in silver.

30

A suit of dyed green, leather armor designed for a Roll on "Humanoid", with a high collar and black trim, fastened by four bronze buckles across the front.

31

A suit of slim-fitting leather armor made for an elf, studded with small brass rivets, and with silver pauldrons to give the bearer extra protection.

32

A solid rectangular shield that bears a large, round, cloudy blue gem at its centre.

33

A suit of ring mail armor with a white trimmed collar, pauldrons and vambraces. An ash colored skull and crossbones badge is embedded in the centre of the chest.

34

An elaborate suit of Roll on "Random Colour Table" leather armor beautifully designed in a draconic style, complete with dragon-shaped helm and “scaled” breastplate, pauldrons and gauntlets.

35

A suit of leather armor made from dark green and black mottled snakeskin and decorated with silver spiral patterns.

36

A suit of elf-made leather armor, dyed mottled greens and browns, decorated in relief with swirling leaf patterns.

37

A suit of hide armor made from crocodile skin and embellished with the reptile’s sharp teeth.

38

A lightweight kite shield of a shining, silvery metal, emblazoned with the image of a red lion in the middle.

39

A suit of ornamental armor comprised of a gold-plated chain shirt from the deserts of Khemet, adorned with a beautiful collar of turquoise and gold. It is technically functional in combat but the heavy gold adds five pounds to the typical weight of a chain shirt and any strikes against the gold would mar the finishing.

40

A suit of black and white hide armor made from the rubbery skin of a killer whale, and embellished with the orca’s teeth.

41

A suit of studded leather armor consisting of a long black leather coat, adorned with silver buttons and reinforced with iron plates sewn into the lining.

42

A suit of copper scale mail, with ornate pauldrons shaped like dragon’s heads.

43

A suit of scale mail, expertly crafted from yellowing bone scales, and topped with a bone helm made from a bull’s skull.

44

A suit of finely wrought, tightly woven chainmail links, bearing the maker’s mark of Torrdin Surelock, master armorer.

45

A short armored coat known as a Do-maru (Studded leather armor), made from lacquered horn lamellar in alternating horizontal rows of black, gold, green and white.

46

A sickly mauve-coloured and mottled armor, made from the thick hide of a purple worm. The suit is as effective as half plate and may be worn by druids or those incapable of wearing metal armor without penalty.

47

A wyvernskin hide armor with dozens of greenish-yellow reptilian eyes painted on the cuirass and pauldrons.

48

A silvered breastplate with a swan in profile lacquered into the centre of the cuirass; Its one eye is of onyx.

49

A heavy steel shield whose polished face is fashioned to appear to be a roaring lion’s head.

50

A suit of chainmail with green-tinged steel links, decorated with electrum trim and a silver unicorn symbol above the left breast.

51

A set of bronze chainmail of ancient Khemeti manufacture, completed by a gold neckpiece in the shape of a desert vulture.

52

A glistening black steel breastplate of hobgoblin workmanship, with a single yellow eye surrounded by red flames emblazoned in the middle of the chest.

53

A suit of drow chainmail, made for a female priestess from fine black steel, and embellished in mithral with the house insignia of the Sha’hezazi clan of the city of Dol Felezzan.

54

A set of hide armor made from the metallic, armored skin of a gorgon. The breastplate is decorated with a bull’s head design, set with two emerald eyes.

55

An ornately carved silver breastplate depicting a bare-breasted harpy above a pair of lions salient, and surrounded by vines and floral patterns.

56

A mithral breastplate of dark elf manufacture, made for a favoured male warrior of the Szorfein fighting college of Dol Felezzan. It depicts the divine symbol of the Queen of Spiders on the front of the cuirass with an intricate web design on the back.

57

A finely wrought splint mail of alternating bronze and steel strips, with five pale blue moonstones set in the cuirass in a vertical line.

58

A large round shield made of several layers of wood covered in a layer of bronze with a layer of leather in between, to absorb shock. The shield has a strap in its middle and a handle at the right edge. Its outward face is decorated with images of wild beasts, mythical animals and ferocious monsters.

59

A polished suit of splint mail with gold hawk emblems on the helm and each pauldron. Each individual piece of armor is stamped with a flaming dagger maker’s mark.

60

A suit of Kusari gosoku (Chainmail statistics) of finely wrought steel rings, adorned with gold chrysanthemums.

61

A dwarven stone coat, consisting of a full torso of lamellar plates crafted from polished blue stone and horn kikko leg protectors. The suit is as effective as breastplate and may be worn by druids or those incapable of wearing metal armor without penalty.

62

A suit of half plate with spiked pauldrons and an over-sized gold belt buckle, shaped like a medusa’s face with eyes of lapis lazuli.

63

A suit of splint mail, embellished with gold flower shaped roundels on the pauldrons and tassets. A large gold rose is emblazoned in the center of the cuirass.

64

A solid steel tower shield polished to a mirror finish even on the inside, enabling its bearer to watch foes ahead and behind.

65

A suit of iron banded mail (Ring mail statistics), engraved with intricate knotwork designs. The iron helm has small ram’s horns and is studded with yellow citrines over the eyeholes.

66

A suit of elaborate agile half plate, crafted from black steel, with flanged pauldrons, couters and poleyns.

67

A suit of gold-plated splint mail, worn as ceremonial armor by the Rajput of Chandarai. The gauntlets and greaves are engraved with images of leaping tigers.

68

A suit of full plate armor of shining steel, with a bronze crossed sword design damascened into the gauntlets and greaves.

69

An elaborately made red and black oyoroi (Ring mail statistics) of lacquered lamellar and iron, with a kabuto helmet decorated with two gold wakidate and a fearsome hoate mask depicting the visage of an oni.

70

A black and gold o-yoroi (Scale mail statistics), with a magnificent kabuto adorned with a small pair antlers inscribed in flowing calligraphy with the achievements of the Watashi clan.

71

A gold colored half plate crafted for an agile Roll on "Humanoid" warrior, with one pauldron covered in steel scales and much larger than the other.

72

A suit of blue dragonhide full plate, decorated with gold trim and studded with green garnets. The open face helm is adorned with two ostentatious blue and gold wings. The armor may be worn by druids or those incapable of wearing metal armor without penalty.

73

A suit of bronze splint mail over top of a bullhide leather backing. Its vambraces are embellished with green and blue sapphires.

74

A large sized suit of adamantine lamellar armor forged in the City of Brass by azer slaves for an efreeti sultan, decorated with gold fire sigils and rubies.

75

A suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor displaying a family crest over the heart consisting of five silver swallows on a sable field.

76

A suit of orichalcum splint mail, prominently engraved with a sunburst design and inlaid with topaz gemstones.

77

A suit of hide armor made from the skins and parts of many different types of animals and decorated with horns, teeth, and bones.

78

A dull steel chain shirt that displays a simple, but well-made design.

79

A heavy steel shield featuring a magical image of the trackless seas, complete with rolling waves and crashing whitecaps.

80

A sleeveless cuirass of black iron scales (Breastplate statistics) ornamented with violet glass and silver gilt.

81

A tight-fitting jerkin made of tough, but pliable leather (Leather armor statistics) and dyed a dark Roll on "Random Colour Table" with embroidered white accent decorations.

82

A suit of studded leather armor fashioned from hardened bone that reinforces a cured leather jerkin lined with furs. The exterior of the armor is typically covered by a woven ‘tabard’ of grasses and tree foliage.

83

A suit of half plate whose arms and pauldrons are stylized to resemble the wing of a raptor. It is made of a light weight steel alloy and covered in decorative feathers. A small crossbar extends upward just behind the wielder’s shoulder and serves as a perch that a bird-of-prey might alight upon.

84

A round shield made of cherry wood rimmed by steel with a simple quartered pattern of ochre and white on its face.

85

A suit of brigandine (Splint mail statistics) consisting of a studded leather coat reinforced with metal plates riveted onto the torso and back of the jacket. The plates are covered with additional cloth and boiled leather for extra protection.

86

A poor man’s suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor whose appearance is dubious at best. Any metal components are scratched dented and rusting while its leather is ratty, stained and rotting away. The armor is unpleasantly fragrant, smelling of mildew, refuse and unwashed bodies. Despite its appalling condition a close inspection reveals that the armor is sturdy enough to get the job done if someone has low enough standards to don it.

87

A heavy steel shield with a distinct curve to its shape and bears the device of a valiant knight.

88

A chain shirt whose fine links form a pattern of roiling clouds. The steel is cold to the touch, always emanating a thin layer of mist that quickly dissipates.  

89

A suit of muddy brown hide armor that carries a fetid stench like raw sewage, and occasionally sprouts angry and uncomfortable-looking blisters. Knowledgeable PC’s can determine that the armor was fashioned from the skin of an otyugh, a revolting aberration that living in and feeds on garbage. Most creatures are repulsed by the armor’s vile putridity but it never seems to bother the wielder in one way or another.

90

A breastplate made of a shining amber metal decorated with faint motifs of the waves and water.

91

A suit of shadow silk padded armor that’s as dark as night and stitched with thread the color of dried blood.

92

A suit of non-metallic splint mail made of strips of laminated greenwood that flex with the wielder’s movement but stiffen when struck in battle.

93

A suit of breastplate armor crafted from the carapace of a giant scarab beetle, enchanted to be as hard and reflective as polished steel.

94

A cavalry shield made of magnificent iron and pine, with the image of an oak leaf, and a holly leaf within a hexagon on a white field.

95

An intimidating looking suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor that always feels mildly itchy when worn, like the sensation of a freshly healing injury. Whenever the wielder’s flesh is cut open, the resulting wound always results in a vivid, blood red scar, regardless of the method used to heal it.

96

A suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor that whenever its bearer is presented with an opportunity to act in a selfish or malevolent way, the object heightens the bearer’s urge to do so.

97

A heavy steel shield that has a highly polished concave reflective surface that contains a large golden gem at its center.

98

A suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor heavily decorated with strips of pure white oak. Whenever the armor is worn in combat, the, wielder’s skin becomes pure black and the color of his eyes turn solid white. When the battle ends, the wielder’s eyes and skin slowly return to normal over the course of a few minutes. During this time the wielder is left feeling giddy and feverishly warm as if he’d just spent an extended time uproariously laughing rather than fighting for his life.

99

A wooden shield of elven design that’s been carved and painted to perfectly resemble the sharp-lobed, arrow-shaped leaf of the bindweed vine.

100

A pristine suit of breastplate armor, completely plated in gold and meticulously sculpted to make the wearer appear as a bare-chested male. The armor was obviously intended for ostentatious show, rather than practical use as the gold is heavy (Weighing ten pounds more than typical breastplate) and easily marred in combat.