Unique Armors, 6 (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 chain shirt made of shiny, bright rings on the left side and dull, dark rings on the right.

2

A suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor heavily decorated with strips of pure black onyx. Whenever the armor is worn in combat, the, wielder’s skin becomes deathly pale and the color of his eyes turn solid black. 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 cold and melancholy as if the fight took a much harder emotional toll than it actually did.

3

A suit of plate armor fashioned to make the wielder appear to be a demon. Glowing red energy emanates from sigils engraved on the armor’s key plates and joints, and the runes intermittently surge with fiendish power.

4

A suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor with the sacred icon of the Roll on "Humanoid" patron saint of Roll on "Good Domains" displayed directly over top of the wielder’s heart.

5

A heavy steel shield polished to a mirror-like finish that still gleams brightly despite its age. On the back, an inscriptions reads “May my enemies break upon themselves”.

6

A resplendent suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor that shimmers and shifts between all the colors of the rainbow like oil on water. A single color dominates the others at any given time, rotating through the spectrum on a regular basis.

7

A suit of glowing half-plate decorated with various images of the sun and depictions of nature.

8

A well-made suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor that feels comforting and soothing to wear. It’s akin to the sensation of a silky moisturizing balm on one’s skin, alleviating the itches and minor pains of everyday life. Whenever the wielder’s flesh is cut open, the resulting wound always eventually heals into perfectly smooth unblemished skin and never develops into scar tissue, regardless of the time or skill used to heal it.

9

A suit of studded leather armor decorated with large bird’s feathers, giving the arms a wing-like appearance. The suit comes with a mask shaped like a bird of prey’s head.

10

An unremarkable suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor that instills in its wielder the distinct feeling of being watched from afar by an alien intelligence. Although the sensation lasts no more than a few minutes with hours or days passing between instances, it feels as though the armor has somehow attracted the attention of a scrying mage, extra-planar entity or minor God.

11

An ugly set of chainmail that resists polishing and easily acquires bent links and other cosmetic damage from everyday use, though such blemishes never impair its function as armor.

12

A regal-looking set of half-plate decorated with red infernal symbols and an inverted pentagram.

13

A reflective breastplate decorated with a sword-and-starburst symbol. The armor is normally a golden color, but in battle it becomes silver-gray.

14

A tortoise-shell shield banded in iron and decorated with brass inlay.

15

A suit of blue-white chainmail made of an intricate pattern of light and dark links that form a spiral-shaped design on the armor’s chest.

16

A shield fashioned in the likeness of a bronze mirror that has been polished enough to last a lifetime. Though it has seen quite a lot of battle, it carries not a single scratch on its front.

17

A gold-painted breastplate bearing a large, ornate symbol of a vault key on one side of the chest.

18

A protective suit made of densely compacted jungle leaves by elves, this leaf armor (Chain shirt statistics) has been delicately inscribed with elven script. This armor may be worn by druids or those incapable of wearing metal armor without penalty.

19

A gilded suit of banded mail (Splint mail statistics) decorated with images of celestial beings holding their weapons high.

20

A set of studded leather armor that glows eerily in darkness. Tinted using rare dyes, this leather suit gives its wearer a ghostly appearance in areas of dim light or darker.

21

A circular bronze shield forged with strange jutting shapes made for an ancient warrior queen.

22

A set of black studded leather armor outfitted with dozens of intimidating barbs, wicked chains, and leather straps that look to have been soaked in blood.

23

A suit of chainmail whose links are a dull, sickly white color that resembles old bone. The suit’s gauntlets are tipped with silver-black finger spikes.

24

A targe-style shield is made from darkly stained walnut with steel studs and crossed metal bands.

25

A set of hide armor that appears to be made from a horrific amalgam of rotted beast pelts and animal bones, and is decorated with the skulls of tiny rodents trimmed with the fur of a black wolf.

26

This set of leather armor inscribed with an open-hand symbol at the neck, and with meditative mantras along the sleeves.

27

A brilliant suit of gold colored full plate decorated with an ornate feather motif curling across its surface and seems to radiate warmth.

28

A surprisingly heavy shield made out of the fossilized remains of a dead giant tortoise.

29

A polished suit of half-plate armor emblazoned with holy script and religious iconography.

30

A suit of dark red leather armor. Vented and airy, the armor is suitable for wearing in dense jungles, humid rainforests, and other formidable environments.

31

An intricate suit of metallic chain shirt armor woven with the petals, buds, and stalks of numerous kinds of beautiful flowers. The garment is so finely cut that it makes even unsightly wielders appear to have flattering proportions.

32

A buckler made of a single piece of oak bound in black leather inset with shining steel studs.

33

A suit of spiked half-plate armor crafted from the hide and carapace of a xill and includes a xill-skull helmet complete with insect-like mandibles, giving the wearer an otherworldly, bug-like appearance.

34

A suit of studded leather armor styled like a captain’s jacket with long, sturdy leather tails that cover the wearer’s thighs. It is festooned with steel studs crafted to look like gold coins.

35

A suit of leather armor consisting of a linen-like cloth made of a sea plant and resembles a snug light coat with a tattered lower fringe in the shape of trailing seaweed.

36

A midnight blue suit of chainmail armor sporting triangular badge in the shape of a butterfly, moth, and starknife.

37

A suit of slate grey plate mail that bears a horned gorgon’s head on each shoulder and the screaming face of a medusa on its breastplate.

38

A suit of chainmail armor that looks like something a talentless dwarven apprentice would make. It’s ugly, asymmetrical, and finished quickly rather than with care.

39

A suit of well-polished chainmail with narrow strips of brilliant silk cloth woven through the rings. They cause the armor’s colors to shift and shimmer as its wearer moves.

40

An aged stone shield covered in moss and cracks that feels nigh unbreakable. A face of agony is carved into the front of the shield.

41

An immaculate set of field plate mail that commonly used by military commanders. A sturdy metal bracket is built onto the back of the armor, located just under the shoulder blades. If the wielder has personal heraldry, this slot can hold a banner or flag bearing that heraldry.

42

A suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor trimmed in dark purple leather from which a network of thin black veins extend outward, covering the bearer’s form like a root system. When the armor is worn, the wielder’s mind is filled with dark thoughts of cruelty, senseless violence and causing harm to innocents. Although the wielder is never forced to act on these feelings, the constant influx of malicious intent may influence his behavior.

43

A dark red leather buckler embossed with a nine-pointed star design in gold.

44

A suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor that radiates goodness and radiance like a fresh breeze that surrounds any creature who keeps it on their person for any length of time. The constant influx of positive moral and compassionate influence can wear on the wielder’s mind and long-term owners are never quite sure if they’re wearing the armor, or if the armor is wearing them.

45

A gruesome light shield of boiled leather, decorated with interlocking human bones. A halfling skull acts as the boss.

46

A humble looking suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor that was once passingly glanced at by a minor God of War. When donned, the wielder is filled with a thirst for violent conflict and armed battle for no other reason than to prove which side is stronger. Despite the extremely limited exposure to the God’s general presence, the armor still tingles with residual divine magic and can serve as a focus for offensive spells (Those that cause direct damage) cast by a true adherent of a God of War.

47

A heavy black steel kite shield, with a gold rim and three gold crown symbols embossed in the center.

48

A suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor bearing a series of dark, twisted runes carved along its length. A creature who spends time attempting to read the markings is unable to decipher them. That night, the creature has horrific dreams and awakes with bloody tears in their eyes. For the rest of the day, every time the creature blinks or closes their eyes, they see the runes, burnt into their retinas.

49

A square heavy darkwood shield, painted with a dormant wild boar on an argent field.

50

A suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor decorated with a prayer in a long dead language next to the holy symbol of an ancient, all but forgotten God.

51

A suit of gleaming Roll on "Random Armor" armor as white as snow and trimmed in blue silk. The armor grossly inflates the ego of anyone who wears it, exaggerating their sin of hubris.

52

A suit of marbled black Roll on "Random Armor" armor trimmed in red leather. The armor seems to make the people nearby more irritable than normal, which usually results an increasing number of violent incidents in the area the bearer has traveled. When wielded during combat the armor gleams a dull red.

53

A round light wooden shield, covered in red lacquer and decorated with gold fish‐scalepatterns. The center of the shield is painted with a representation of a smiling Gopuran maharajah.

54

A suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor bearing the image of a skull within a drop of blood on the chestpiece. After combat, or any time blood has been spilled, perceptive creatures may notice that pools and drops of blood seem to be running the wrong way, towards the armor, as if it were calling to the blood the way a powerful magnet attracts metal. If blood reaches the armor, it begins to grown warm and emits an unsettling aura of…satisfaction. If the wielder is foolish enough to experiment by purposely dropping more blood on the skull symbol, the armor becomes heavier, warmer and the wielder feels as though something is moving around inside of it.

55

A heavy wooden shield shaped like an angel’s wing, with delicately carved feathers, painted in silver.

56

A lightly colored suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor. A particularly observant creature will notice that the armor’s wielder never casts a shadow in natural or magical light regardless of how strong the illumination is or its direction.

57

A set of breastplate armor coated with a brassy sheen riddled with streaks of crimson. Arcane glyphs glow along the length of the armor, filling its wielder with self-assurance and confidence.

58

A suit of hide armor that appears to be made entirely of living throbbing flesh, with veins dancing just under its foul skin. Whenever it’s struck or damaged, the armor lets loose a horrific shriek and bleeds thick black blood. The armor is utterly repulsive to maintain and profoundly disturbing to repair.

59

An amateurly made suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor covered in strange markings that shift and change under the viewer’s gaze. The chaotic forms appear wildly different from one creature to another varying from arcane runes, geometric designs, occult glyphs or ancient hieroglyphics. The inner lining consists of the thin hide of some unknown beast and feels warm on the wielder’s skin.

60

A grotesque suit of hide armor stitched together from the hides of gugs.

61

A plainly adorned suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor set with a thin collar of bloodstained silver. The armor bears a weak enchantment that unconsciously encourages its bearer to pathologically lie and sow discord and distrust even when it’s not in the bearer’s best interest to do so. Although the bearer will never violate any strongly held moral values nor will he put himself in immediate jeopardy by lying, he will make attempts to obscure the truth whenever possible. The bearer remembers his lies and will create his own logical justifications for them. Should the wielder stop wearing the armor for more than 24 consecutive hours the compulsion immediately ends.

62

A suit of breastplate armor fashioned from black iron chased with brass and decorated in crimson runes. When worn, the wielder casts a deep crimson shadow.

63

A beautiful and lovingly crafted suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor, designed by the true masters of a prior age. The trim is carefully inlaid with gold leaf but instead of appearing gaudy, the effect imparts a subtle and unmistakable radiance to the armor.

64

A small oval light wooden shield covered in gnu hide, and painted with tiny dinosaurs, made by the goblins of the Nwango Crater.

65

A suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor trimmed with red leather and completely covered in painted charms and wards. Any blood that touches the armor immediately evaporates in spiraling trails of red smoke.

66

A suit of Roll on "Random Armor" with the symbol of an earthworm displayed over the heart. Whenever the bearer lingers on earthen soil, worms, beetles, ants and other vermin and insects squirm to the surface. They cause no trouble to the wielder but seem to swarm around the armor’s presence as if called from below to feast on the blood and carrion that the armor promises to leave in its wake.

67

A tall, light-weight tower shield divided into four quarters, two azure and two gold with a silver wolf’s head in the center of each.

68

An old and brittle suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor that’s haunted by the spirits of its past wielders. A casual inspection makes it seem that there is no way that the armor should withstand even a single blow from a half-starved goblin without falling apart but whenever the armor is worn in combat a shimmering spectral force coalesces around the armor’s blackened form of tattered fabric, rotted leather and rusted metal, causing it to be just as strong as it remembers being.

69

A heavy black steel shield with a silver boss in the center from which six silver lightning bolts radiate out to the rim.

70

A damp suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor covered in markings that knowledgeable PC’s will recognize as the abominable prayers of the worshipers of an Aboleth cult. The indecipherable inscriptions on the armor always seem to be in motion and a viewer who gazes too long hears quiet whispers warning of nearby threats.

71

A gleaming suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor with the design of downward facing sword between a pair of spread angel wings set over the heat. The armor radiates a sense of unused potential.

72

A heavy bronze-plated kite shield, stamped with a knight’s coat of arms.

73

A round light steel throwing shield with a silver star painted in the centre on a midnight blue field.

74

A perfectly functional suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor crafted entirely from black iron and gnarled horn inscribed with foul seals and leering faces. Any components normally made of cloth or leather are instead fashioned from demonhide. The armor is always warm to the touch and celestials find its presence repulsive.

75

A lightweight steeply-rounded shield made of interwoven lengths of lacquered rattan. Knowledgeable PC’s know that woven shield forms concentrate on highly-mobile fighting techniques, utilizing low stances and evasive tumbling maneuver that allow the wielder to close quickly against spear and polearm-wielding opponents.

76

A darkly colored suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor. Any blood that touches the armor is quickly absorbed into it, leaving no trace behind. Vein-like glowing red lines appear at the point of contact with the blood, streak towards the armor’s chest piece. The red lines appear to flow into the wielder’s heart causing it to glow dimly for a few moments before the light fades away.

77

A hefty rectangular shield, sized to cover a full-grown man from shoulder to knee. It is constructed of dense wooden planks bound by iron bands. It bears the scars of battle more shallowly than a seasoned warrior might expect.

78

A suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor covered with intricate designs that have strange, shifting optical qualities and are never fully still.

79

A shield, polished mirror-bright and inlaid in concentric circles with scenes of wild beasts, the details worked in gold and silver on a blackened bronze ground.

80

A suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor created during the heyday of a fallen Roll on "Humanoid" kingdom. Its markings tie it to a legendary hero of their people whose exploits border on myth. Careful inspection reveals writing on the armor in a forgotten tongue whose significance is lost to the ages.

81

A suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor of Abyssal design that emits a faint sulfurous odor and emits a thrill of exhilaration within the wielder whenever he knowingly breaks a law.

82

A jousting shield so-called because it has a round cleft on its right upper edge, designed to fit a lance for better stability. The shield proudly displays the heraldry of a knight of middling prestige who resides in the general area.

83

A suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor whose maker’s mark indicates that the weapon is the work of a legendary Humanoid smith… when she was still an apprentice. While functional, the armor is not particularly special or exceptionally well crafted. It could still be valuable to historians or collectors, however.

84

A suit of matte black half-plate armor with a weapon loop on the left hip.

85

A rectangular heavy steel shield painted with four bronze scorpions on a crimson field, arranged around a bronze boss.

86

A suit of dark purple padded armor, finished with gold thread and bearing a copper bull’s head on the left breast.

87

A suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor that when worn, causes the wielder to hear discordant and wild music. While the chaotic rhythms pound in his ears he can see the true shape of the reality around him in all its harshness and dark truths.

88

A suit of green steel full plate armor with a rearing behir image inlaid in the cuirass in gold and lapis lazuli.

89

A ceremonial suit of full plate with every inch inlaid with intricate gold floral patterns. The two gardbraces depict hunting scenes.

90

A round shield made from dark brown wood with an almost charred appearance. Emblazoned on the front is a red wolf’s head.

91

A suit of leather armor dyed silvery-grey with contrasting trim, it has two angel wings stamped into the backplate.

92

A suit of electrum full plate armor, with the symbol of Chaos, (Eight jagged arrows in a radial pattern), inlaid in the breastplate in red hematite.

93

A suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor bearing the holy symbol of a minor deity of Roll on "Random Godly Domains". If the wielder should die while wearing the armor, it sings a short prayer in Celestial or Infernal. This hymn describes the final resting place of the wielder’s soul.

94

A distinctive suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor with the emblem of a crescent moon prominently displayed over the heart. The bearer’s dreams are always vivid and memorable and the armor is always featured in some prominent role in the dreams. Being worn by the bearer to great effect in pleasant dreams and being lost, stolen or used against the bearer during nightmares.

95

A masterfully designed suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor adorned with unique decorative elements. Whenever the weapon is worn in combat, the words “Roll on "All Random Battle Cries" ” thunder in the bearer’s mind as if shouted by a raging berserker.

96

A suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor inscribed with dark, twisted sigils of the Abyss. The marks are aesthetically unpleasant to look upon but seem to change over time. A bearer who has worn or observed the armor for an extended period of time will become enamored with the patterns and loath to part with the item.

97

A suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor that covertly bears the symbol of a monstrous creature somewhere on its exterior. Knowledgeable PC’s can recognize the symbol as the mark of a strange religious cult that has recently sprung up in the nearby area.

98

A set of leather armor made from beads and woven leather cord. This makes the armor highly decorative, yet still provides some degree of protection to the wearer. It is most commonly worn by initiates of the priest militant. Unlike typical leather armor, beaded armor is quite comfortable in warm weather and high humidity.

99

A large oval shield with a slight raised fin running through its major axis, and two others three quarters to either side. It is steeply rounded on its outer edge. It appears to be made of a hoop of iron joined by ribbons of steel, with gold leaf on its combat surface. The gold leaf remains unmarked despite the fiercest of blows the shield blocks.

100

A suit of Roll on "Random Armor" armor with the image of Roll on "Random Musical Instruments" painted on the heart. Whenever a creature targeting the wielder rolls a natural 1 on an attack roll, the armor emits a triumphant fanfare as if the musical instrument on the grip was expertly played for dramatic effect intended to humiliate. Similarly, whenever an attacker scores a critical hit against the wielder, the armor emits a sorrowful musical flourish that lingers for a few moments.