(Trying to) quantify hauberk v. full plate

[Jymamon]

I'm considering keeping my warrior in hauberk post cap. That made me wonder what am I giving up mechanically for RP reasons.

Full plate offers:

• a better crit divisor (11 v. 9)
• generally lower DF (varies - there may be an exceptions, I didn't check every weapon/spell)
• a more favorable CvA (-21 v -9)
• worse action penalty (-23 v -9 assuming max AU training with no enhancives)
• worse spell hinderance (20/50+ versus 11/12 for MnS/MnE)

Which leads to my actual question: Did I miss any differences of note?

Action Penalty
This affects DS (accounted for in the crit divisor/DF section below).
SMR defense... At cap, is the difference enough to matter or do the other skills that factor in make it a non-issue? Based on the armor article, I'll presume the 3x PF washes out any difference.

CvA
A 12 difference is big, but I'm not sure how to quantify that in survivability. I'll have to start paying attention to what my wizard sees cast at him to make a better stab at this.

Spell Hinderance
I don't foresee him casting much during combat, so this seems like a non-issue. For self-spelling, he'll be in a natural sanct, carry milky blue oil, or just remove the armor.

Crit divisor and DF
I'm leaving out invasion creatures and events like Duskruin. I expect those to further skew things in favor of plate, but they're not day-to-day concerns.

If I look at normal hunting areas, I think the highest general AS comes from the Vvrael Destroyer (up to 469 on the wiki) which swings either a maul or a claidhmore (I assume these are +40 CW).
Based on Tsoran's trainer, I think my warrior will have a 423 DS in offensive in hauberk or 418 in full plate (the difference coming from the action penalty)

Running the numbers through Whirlin's Weapon Comparer spreadsheet (I left out HDP hauberk because that never seems like a win)

Normal DS
No code has to be inserted here.

When stunned (-20 DS) and prone (-50 DS)
No code has to be inserted here.

Since he'll likely end up mostly hunting the less dangerous OTF, running the numbers for an Ithzir Champion with a 442 AS and maul (both based on the wiki), he shows a 0% chance for crit death in either armor. HDP plate shows 21.86 v. HCP hauberk's 36.40 damage/swing (while stunned and prone).

Assumptions
Since these will be the same regardless of the armor, they shouldn't matter, but whichever armor he ends up in, it'll be (at least)

• 7x
• either HCP or HDP
• max light
• T5 ensorcelled

After those, it gets to be a armor specific, so I can't quantify.

[Gelston]

Something you aren't taking into account is stacking injuries. Even if it just gives you a minor, you get hit in the same spot and it is now a bleeder, on and on. Plate has a better chance of not getting that minor on small hits, which as a warrior you will take a lot of, especially if you want to berserk. It is doable, of course, you can hunt in robes if you want, you are just not using yourself your skills to their fullest abilities.

Something to consider, if the chain is for RP... Just cheat when you go hunt and switch to plate.

[Fallen]

Availability of high end armor should also be a consideration. I imagine there are a lot more sets of nice plate than there are nice chain (not that there's not high end chain)

Lowest possible weight for armor. Chain's base weight will be lower than full plate.

[Roblar]

Which is another negative for hauberk, lower carrying capacity when max light.

[Jeril]

Something else to consider, the more likely you are to get hit while hunting in OTF the more likely you are to die from lame lightning flares. You'd be better off hunting the third floor of Nelemar unless you've got some special attachment to OTF.

[Gelston]

Something else to consider, the more likely you are to get hit while hunting in OTF the more likely you are to die from lame lightning flares. You'd be better off hunting the third floor of Nelemar unless you've got some special attachment to OTF.

Sounds like RP is what keeps him in EN.

[Jymamon]

Thanks everyone.

Some random comments:

Something you aren't taking into account is stacking injuries.

Damn it. I do tend to forget about that. Thanks.

Something to consider, if the chain is for RP... Just cheat when you go hunt and switch to plate.

It is more about not-plate. He's a Tehir and a Tehir in plate never sounded right to me. If I do go the plate route (I'll admit, I'm still on the fence, but leaning that way), either a concealer (or morphing armor, but probably a concealer so I could go with ethereal armor on him) would be part of the plan.

Availability of high end armor should also be a consideration.

Fair point, but as an alt, he's likely to get just the 7x heavy padded ethereal chain/plate and never upgrade. I already equip the alts more than their play time probably justifies.

Something else to consider, the more likely you are to get hit while hunting in OTF the more likely you are to die from lame lightning flares.

So, that'd be a point (or a quarter point, whatever) in favor of the hauberk's lower action penalty.

Sounds like RP is what keeps him in EN.

Lazy keeps the alts in EN. My main is there by choice. The rest are just there because it is easy at that point.

[Gelston]

Oh, yeah. Get an armor concealer. There are some about that can make you look ... unplated. I don't recall the rules on altering them though.

[SpiffyJr]

You are wearing a hooded faenor-hued surcoat striated with dark green and grey.

You analyze your faenor-hued surcoat and sense that the item is largely free from merchant alteration restrictions, but the creator has stated that "The item type should not change."

The creator has also provided the following information:
The faenor-hued surcoat is designed to hide soft leather, rigid leather, chain mail and plate mail armor which covers torso, arms, legs and head.

This garment should be designed in such a manner to convey that ALL these areas are completely covered.


You carefully analyze your faenor-hued surcoat and sense that there are some alteration restrictions. The surcoat can have either a long or a show description.

Any outer garment noun may be used for armor concealers as long as they are loose fitting and fully cover the appropriate areas of protection (tunics do not cover legs, so they may not cover leg worn armor, a shawl would not be appropriate at all, etc.).

Armor concealers that cover the head MUST have a hood/cowl in the base (15/15/15) and in any long descriptions.

Armor concealers can be made out of any material that is not see-through.

Racial clothing nouns are approved as follows:
Ruhan ~ This garment is knee-length or shorter and should not have a hood, so it cannot cover armor with leg or head protection. This concealer cannot be pocketed.
Toque ~ This noun is approved for any armor and may have a hood.
Cotehardie ~ This noun may be used but must clearly be an outer garment that falls to the knees (so it cannot cover armor with leg protection) and is not-tight fitting. It should be used as an elven outer garment, not a gown.
Apotl/Apotla ~ These are fine for concealers, but since it is a waist-length cloak, it only covers torso and arms.
Atanika/Ataniki ~ These nouns are approved for concealers but should not have a hood.

You get no sense of whether or not the surcoat may be further lightened.

[Jeril]

Something I don't see is AvD and this will often cause your AS/DS equation to favor plate.