Knights & Knaves Alehouse

How does magic armor affect movement?

1/2 encumbrance IIRC.

Yep, 1/2, and another place in the DMG says that it has NO weight.

I'm wondering about the bulkiness of magic armor.

In 2 of the campaigns I am in, the DM rules 1 category down.
(Example: my elf's plate mail +2 now weighs 22.5# and his base move is now 9", before adjustments for encumbrance).

However, I can't seem to remember the "1 category down" ruling anywhere in the DMG, though it seems like a fair ruling.

prespos wrote:Yep, 1/2, and another place in the DMG says that it has NO weight.

I believe that may be elf mail that has no weight.

I would not rule bulk to be any different.

DungeonDork wrote: I believe that may be elf mail that has no weight.

UA.75: Elfin chain is non-bulky, base move 12", weight 15#.

Is bulk difference than encumbrance? It isn't tracked, it doesn't matter except in an ad-hoc ruling moment.

DungeonDork wrote:Is bulk difference than encumbrance? It isn't tracked, it doesn't matter except in an ad-hoc ruling moment.

Good question.

Bulk is different from Encumbrance, but you're right, Bulk is not tracked.

Looking at the armor table now, Bulk seems to be just an extra column in the table, which can be safely ignored most of the time in actual play.

Prespos

Ps.
I have this nagging feeling that there is some rule where Bulk may come into play, but I can't remember it right now.

prespos wrote: I have this nagging feeling that there is some rule where Bulk may come into play, but I can't remember it right now.

Maybe trying to fit through a narrow opening or something.

I can't recall it ever coming up.

DungeonDork wrote:

prespos wrote: I have this nagging feeling that there is some rule where Bulk may come into play, but I can't remember it right now.

Maybe trying to fit through a narrow opening or something.

I can't recall it ever coming up.

That was my first instinct as well, fitting through a narrow opening.

It's not addressed in core BtB, but there is a section called SPELUNKING: The Tight Squeeze on page 20 of the DSG.

I checked the DSG, and there is no mention of Bulk there in that section.

In modules, NPCs and pregen characters with magic armor always had their full move rate, suggesting that at least within TSR the "weightless" rule was favored over the "1/2 weight and one category less bulky" rule found elsewhere in the DMG.

T. Foster wrote:In modules, NPCs and pregen characters with magic armor always had their full move rate, suggesting that at least within TSR the "weightless" rule was favored over the "1/2 weight and one category less bulky" rule found elsewhere in the DMG.

Thank you T. Foster, that is a very interesting tidbit of information!

prespos wrote:
In 2 of the campaigns I am in, the DM rules 1 category down.

That's what I do as well, but can't recall where I got the notion to do so. Possibly from the guys I used to play with in Indy, 12+ years ago.