Armor and Shields

The different worlds of Star Wars are a vast tapestry made up of many different cultures, each with its own technology level. For this reason, adventurers have access to a variety of armor types, ranging from basic combat suits to heavy battle armor, with several other kinds of armor in between. The Armor table collects the most commonly available types of armor found in the game and separates them into three categories: light armor, medium armor, and heavy armor. Many warriors supplement their armor with a shield.

The Armor table shows the cost, weight, and other properties of the common types of armor worn in the worlds of Star Wars.

Armor and Shield Proficiency

Anyone can put on a suit of armor or wield a shield. Only those proficient in the armor's use know how to wear it effectively, however. Your class gives you proficiency with certain types of armor. If you wear armor or wield a shield that you lack proficiency with, you have disadvantage on any ability check, attack roll, or saving throw that involves Strength or Dexterity, and you can't force- or tech-cast.

If you have proficiency in armor, you have proficiency in the appropriate shield as well.

Variant: Equipment Sizes

In most campaigns, you can use or wear any equipment that you find on your adventures, within the bounds of common sense. For example, a burly wookiee won't fit in a jawa's combat suit, and an ugnaught would be swallowed up in a gamorrean's hooded cloak. The GM can impose more realism. For example, a suit of armor made for one human might not fit another one without significant alterations, and a guard's uniform might be visibly ill-fitting when an adventurer tries to wear it as a disguise. Using this variant, when adventurers find armor, clothing, and similar items that are made to be worn, they might need to visit an armormech, synthweaver, or similar expert to make the item wearable. The cost for such work varies from 10 to 40 percent of the market price of the item. The GM can either roll 1d4x10 or determine the increase in cost based on the extent of the alterations required.

Armor Class (AC)

Armor protects its wearer from attacks. The armor (and shield) you wear determines your armor class (AC).

Armor Properties

Many armors and shield have special properties related to their use, as shown in the Armor table.

Bulky

While wearing armor with this property, you have disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks that rely on sound.

Obtrusive

While wielding a shield with this property, you have disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks that rely on sight.

Strength

While wearing armor or wielding a shield with this property, your speed is reduced by 10 unless your Strength score meets or exceeds the strength number.

Light Armor

Made from supple and thin materials, light armor favors agile adventurers since it offers some protection without sacrificing mobility. If you wear light armor, you add your Dexterity modifier to the base number from your armor type to determine your Armor Class.

Combat Suit

Combat suits are seen all over the galaxy, and can be found for sale by almost any merchant who dealt in weapons and armor. Many such suits are used by military organizations, such as the Galactic Republic's military, as well as by mercenaries, criminals, bounty hunters and even some Jedi.

The suit itself offers decent protection from most types of attacks while maintaining maximum flexibility and minimum weight. However this armor is only recommended for light skirmishes.

Fiber Armor

Fiber armor is a type of armor that offers more protection than the lighter combat suit. Fiber armor is heavier overall than combat suits, and not quite as flexible, but many consider the trade-offs worthwhile. It is a good source of defense from physical attacks and light blaster fire.

Medium Armor

Medium armor offers more protection than light armor, but it also impairs movement more. If you wear medium armor, you add your Dexterity modifier, to a maximum of +2, to the base number from your armor type to determine your Armor Class.

Mesh armor

Providing solid protection for a minimal cost, mesh armor is considered excellent protection for entrenched troops or guards. However, this protection comes at a cost of mobility, limiting its uses by rapidly advancing infantry. Still, it provides more mobility than battle armor.

Weave Armor

Weave armor was constructed from a mesh of metal or composite plates and a padded jumpsuit. Variants of the armor included less plates and more padding for a lighter, though less protect-ive armor, and heavier plating with molded pieces to fit the wearer. Though the armor was available unmodified, most users personalized their armor.

Composite Armor

Composite armor is a type of armored suit that offers a good balance of mobility and protection against most types of weapons. The micro-hydraulics of this type of powered armor provide the operator with protection, but are more bulky than mesh or weave armors. This type of armor is rarely seen outside of professional mercenaries' and soldiers' use.

Heavy Armor

Of all the armor categories, heavy armor offers the best protection. These suits of armor cover the entire body and are designed to stop a wide range of attacks. Only proficient warriors can manage their weight and bulk. Heavy armor doesn't let you add your Dexterity modifier to your Armor Class, but it also doesn't penalize you if your Dexterity modifier is negative.

Battle Armor

Battle armor is an armor that reduced weight, but restricts movement. The armor is commonly used by mercenaries, bounty hunters, soldiers, and civilians that live in dangerous areas.

Assault Armor

Assault armor improved on battle armor, with the benefit of micro-hydraulics that boost the efficacy of the operator. It offers better protection, but increased weight.

Heavy Exoskeleton

Heavy exoskeletons are virtually the heaviest armor acquirable during the Galactic War. It is ideal for extreme combat situations that involved direct damage and also offers a very good level of protection in sacrifice of dexterity. Some consider it claustrophobic but that was the trade-off for safety.

Shields

Shields come in varying weights, sizes, and materials. Light shields are smaller and mounted to the forearm, while medium and heavy shields are held in hand. You can only benefit from one shield at a time.

Physical Shields. Physical shields are made entirely of physical materials. They are cheaper than their generator counterparts, but heavier.

Shield Generators. Shield generators are made almost entirely of energy barriers. Medium and heavy shield generators have a physical handheld component from which the barrier emanates; medium shield generators are orbs that are slightly larger than a fist, while heavy shield generators project from a large cross.

Light Shields

A light shield is generally affixed to the forearm. While a light shield does not fill the hand, you gain no benefit from it while the hand is full. You gain no benefit from a light shield while wielding a weapon with the heavy property.

Medium Shields

A medium shield is a common defensive technology that protects the user from blaster fire, the elements, or other hazards. Medium shields are used in conjunction with any one-handed weapon.

Heavy Shields

Heavy shields are much larger and more cumbersome, but they offer more protection than their smaller counterparts. Their unwieldy size, however, requires the use of a one-handed weapon with the light property in the other hand.

Name	Cost	Armor	Weight	Properties
Light Armor
Combat suit	100 cr	11 + Dex modifier	10.00 lb	—
Fiber armor	450 cr	12 + Dex modifier	13.00 lb	—
Medium Armor
Mesh armor	500 cr	13 + Dex modifier (max 2)	20 lb	—
Weave armor	1,000 cr	14 + Dex modifier (max 2)	25 lb	—
Composite armor	2,500 cr	15 + Dex modifier (max 2)	45 lb	Bulky
Heavy Armor
Battle armor	750 cr	16	55 lb	Bulky, strength 13
Assault armor	2,000 cr	17	60 lb	Bulky, strength 15
Heavy exoskeleton	9,000 cr	18	65 lb	Bulky, strength 17
Shield
Light physical shield	50 cr	+1	6.00 lb	—
Light shield generator	125 cr	+1	2.00 lb	—
Medium physical shield	150 cr	+2	18.00 lb	Strength 13
Medium shield generator	375 cr	+2	6.00 lb	—
Heavy physical shield	500 cr	+3	36.00 lb	Obtrusive, strength 15
Heavy shield generator	1,250 cr	+3	12.00 lb	—

Getting Into and Out of Armor

The time it takes to don or doff armor depends on the armor's category. If you have help, you can reduce the time it takes to don or doff armor by half.

Don. This is the time it takes to put on armor or wield your shield. You benefit from the armor only if you take the full time to don the suit of armor.

Doff. This is the time it takes to remove armor or store your shield.

Donning and Doffing Armor

Category	Don	Doff
Light armor	1 minute	1 minute
Medium armor	5 minutes	1 minute
Heavy armor	10 minutes	5 minutes
Light shield	1 reaction	1 reaction
Medium shield	1 bonus action	1 bonus action
Heavy shield	1 action	1 action