Armor Proficiency (2024)

Armor proficiency with a type of armor or shield allows a character to avoid penalties when wearing that armor or shield type. Armor proficiency can be granted as a class trait or by a feat.

Penalties for non-proficiency[]

Wearing light armor or heavy armor without the corresponding proficiency causes a -2 penalty to the character's attack rolls and Reflex defense, in addition to the normal effects of wearing the armor.

Wearing a shield without the corresponding proficiency negates the shield's bonus to AC and Reflex defense, in addition to the normal penalties and limitations of wearing the shield.

Classes granting armor proficiencies[]

All published classes are proficient with cloth armor as a class trait, and most classes grants proficiency with some or all other armor types. These class traits have no requirements other than being the appropriate class, even if the corresponding feat has requirements.

For example, even though a warlord must have 13 Constitution to gain the Armor Proficiency: Scale feat, a fighter with 12 Constitution is proficient with scale armor because armor proficiency class traits have no ability score requirements.

Hybrid characters[]

A character made as a hybrid of two classes receives only the armor proficiencies granted by both classes. For example, a fighter/rogue begins with only cloth and leather armor proficiency.^[PH3:135]

Feats granting armor proficiencies[]

Light armor[]

Any character can take the Armor Proficiency: Leather feat to gain proficiency with leather armor.^{[PH:193][HotFL:310][HotFK:310]}

A character with leather armor proficiency, 13 or higher Strength, and 13 or higher Constitution can take the Armor Proficiency: Hide feat to gain proficiency with hide armor.^{[PH:193][HotFL:310][HotFK:310]}

Heavy armor[]

A character with leather armor or hide armor proficiency, 13 or higher Strength, and 13 or higher Constitution can take the Armor Proficiency: Chainmail feat to gain proficiency with chainmail.^{[PH:193][HotFL:310][HotFK:310]}

A character with chainmail proficiency, 13 or higher Strength, and 13 or higher Constitution can take the Armor Proficiency: Scale feat to gain proficiency with scale armor.^{[PH:193][HotFL:310][HotFK:310]}

A character with scale proficiency, 15 or higher Strength, and 15 or higher Constitution can take the Armor Proficiency: Plate feat to gain proficiency with plate armor.^{[PH:193][HotFL:310][HotFK:310]}

Light shields[]

A character with 13 or higher Strength can take the Shield Proficiency (Light) feat to gain proficiency with light shields.^[PH:200]

Heavy shields[]

A character with light shield proficiency and 15 or higher Strength can take the Shield Proficiency (Heavy) feat to gain proficiency with heavy shields.^[PH:200]

Hybrid Talent[]

Hybrid ardents, bards, battleminds, clerics, druids, fighters, invokers, paladins, rangers, runepriests, and warlords may select the Armor Proficiency option for the respective class when taking the Hybrid Talent feat to gain the armor proficiencies of that class.^[PH3:181]

Hybrid barbarians may select the Barbarian Armored Agility option when taking the Hybrid Talent feat to gain the Barbarian Agility class feature, and proficiency with leather armor and hide armor.^[PH3:141]

Hybrid wardens may select the Warden's Armored Might option when taking the Hybrid Talent feat to gain the Guardian Might class feature, and proficiency with leather armor, hide armor, light shields, and heavy shields.^[PH3:153]