Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[dbay]

Does anyone know if Leather Armour is any more protective than leather clothing covering the same area, like a shirt or tunic? I'm low on metal and high on leather, so wondering if there's any advantage (aside from wear) to making leather armour, which would have to be replaced when I get enough metal to make breastplates, to just making cloaks and things.

On a similar note: what's best between cloth, silk, and leather clothing?

[Fireborn]

I think clothing has no armor value at all, so it can only deflect the most marginal of blows...

While Leather Armor is one of the lowest modifiers, it's still better than nothing.

Bone Greaves, Helms, and Gauntlets will preform better than Leather Helms, Gloves, and Leggings.  But may be harder to come by if you already have all the leather on hand.

[Loud Whispers]

I think clothing has no armor value at all, so it can only deflect the most marginal of blows...

You underestimate tunics.

[krenshala]

Well, each layer does get checked, and it only lists the one that actually stopped the blow.  However, actual armour provides much more protection than mere clothing.  Being dressed is way better than running into combat skyclad, however.

[ObeseHelmet]

I think clothing has no armor value at all, so it can only deflect the most marginal of blows...

You underestimate tunics.

And socks.

[King Mir]

I think the data on this question is sketchy. Leather armor should be better than clothing, but might not be.

[dbay]

I think the data on this question is sketchy. Leather armor should be better than clothing, but might not be.

Okay, thanks! I might do some Science and find out.

[Jeoshua]

I think clothing has no armor value at all, so it can only deflect the most marginal of blows...

You underestimate tunics.

And socks.

Funny story.  I was messing around with worldgen and raw editing, and managed to make a Goblin civ that would routinely depopulate the entire world and kill off everything nearby.  They had all kinds of weapons and armor and all that.  I decided to tone them down a bit, and one single change made them die off within 50 years during any worldgen I tried:

I removed their socks and shoes.

That's it.

With foot cover?  Deadly.  Without? DEAD.

[Orkel]

Although leather armour is better than clothes, it's still useless against even the weakest weapons. I think it might have a chance of stopping or most likely just lessening the damage of bite attacks from small creatures (like dogs or badgers) but every weapon the goblins use will slice through like butter.

A balance issue that I hope Toady addresses sometime soon. Low tier armours need a buff.

[Loud Whispers]

Although leather armour is better than clothes, it's still useless against even the weakest weapons.

Cloth > Leather vs Edged attacks
Leather > Cloth vs Blunt attacks

[Nameless Archon]

Although leather armour is better than clothes, it's still useless against even the weakest weapons.

Cloth > Leather vs Edged attacks
Leather > Cloth vs Blunt attacks

Derivation? Source?

[Loud Whispers]

Although leather armour is better than clothes, it's still useless against even the weakest weapons.

Cloth > Leather vs Edged attacks
Leather > Cloth vs Blunt attacks

Derivation? Source?

Adventure and Fortress mode anecdotes. The hardest non-science there is. Also a thread like this where someone poked at material values. Look in the raws.

[Orkel]

Although leather armour is better than clothes, it's still useless against even the weakest weapons.

Cloth > Leather vs Edged attacks
Leather > Cloth vs Blunt attacks

Derivation? Source?

Adventure and Fortress mode anecdotes. The hardest non-science there is. Also a thread like this where someone poked at material values. Look in the raws.

The current armor system is basically "X penetrates Y always or X never penetrates Y", so it doesn't really matter from the practical perspective. If you're testing armor it should be atleast against a copper weapon, anything less is useless. Leather armor might be a tiny bit better against blunt attacks, but the difference is neglible in practise.

I mean, when was the last time you saw a leather armor or a cloth shirt deflect a copper (or higher) weapon? I can't recall any instances since the material system was introduced. Even if it happens, it's so unbelievably rare that saying "cloth is better than leather against edged weapons" has no real value ingame.

[Blizzlord]

Don't be quick to deny. Dwarf Fortress has a tendency to make the unreal become truth.

[dbay]

Arrows get deflected by cloaks, occasionally, I think. And when it comes down to it, I'll take every advantage I can get, even if it's +1%, especially when my resources for actually useful gear are so limited. So I'll start layering on cloth and leather cloaks on my guys. Thanks!