What’s the Best Non-Metal Light Armor?

[Palanan]

I need to equip a character prohibited from wearing metal armor, and I’m looking for the best options in the light armor category.

All official 3.5 sources are available, no third-party and no Dragon content. A nature-y theme is preferable, but not essential—I’m looking for the best protective options given my restrictions.

[Zombulian]

I need to equip a character prohibited from wearing metal armor, and I’m looking for the best options in the light armor category.

All official 3.5 sources are available, no third-party and no Dragon content. A nature-y theme is preferable, but not essential—I’m looking for the best protective options given my restrictions.

My vote is for Sharkskin from Stormwrack

[heavyfuel]

Bronze Wood chain shirt

[DrMotives]

Best AC might be Dragoncrafted scalemail, but the aforementioned sharkskin is good too, and I also like shadowsilk armor from ToM.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by DrMotives
I also like shadowsilk armor from ToM.

I don't have that book, but googling around, this seems to give only a +1 to AC. That doesn't seem too great; is there some other benefit that makes up for it?

Originally Posted by heavyfuel
Bronze Wood chain shirt

Do you have a source on this, or any other information?

[DrMotives]

I don't have that book, but googling around, this seems to give only a +1 to AC. That doesn't seem too great; is there some other benefit that makes up for it?

The shadowsilk comes in 3 types; Padded, leather, and hide armor crafted from shadowsilk. All 3 give the same AC as their normal versions, but the hide becomes a light armor, armor check penalties are reduced by 2, max dex increases by 2, and arcane spell failure is reduced in areas of darkness by 15%. Also, they give a +2 untyped bonus on Hide & Move Silent. Cost is 1.5k for padded, 1.75k for leather, or 2.5k for hide. Since this is armor spun out of shadowsilk, the hide is really just thicker, more layered cloth. So it's not just druid-friendly, it's even vegan-friendly.

[Palanan]

Very nice, thank you. I hadn't realized there was more than one type available.

A little on the pricey side, but when the side benefit is equivalent to a feat, it seems worthwhile.

[noce]

In the magic item compendium there is a psychoactive Skin, I think it's called of ectoplasmic armor. +8 armor with +2 max dex, counts as light.

[Anxe]

In the magic item compendium there is a psychoactive Skin, I think it's called of ectoplasmic armor. +8 armor with +2 max dex, counts as light.

Bracers of Armor +8 are a little better

[Darrin]

Short answer: Darkleaf (ECS, A&EG) or Sentira (Secrets of Sarlona) breastplate.

Longer answer: see this post.

[noce]

Bracers of Armor +8 are a little better

Bracers of armor +8 cost 64.000 gp compared with 6.000 of the ectoplasmic armor.

On the plus side, psychoactive skins do not occupy a slot, and a custom slotless item of armor +8 costs 96.000 gp.

[Anxe]

Bracers of armor +8 cost 64.000 gp compared with 6.000 of the ectoplasmic armor.

On the plus side, psychoactive skins do not occupy a slot, and a custom slotless item of armor +8 costs 96.000 gp.

Oh yeah, not better for cost at all. Just for effect.

[flappeercraft]

Gnome Twistcloth from RoS, it has no maximum dexterity bonus and if you use a feat the bonus can apply also to touch attacks but that is optional.

[Bohandas]

Moon ivy (from Arms & Equipment Guide), but that costs 16000 gp

Also I think you can make chainmail out of elukian clay (also from Arms & Equipmemt Guide)

[DrMotives]

It doesn't say you can't make chainmail out of Elukian clay, although that does seem a bit odd. It still would be medium if you do though, Elukian clay armor doesn't lose a weight catagory like some materials do. Bronzewood chainshirts specifically don't exist per RAW, there's a short list of armor types that can be crafted from it, none are made with chain in any form.

[martixy]

Nightscale(Und/66) is also worth mentioning in that it technically has the most potential AC of any armor(I know of), apart from armors without a Max Dex bonus.
It is +2 armor with +10 max dex bonus(for a max of +12 AC).

[Bakkan]

Check out the armor calculator in my signature for a helpful tool. For instance, finding Light armors that are Druid-Friendly, these are the cheapest armors for each AC (assuming 0 Dexterity, things may change with known Dex)

11 Wicker Armor 1
12 Bark Armor 5
13 Wood Armor 15
14 Blue Ice Chain Shirt 850
15 +1 Blue Ice Chain Shirt 2000
16 +1 Elven Darkleaf Chainmail 3550
17 +2 Elven Darkleaf Chainmail 6550
18 +3 Elven Darkleaf Chainmail 11550
20 +1 Halfweight Dwarven Stone Armor 17900
23 +1 Halfweight Thaluud Stone Armor 18950
24 +2 Halfweight Thaluud Stone Armor 27950
25 +3 Halfweight Thaluud Stone Armor 38950
26 +4 Halfweight Thaluud Stone Armor 51950
27 +5 Halfweight Thaluud Stone Armor 66950
28 +5 Halfweight Illithidwrought Thaluud Stone Armor 83950

[Grod_The_Giant]

A Dragonhide Chain Shirt?

[Thurbane]

Is money no object?

If not, then +1 Halfweight Riverine Full Plate.

Halfweight armor property: p.70.
Riverine special material: Stormwrack, p.128.

[hamishspence]

A Dragonhide Chain Shirt?

That's not on the list of options:

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialMat...htm#dragonhide

One dragon produces enough hide for a single suit of masterwork hide armor for a creature one size category smaller than the dragon. By selecting only choice scales and bits of hide, an armorsmith can produce one suit of masterwork banded mail for a creature two sizes smaller, one suit of masterwork half-plate for a creature three sizes smaller, or one masterwork breastplate or suit of full plate for a creature four sizes smaller. In each case, enough hide is available to produce a small or large masterwork shield in addition to the armor, provided that the dragon is Large or larger.

Because dragonhide armor isn’t made of metal, druids can wear it without penalty.

[Boci]

The shadowsilk comes in 3 types; Padded, leather, and hide armor crafted from shadowsilk. All 3 give the same AC as their normal versions, but the hide becomes a light armor, armor check penalties are reduced by 2, max dex increases by 2, and arcane spell failure is reduced in areas of darkness by 15%. Also, they give a +2 untyped bonus on Hide & Move Silent. Cost is 1.5k for padded, 1.75k for leather, or 2.5k for hide. Since this is armor spun out of shadowsilk, the hide is really just thicker, more layered cloth. So it's not just druid-friendly, it's even vegan-friendly.

Technically shadow silk hide armour has a maximum bonus of +3, gives +6 to dexterity, gives you -1 to any check needed to cast an arcane spell, and will result in you not being able to move 20% of the time in the light, but only 5 in shadow.

But that's probably a typo, so your interpretation is likely RAI.