Armor of Superior Quality
SQ armor attributes vary depending upon the type and material of the armor. All pieces of armor require 1 level of a particular ability whenever they are crafted, regardless of whatever other abilities the crafter might want to grant them. A piece cannot have more than 1 level of most abilities, but there are exceptions to this. Some abilities require that the final user have Shield Rank 3 and/or some other ability in order to make use of them. An expendable effect granted by an ability is restored if a separate repair action is used on the armor, though the armor must fully repaired (not broken or shattered) beforehand. Each effect restored takes its own repair action.
Heavy Armor Abilities
Fitted
This ability reduces a suit of Heavy Armor’s Strength requirement by 1 rank, meaning the wearer does not have to be Capable in order to wear it.
Extended
Armor with this ability is able to protect the limbs economically, gaining the full protection benefit of having all four of them maximally covered.
Durable (required)
All heavy SQ armor must have at least one level of this attribute, representing the general care taken in its creation. Each level simply increases its Armor Rating by 1.
Massive
This armor is quite heavy, thick, bulky, and very difficult to conceal.
Massive armor provides great stability and inertia to the wearer, making them immune to Knockdown, Bind, Shackle, and Slow effects. Such bulkiness requires that the user must be twice as strong as a normal man in order to wear Massive armor, however.
Warded
Warded armor has special reinforcements and deflective features designed to minimize instantly disabling attacks, rendering its wearer immune to basic Subduing effects. In addition, when struck with a Mortally wounding blow, the wearer instead takes dammage equal to 10 simple strikes to the location that is hit. When struck with a Killing blow, they instead suffer a normal Mortally wounding effect. Spell effects or environmental effects which mimic these attacks are also modified in the same way. To use this attribute effectively, the user must have skill with rank Shield 3. Damage reducing and Threshold effects may not be used upon reduced Mortally wounding Blows.
Ablative
Ablative armor allows its wearer to turn aside moderately powerful strikes in an efficient, but limited way. Each level of this ability allows the wearer to ignore against one attack that does the equivalent of 3 simple strike dammage or less is ignored (Threshold 3). Once expended, a single Ablative effect may be restored by a full repair action on the armor, though the armor must be at maximum value in order to do so.
Indomitable
This armor must be quite heavy, thick, bulky, and very difficult to conceal
Indomitable armor is so heavy and perfectly protective that normal weapon attacks will not penetrate it. As long as the armor is at its maximum point value, the user gains Threshold against all simple attacks. If the armor takes damage greater than this, however, the threshold is gone until the armor can be repaired. Indomitable armor requires both twice as strong as a normal person and Shield ranking of 3 in order to be used. Threshold is applied before any reducing effects.
Light Armor Attributes
Ingenious
Armor with this attribute is carefully made with modular, redundant features that make it easy to repair. Anyone with Basic or Intermediate Repair treats that ability as if it were one skill ranking higher than normal when repairing this armor. Those without Basic Repair may maintain the suit as if they had it. Those with Advanced Repair do not reduce their 1 minute repair time any further, but they may maintain the armor without using a Repair Kit.
Insulated
This armor must be leather, or completely backed in leather, cloth, or fur
This Armor is insulated will protect its wearer from the ravages of cold and heat, reducing all such damage to a simple strike, regardless of source.
Durable (required)
Light armor with this required ability is carefully and solidly made, and it gains +1 to its Armor protection. Unlike Durable Heavy Armors, this attribute may only be chosen once.
Buckler Abilities
Fortified
This piece must be a strapped-on, hands free buckler.
Strapped bucklers with this ability provide additional coverage and interlocking protection. As a result, wearing one counts as having two limbs completely covered in plate for the purposes of determining armor protection. If no armor is worn, the ability has no effect.
Solid (required)
Shields and Bucklers made with this required attribute gain a free resist against being Breaking/Shatter/Destroy or Shield Piercing effects each time this ability is chosen. In order to restore the resists, an extra repair session must be taken for each resist restored, and the shield must be in working condition in order to do so. Spells that repair items will NOT these restore resists.
Master’s
Shields and Bucklers made with this ability are intended for a Master’s hand, and are useless to those not skilled enough to understand their subtleties. If the item is chosen as a Favored Shield, it adds 3 to the number in its x/day abilities, according to its type. In addition, the maximum # of potential ability points is proportionally increased, allowing a Master warrior to train to their fullest potential with a Master’s shield.
Articulated
This piece must be a strapped-on, hands free buckler
Any melee weapon wielded with an arm that bears an Articulated buckler is immune to Disarm maneuvers. As well, the interlocking, supportive structure of the item increases the transmission of attacking force, granting +1 to Powered Strike damage with any melee attack, as long as the hand that bears the buckler is on the weapon. This attribute requires Shield rank 3 to use effectively.
Small Shield Attributes
Braced
This shield may not be center-grip only; it must have at least one supporting strap.
With carefully constructed straps and pivots, this attribute allows a SQ small shield to be used in an arm that is wounded, with no restrictions. Note that if the arm is wounded again, of course, the user still goes Critical. This ability requires Shield ranking 3.
Defender’s
With this attribute a shield is specifically weighted and shaped to enhance any melee or thrown attack. As a result, it grants a +1 bonus to any such Powered Strike called while bearing it. This ability requires Shield ranking 3.
Large Shield Attributes
Balanced
Through careful weight-saving measures, a shield that bears this attribute reduces its Strength requirement by 1 rank, meaning the bearer does not have to be Capable in order to use it. This attribute will directly reduce the requirements for other SQ attributes in this category.
Impenetrable
This shield must be relatively thick and heavy, and of maximum size
Large shields with this ability are heavily built, and they have surface features designed to resist the piercing effects of picks and axes. As a result, they are immune to basic Shield Piercing effects. Any enhanced Shield Pierce (Shield Pierce X), however, is unaffected by this ability. Impenetrable shields require to be twice as Strong as a normal person to use.
Mighty
This shield must be relatively thick and heavy, and of maximum size
Mighty shields are so stoutly built that they are almost indestructible, being entirely immune to unreduced Break effects. Shatter/Destroy effects are simply reduced to simple Breaks. These huge shields require both three times as Strong as a normal person and Shield 3 in order to be employed.
Helmet Attributes
Buffered
This piece must be padded from within, or especially thick.
Buffered helmets are able to diffuse the force of a blow enough that they render the user immune to all Stunning effects.
Shielded
This piece must have a visor or significant face covering.
Shielded helmets protect the eyes of the wearer from all Blindness and Fascination effects.
Impervious
This piece must be large and heavy, with significant face covering.
Impervious helmets are so protective that they will render their wearer immune to even Greater Subdue effects.