Armor of Resistance

• Category: Armor (Any Light, Medium, or Heavy)
• Rarity: Rare (Requires Attunement)

You have Resistance to one type of damage while you wear this armor. The GM chooses the type or determines it randomly by rolling on the following table.

IdIO	Damage Type	IdIO	Damage Type
1	Acid	6	Necrotic
2	Cold	7	Poison
3	Fire	8	Psychic
4	Force	9	Radiant
5	Lightning	10	Thunder

Tactical Applications

Combat Strategy: Provides specialized protection against specific damage types, making it invaluable when facing enemies known to use particular attack forms. Most effective when resistance type matches expected threats.

Class Synergies:

• All Classes: Universal benefit regardless of class, particularly valuable for characters lacking natural resistances
• Barbarians: Complements rage resistances, potentially providing protection against different damage types
• Spellcasters: Offers protection against common magical damage types while maintaining spellcasting ability

Build Considerations: Most effective when the resistance type aligns with campaign threats. Consider the local environment and common enemy types when selecting or seeking specific resistance armor.

Acquisition Methods

Crafting Requirements: Requires armor of the base type, materials associated with the resistance type, and specialized enchantments. Typically costs 6,000-10,000 gp in materials.

Common Sources:

• Specialized military units facing known elemental threats
• Rewards from encounters with creatures of the relevant damage type
• Treasure hoards in environments associated with the resistance type
• Commission from enchanters specializing in protective magic

Alternative Acquisition: Some regions offer resistance enchantment services, adding the property to existing armor rather than creating new pieces.

Value & Trade

Estimated Value: 8,000-15,000 gp, with fire and cold resistance commanding premium prices due to common usage.

Trade Considerations: Value fluctuates based on regional threats. Fire resistance is more valuable in volcanic regions, while cold resistance is prized in arctic territories.

Character Integration

Roleplay Elements: The armor often shows visual elements related to its resistance type - frost patterns for cold, flame motifs for fire, or crackling energy for lightning.

Character Concepts:

• Warrior who survived a devastating elemental attack and sought protection
• Explorer specializing in dangerous elemental environments
• Former soldier from units fighting elemental creatures
• Adventurer who has learned to prepare for specific regional threats

Adventure Hooks

The Elemental Incursion: Elemental creatures are invading the material plane, and resistance armor becomes crucial for mounting effective defenses.

The Dragon's Hoard: A dragon's collection includes multiple resistance armor types, but retrieving them requires facing the dragon's own elemental attacks.

The Forge of Elements: An ancient forge can create resistance armor, but activating it requires materials from dangerous elemental planes.

The Climate Crisis: Environmental changes have made resistance armor essential for survival in certain regions, leading to conflicts over limited supplies.

Variants & Customization

Multi-Resistance Armor (Very Rare): Provides resistance to two related damage types (such as fire and radiant, or cold and necrotic).

Adaptive Resistance Armor (Legendary): Changes its resistance type based on the last damage type taken, allowing flexible protection.

Enhanced Resistance Armor (Very Rare): Provides immunity for a brief period once per day in addition to constant resistance.

Specialized Variants:

• Environmental Resistance Armor: Provides resistance plus environmental protection (breathing, temperature, etc.)
• Celestial Resistance Armor: Resistance to radiant damage plus protection against fiends
• Abyssal Resistance Armor: Resistance to necrotic damage plus protection against undead

Lore & History

Origins: Developed by civilizations facing consistent elemental threats. Different cultures have unique approaches to creating resistance-based protection.

Historical Significance: Major battles against elemental forces often hinged on the availability of appropriate resistance armor for defending forces.

Cultural Impact: In regions with specific elemental threats, resistance armor represents preparedness and wisdom gained from hard experience.

Elemental Connections: Many suits of resistance armor contain actual elemental essence or materials, creating ongoing connections to elemental planes.

Balancing Notes

Introduction Timing: Best introduced at levels 8-12 when characters face increasingly diverse damage types and can appreciate specialized protection.

Campaign Impact: Most effective in campaigns with consistent elemental themes or when facing specific creature types regularly.

Attunement Balance: The attunement requirement prevents stacking multiple resistances while maintaining the significance of the protection.

Encounter Design

Recommended Challenges:

• Encounters featuring enemies that primarily use the resisted damage type
• Environmental hazards that deal the resisted damage consistently
• Mixed encounters where the resistance provides meaningful but not overwhelming advantages
• Situations where the resistance type becomes a tactical consideration

Tactical Adjustments: Intelligent enemies may switch to different damage types or focus on party members without resistance.

Related Items

Damage Resistance: Rings, cloaks, and other items that provide resistance to various damage types.

Elemental Protection:

• Items providing immunity to environmental effects
• Equipment that enhances elemental magic or provides elemental sight
• Tools for surviving in extreme elemental environments

Complementary Equipment: Items that provide resistance to other damage types, creating comprehensive protection against multiple threats.

Roleplay Opportunities

Environmental Adaptation: Characters can confidently explore environments that would be dangerous to others, opening new adventure possibilities.

Elemental Expertise: The resistance often comes with knowledge about the associated element, affecting how characters approach related challenges.

Tactical Planning: Knowing party members' resistances becomes crucial for tactical planning and enemy prioritization during encounters.

Down

Legs retract, reducing the apparatus's Speed and Swim Speed to 0 and making it unable to benefit from bonuses to speed. Forward window shutter closes. Side window shutters close (two per side). The claws retract.

Each extended claw makes the following melee attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft . Hit: 7 (2d6) Bludgeoning damage.

6 The apparatus walks or swims forward provided its legs are extended. 7 The apparatus turns 90 degrees counterclockwise provided its legs are extended. 8 Eyelike fixtures emit Bright Light in a 30 -foot radius and Dim Light for an additional 30 feet. 9 The apparatus sinks up to 20 feet if it's in liquid. 10 The rear hatch unseals and opens.

Each extended claw makes the following melee attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft . Hit: The target has the Grappled condition (escape DC 15).

The apparatus walks or swims backward provided its legs are extended. The apparatus turns 90 degrees clockwise provided its legs are extended.

The light turns off.

The apparatus rises up to 20 feet if it's in liquid. The rear hatch closes and seals.