D&D weaponry revised

D&D is a relatively simple roleplaying game system, to allow straightforward gameplay. Its armor and weapons are no exception to that rule. These rules are also unrealistic and in some cases downright wrong. Below are revisions that partially repair the deficiencies, without touching the base rules of the system.

The rules below are modifications of a small part of the basic ruleset of D&D, published by Wizards of the Coast LLC. You can find the original armor and weapon tables at https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd/basic-rules-2014/equipment#ArmorandShields and https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd/basic-rules-2014/equipment#Weapons, or in the System Reference Document at https://www.dndbeyond.com/srd.

Armor

General remarks and extra rules:

• No skill is required to employ armor effectively in battle. Light armor proficiency, medium armor proficiency and heavy armor proficiency are all dispensed with. DMs should replace these with other proficiencies.
• A penalty of x2 means disadvantage (worst out of 2 die rolls); x3 means extra disadvantage (worst out of 3 die rolls).
• It does not take excessive strength to wear armor, so strength requirements are lowered. Though a weak character may still become encumbered.
• Helmets and shields increase total armor weight; shields, lifted with just an arm, require substantial strength.
• Full helmets give a disadvantage to perception, which may apply to sight, hearing, perception and surprise checks.
• The comfort disadvantage can be used to determine how much prolonged wearing of armor tires the wearer.
• Steel plate armor is available only in societies with late medieval smithing technology.
• Half plate and full plate armor must be custom fitted to the wearer.
• Helmets are excluded from body armor and can be added again separately. They add to weight and strength requirements.
• Shield bonus is doubled against missile attacks, if coming from the front. Shields add to weight, and have separate strength requirements.

Armor remarks:

• Hide armor is removed as it is either equivalent to leather or insignificant as armor.
• Ring mail too is removed as it does not exist.
• Splint is also removed as it is not full body armor, only limb cover, part of full armor sets.
• Shields are split into three variants.

Weapons

General remarks and extra rules:

• Many weapons get an attack bonus or penalty.
• All weapons get a minimum strength requirement.
• Some weapons can do slashing, piercing or bludgeoning damage, depending on the choice of the player! However secondary or tertiary damage is less than primary.
• The d3 is introduced as (low) damage die. Use a d6 or d12 and divide the result by 2 or 4 respectively, then round down.

Weapon remarks:

• The rapier is removed; the shorter 'fencing sword' introduced as a new weapon.
• The light hammer is removed, both as melee and missile weapon.
• The trident is removed, it is equivalent to a short spear.
• The pike is removed, it is too long for melee combat.