In the Exigency system, armour is simply a value deducted from incoming attack power (the effect rolls tied to weapons). It is also tied to damage reduction; if the armour piercing (AP) value of an incoming attack is sufficient to completely bypass the target's total armour, their damage reduction does not apply.
Armour is increased through various aspects, but most characters will rely on worn armour; actual physical items, purchased with their resource allowance.
Each of the armours listed below is a minor item, but each is used as the framework for its Advanced version too.
| Type | AR | Encumbrance | Penalty | Damage Reduction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1T (1N when Advanced) |
| Medium | 4 | 1 | -15 | 1N |
| Heavy | 7 | 2 | -30 | 1N (2N when Advanced) |
Just as when using a larger weapon, every point of Encumbrance brought on by wearing armour must be met by the character's STR score or its Penalty will be worsened by 10. Penalty is normally applied to AGI, and by extension any activities that require mobility, acrobatics, speed, stealth. Some may stifle FOC by blocking peripheral vision or otherwise making it hard to concentrate.
However, every point of "excess" STR- STR that has not been used to challenge Encumbrance- will improve the Penalty by 10. For example, if they were carrying nothing else of significant weight, a character with 5 STR could wear the Heavy minor armour listed above with no Penalty.
Armour properties
When upgraded to Advanced, the minor armours above gain +2 AR and one of the properties below. Up to two more additional properties may be added to an Advanced armour by spending additional slots of your minor item allowance. Armour properties of the same type may not be stacked!
Plated
The armour gains +2 AR (+3 if heavy). If used with a light armour, the light armour now has a Penalty of -15.
Flexible
The armour's Penalty is improved by 15, at the cost of reducing AR by 1.
Lightweight
The armour takes -1 Encumbrance, at the cost of two points of AR (1 point if medium).
Silent
An armour's Penalty does not apply to Stealth checks if it has the Silent property. If it already has no Penalty, +2 Stealth bonus while wearing it.
Shielded
Versus one particular type of damage (blunt, bladed, energy, kinetic, and so on) your total armour rating is increased by +4 (+5 if heavy).
Resilient
Medium or heavy only. The armour gains +1N or +2T damage reduction, at the cost of worsening the Penalty by 10 and adding one point of Encumbrance.
Utility
Light or medium only. The armour grants an additional Utility token and +10 to skill checks in a chosen Utility Speciality. This skill bonus will stack with other tools and modifiers.
Operative
Light armour only. The armour has -1 AR but gains two properties. However, it has 1 point of Energy: should this Energy be lost, the item is completely disabled until repaired.
Powered
Heavy armour only. The armour gains +4 AR and grants +2 Attribute to the wearer. However, it has 2 points of Energy: when a point is lost, its bonuses half. When it is all lost, Penalty increases by -20 and Encumbrance increases by 2. Powered bonuses count as implants for the purposes of psionics (i.e., a telepath cannot wear powered armour and decide that the bonus applies to their WIL).
Armour accessories
Worn armours may not be stacked under any circumstances; you cannot, say, purchase two suits of medium armour as minor items and wear both simultaneously. But you may add the effects of armour accessories, to whit, either accessories for armour or accessories that are armour. Each accessory costs 1 minor item slot and does not have to contribute to a worn armour's property limit. Armour accessories can be purchased and used by characters even if they're not wearing armour. You may not stack the same armour accessory.
Aegis
+2 armour versus a particular source of damage (blunt, bladed, energy, etc).
Vambraces
+2 armour in Melee combat.
Leathers
+1 armour.
Shield
Must be actively wielded. +2 armour.
Underarmour
+2 to Resistance checks versus mundane damage.
Resistor
+4 to defence checks (Resistance, Reactions, Resolve) versus a specific source of hostile effect. Resistor cannot affect damage.
Flavour: A mask boosting survivability amidst gas, a grapple that makes you less likely to fall.
Stealth suit
As the Silent armour property.
Flavour: Simple camouflage or a high-tech cloak.
Cushioning
+1N damage reduction versus critical hits.
Flavour: A helmet, shock absorbers, additional plating over the heart.
Uniform
+2 to Social when interacting with members of or allies of a specific faction.
Flavour: A jacket, a medal, even a tattoo that hints at a certain background.
Example armours
Mesh Armour
Standard layered armour
| Armour rating: | 6 |
| Damage reduction: | 1N |
Cost: Advanced
Restrictions: Encumbrance 1. This item confers a -15 Penalty to Agility checks.
Special: +4 AR versus bladed damage.
Build: Medium armour, Shielded
Advanced Plate
Improved plate armour
| Armour rating: | 7 |
| Damage reduction: | 2N |
Cost: Advanced
Restrictions: Encumbrance 1. This item confers a -30 Penalty to Agility checks.
Build: Heavy armour, Lightweight
League Battle Plate
The heaviest armour available to the Mercenary League
| Armour rating: | 11 |
| Damage reduction: | 3N |
Cost: Advanced, plus 2 Minors
Restrictions: Encumbrance 3. This item confers a -25 Penalty to Agility checks.
Build: Heavy armour, Resilient, Plated, Flexible
Montakon Powered Armour
High-tech assault armour
| Armour rating: | 13 |
| Damage reduction: | 2N |
Cost: Advanced
Restrictions: Encumbrance 2. This item confers a -30 Penalty to Agility checks.
Special: Grants +2 STR and +4 armour (already included in AR). This item has two Energy: losing 1 Energy halves these bonuses. Losing it all increases Encumbrance and Penalty to 4 and -50 respectively.
Build: Heavy armour, Powered (STR)
Dualist Saboteur Attire
Hidden covert gear used denied by the Duality Corporation
| Armour rating: | 5 |
| Damage reduction: | 1N |
Cost: Advanced
Restrictions: This item confers a -15 Penalty to Agility checks.
Special: Grants +10 to Tech checks and adds a Tech token. This item has 1 point of Energy: when this point is lost, the item is unusable until repaired.
Build: Light armour, Operative (Utility, Plated)
Umbra Field
High-tech forcefield
| Armour rating: | 3 |
| Damage reduction: | 1N |
Cost: Advanced
Restrictions: None.
Special: Grants a +2 Stealth bonus and a further +4 AR versus energy damage. This item has 1 point of Energy: when this point is lost, the item is unusable until repaired.
Build: Light armour, Operative (Shielded, Silent)
Higher armour ratings
| Total AR | Damage reduction |
|---|---|
| Less than 4 | 1T |
| 4 | 1N |
| 8 | 2N |
| 16 | 3N |
| 32 | 4N |
And so on, with every additional point of damage reduction doubling the required amount of armour.
