Chain Mail
Heavy armor: AC 16 flat. [[compendium:skill:Stealth]] disadvantage. Requires STR 13 or speed drops by 10 ft. Common starting armor for Fighters and Paladins.
Chain Mail (Heavy)
Chain mail is made of interlocking metal rings forming a mesh that covers the body, worn over padding.
Stats:
Don/doff time: 10 minutes to don, 5 minutes to doff.
STR penalty: If you wear chain mail without meeting the STR 13 requirement, your speed is reduced by 10 feet.
Assessment: Chain mail is the starting armor for Fighters, Paladins, and some Clerics. AC 16 is solid at level 1, matching a breastplate with DEX 14. The STR 13 requirement is easily met by most heavy armor builds. Chain mail's main downside is the stealth disadvantage, which makes it unsuitable for stealthy characters.
Upgrade path: Chain mail (AC 16) is typically upgraded to splint (AC 17, 200 gp, STR 15) and eventually plate (AC 18, 1500 gp, STR 15) as gold becomes available.