Equipment:
Armor Modifications
Armor can be modified and customized in a number of ways.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Active armor | 500 cr per +1 |
| Armored items | Variable; see below |
| Morphic armor | Base armor cost x 5 |
| Specialized armor | Base armor cost x 2 |
| Variable armor | (Base armor cost x 2) + 10% per specialized form |
Active Armor: Active armor is a modification of other types of armor. It uses materials that can move and change in response to possible threats. Threats must be within 30 feet and visible. Active bonuses to armor are priced just like enhancement bonuses to magical armor, though the cost is halved and active armor does not require item creation feats or an expenditure of XP to create.
Active bonuses stack with enhancement bonuses to armor. However, active and enhancement bonuses are added together to determine the armor's total cost. For example, armor with a +1 active bonus costs +500 cr. Adding a +1 enhancement bonus would cost an additional +1,000 cr.
Armored Items: Armor can be applied to devices and equipment at half the cost of equivalent personal armor. Each +1 armor bonus also adds 10% to the item's weight. For example, protection equivalent to shock armor (+10 armor bonus) would cost 1,000 cr and double the weight of the item.
Reinforced items also have higher hardness ratings. For every 5 points of armor bonus added to an item, its hardness increases by 1. The DM should use good judgment in determining whether an item or device can be armored. Most items composed of light, fragile materials, such as paper or glass, cannot be armored. Items made from metals, plastics, and various synthetics and composites are most likely to be armored.
Morphic Armor: Composed of "smart" materials, morphic armor is able to move and adjust to the wearer. The armor remains loose and flexible for normal use but can be activated with a free action in combat situations. Activated morphic armor stiffens and becomes rigid, providing greater protection from a variety of weapons. Morphic armor is easily programmable, allowing the user to choose how much mobility to sacrifice for protection.
Morphic versions of any of the existing armor types, except powered armor, can be purchased from specialized resellers. As a free action, the user can program the armor to alter its material state. The armor bonus provided by the armor can be increased by up to +5. However, for every point of armor bonus added, the armor check penalty increases by 1 and the arcane spell failure chance increases by 5%. For every two points of armor bonus added, the maximum Dex bonus drops by 1. Activated armor drops the wearer's base speed to 20 ft./15 ft., as medium or heavy armor, regardless of the increase in armor bonus.
For example, the armor bonus of morphic combat fatigues could be increased to a maximum of +11. In this state, it has a maximum Dex bonus of +4, an armor check penalty of -6, and an arcane spell failure chance of 35%. The wearer's speed drops to 20 ft./15 ft.
The cost of morphic armor is the cost of the base armor type multiplied by 5. For example, morhpic combat fatigues cost 500 cr.
Specialized Armor: Armor may be specialized to protect against a particular form of damage. The standard damage types include bludgeoning, piercing, slashing, acid, cold, electricity, EMP, fire, and sonic.
Specialized armor offers the wearer a tradeoff. One point of the standard armor bonus is traded for two points of armor bonus against the specialized forms. Battle armor, for example, normally has an armor bonus of +8. A specialized version might be +6/+12 (electricity). The armor would provide a +6 armor bonus against most attacks and a +12 armor bonus against electricity.
Armor can even be completely specialized. For example, a fully specialized flight suit (ordinarily an armor bonus of +4) might provide a +0 armor bonus against most attacks and a +12 armor bonus against fire attacks. Armor can also have multiple specializations, though this is rarely an effective option.
Specialized armor costs double the listed price for the base armor type.
Variable Armor: This armor is sometimes called adaptive armor. It is able to change its structure between a set number of forms. Each form may have different specializations. Variable armor is treated like specialized armor, with a fixed number of states. The base cost for variable armor is double the base armor type. The cost is further increased by 10% for each specialized form.
For example, a battle suit with three forms would cost 1,365 cr. These forms might be normal, with a +7 armor bonus against all attack types; antilaser, with a +4 armor bonus against most attacks and a +13 armor bonus against fire attacks; and antiblaster, with a +4 armor bonus against most attacks and a +13 armor bonus against electricity attacks.
Switching forms is a free action, but it takes the suit a full round to change. Until the following round, the suit is treated as if it were still in its original form.