Backplates
 

If you can make a plate breastplate to protect only from the front then you ought to be able to make a plate 'backplate' to protect from the back, right? This would allow for something like Plate (DR 6) from the front and Segmented Plate (DR 4) from the back.

Would you allow this?

Re: Backplates
 

If a player asked for this, I'd probably tell them to buy a corselet rather than making me figure out and keep track of stats for a special case.

Re: Backplates
 

A plate corselet costs $860 more. That is not insignificant when equipping a starting character.

Re: Backplates
 

Half (give or take) of a segmented plate torso piece is also not insignificant. Not worth my time.

Re: Backplates
 

The conventional solution to this is probably layering light plate over mail, but DFRPG doesn't have light plate and the armor layering rules make that inconvenient.

I suspect a backplate is possible, but you wouldn't normally be able to wear it at the same time as a breastplate (because the attachment points overlap), which kinda defeats the purpose; what you really need is custom armor that's just thicker on the front than on the back. Which isn't exactly rare historically but also isn't something DF has rules to cover.

Re: Backplates
 

Sure, half cost and weight of front piece + half cost and weight of the back. Easy peasy.

Re: Backplates
 

I pondered the same here, coming to the conclusion "sure, create a breastplate but call it a backplate".

And it makes sense that you could mix Breastplate Type A with Backplate Type B, though I can see a fussy GM demanding you buy these as a set, or spend some $ (or make an Armory roll) to retrofit the two pieces so they attach nicely.

Not sure who'd want it. Maybe a player looking to cut armor weight just this much to meet an encumbrance level. Or a GM looking to equip an NPC force with distinctive armor ("Try to get the hobgoblins from behind; their armor's weaker there!"). More amusing would be a character wanting to armor up like a turtle, with heavier armor on back...

Got anything interesting going on in-game that prompts the question?

Re: Backplates
 

I'm creating a loadouts file and need to save money to stay beneath a reasonable amount of dollars.

Re: Backplates
 

If you wear a backpack, you don't need a backplate.

Re: Backplates
 

Good point. I assume a backpack would give DR 1 or 2.

Re: Backplates
 

Since it hasn't been posted yet, wouldn't a large enough shield carried on your back, work too?

Re: Backplates
 

Another excellent point. I think the main problem with allowing that is that people are going to start using shields as armor.