This was a topic a long time ago when we were debating if bards should wear
plate. The theory is that stronger/thicker armor types may deflect a
portion of the blow. For example, the random generator decides you will
take 50 points of damage from a hit. The results would be something like
this:

Type Damage
No armor 50
Leather 45
Banded 40
Bronze 35
Steel 30

I just made these up as an example. Another theory is that the type of
armor has no impact whatsoever. In this case, the only thing that is
important is your AC. A higher AC would mean a less chance of getting hit.
If you do get hit, using the previous example, you would take 50 damage even
if you were wearing steel plate.

I have no idea what the correct answer is but since I have enough STR to
wear full bronze, its a moot point for me. I would like to get confirmation
but doubt it will ever happen.

Galtin of E'ci

> > They do, however, make a big difference, according to what I've heard.
> > Wasn't it on this list where someone said they definately knew that
> > different armor types provided different protection, independent of the
> > AC value? I remember someone saying a Programmer GM had grabbed him or a
> > friend in beta and equipped him in various armor to test this.
>
> I need some clarification on this one!
>
> I've got a bunch of bronze armor stacked up in the bank that I haven't
> been
> wearing because the items that it replaces have magical bonuses (barbed
> leggings and barbed arms for a +2 to DEX and to AGI), Bloodstained Mantle,
> etc. The weight increase vs. the minimal AC increase has kept me in a mix
> of
> magic/banded.
>
> Am I to understand that putting on a bunch of bronze for an AC increase of
> around 8 or 10 pts is going to make a big big difference in mob damage?
>
>