Previous page: Weapons |
Home page |
Next page: Magic |
Lots of unfriendly things lurk about; you need armor to protect yourself from their blows. Some types of armor offer better protection than others. Your armor class is a measure of this protection. Armor class (AC) is measured as in AD&D, with 10 being the equivalent of no armor, and lower numbers meaning better armor. Each suit of armor which exists in AD&D gives the same protection in NetHack.
The commands to use armor are 
(wear) and 
(take off).
You can also wear other pieces of armor to lower your armor class even further, but you can only wear one item of each category (one suit of Body armor, one Cloak, one Helmet, one Shield, and so on).
If a piece of armor is Enchanted, its protective effect will be better (or worse) than normal, and its "plus" (or minus) will subtract from your Armor class. For example, a +1 Chain mail would give you better protection than normal chain mail, lowering your armor class one unit further to 4. When you put on a piece of armor, you immediately find out the armor class and any "plusses" it provides. Cursed pieces of armor usually have negative enchantments (minuses) in addition to being unremovable.
Click an item below for detailed information about specific types of armor items:
There are many kinds of Body Armor, providing varying degrees of protection to the wearer. Generally, the more protection a kind of Armor provides, the more it will decrease your character's Dexterity. All other Armor items worn, taken together, determine your overall Armor class.
Additional considerations when choosing Armor include: will it Rust if I get it wet? is it susceptible to Acid damage (rotting)?
| Armor type | AC | Rusts? | Rots? |
|---|---|---|---|
| (no body armor) | 10 | — | — |
| Leather | 8 | N | Y |
| Studded leather | 7 | ? | ? |
| Ring mail | 7 | Y | N |
| Scale mail | 6 | Y | ? |
| Chain mail | 5 | Y | N |
| Elven mithril-coat | 5 | N | N |
| Banded mail | 4 | Y | ? |
| Splint mail | 4 | Y | ? |
| Bronze plate mail | 4 | N | N |
| Plate mail | 3 | Y | ? |
| Crystal plate mail | ? | N | N |
...will protect you from the attacks of enemies. The Shield's effect is added to that of all other Armor items worn to determine your overall Armor class (add the AC adjustment value to your overall AC).
| Shield type | AC adj | Rusts? | Rots? |
|---|---|---|---|
| (no shield) | — | — | — |
| Small shield | -1 | ? | ? |
| Large shield | ? | ? | ? |
| Elven shield | N | N | |
| Shield of Reflection | -1 | N | N |
To protect your head, wear a Helmet. These come in many styles, with varying degrees of effectiveness. A Helmet's effect is added to that of all other Armor items worn to determine your overall Armor class.
If you walk beneath a Falling rock trap, your head will get bonked, doing a couple of Hit points of Damage, unless you are wearing a Helmet (any kind).
| Helmet type | AC adj | Rusts? | Rots? |
|---|---|---|---|
| (none) | — | — | — |
| Plain helmet | -1 | Y | N |
| Helm of Brilliance | -1 | Y | N |
| Iron skullcap | -2 | Y | N |
You can avoid Damage to your hands and lower your overall Armor class by wearing Gloves or Gauntlets. These are items of Armor that range from simple Leather Gloves up to various magical Gauntlets.
| Glove type | AC adj | Rusts? | Rots? |
|---|---|---|---|
| (none) | — | — | — |
| Leather gloves | -1 | N | Y |
| Gauntlets of Power | -1 | ? | ? |
…will protect your toes from impact, and improve your Armor class. Some Boots are Magical, and have unique properties.
| Footwear type | AC adj | Rusts? | Rots? |
|---|---|---|---|
| (none) | — | — | — |
| Leather boots | ? | N | Y |
…are simple, loose garments for the upper body, typically made of cloth. They can be worn over Armor for additional protection.
A normal Cloak subtracts one from the wearer's Armor class. There are also magical Cloaks of various kinds, which add magical protections to the protective function.
| Footwear type | AC adj | Rusts? | Rots? |
|---|---|---|---|
| (none) | — | — | — |
| Cloak (ordinary) | -1 | N | Y |
| Cloak of Displacement | |||
| Cloak of Invisibility | |||
| Cloak of Magic resistance | |||
| Cloak of Protection | |||
| Elven cloak |
Previous page: Weapons |
Home page |
Next page: Magic |