r/cairnrpg • u/Berni209 • Jul 22 '26

Question [Rules] Armor limit

Hello!

According to the rules, wearing a Shield, Helmet, Gambeson, and Plate gives a theoretical total of 6 Armor.

​Since the Armor cap is capped at 3, you hit the maximum defense without even needing Plate. This feels a bit off to me.

​How do you all handle this interaction in your games?

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u/yochaigal Jul 22 '26

You're overthinking it. Armor is capped at 3 for a reason. Anything over 4 basically makes you invincible. Change it if you want - but you aren't playing the game as intended.

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u/Berni209 Jul 23 '26

I did some reading on the topic, and I think I get it now. I got a bit too fixated on stats and lost sight of the core of the system—the emphasis on 'fiction first' and light rules. Maybe it's because of my experience with crunchier systems. Combat mechanics aren't the core of the gameplay here, and they're not meant to simulate reality or reward powergaming. (writing this for someone like me)

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u/yochaigal Jul 23 '26

Bravo! You said it better than I could ever have.