Some types of armor is flexible -- typically, this means it lacks vulnerable armor gaps, but is vulnerable to blunt trauma[1] and doesn't resist damage from grappling attacks, like arm lock,[2]wrench limb[3] and constriction attacks.[4]
Blunt Trauma[]
Flexible armor is vulnerable to blunt trauma -- every 5 points or crushing or 10 points of other physical damage (impaling, piercing, cutting, etc.).[5] Note that most flexible armors before TL7 tend to be less than 5 points anyway, so blunt trauma normally isn't activated.
Layering[]
- If multiple layers of flexible armor are layered, they count as a single consistent layer.
- With rigid DR on the outside, any damage that penetrates the exterior works as regular damage
- What happens in the reverse situation (layering flexible DR overtop non-flexible DR) is not clarified, although it's usually difficult to wrap flexible armor over hard armor unless it's for a vehicle, or perhaps a poncho.
Skin[]
Tough Skin counts as Flexible.
Falls[]
All armor, flexible or not (but not innate DR), counts as “flexible” for the purpose of calculating blunt trauma from falling damage. Thus, even if the victim has enough armor DR to stop the falling damage, he suffers 1 HP of injury per 5 points of falling damage.[6]
See Also[]
- Chinks (LT mentions flexible armor has none)
- Damage to Armor (LT mentions flexible has different Injury Tolerance)
- Donning and Removing Armor
- Flexibility, an advantage