Armor Stacking

[HarleeKnight]

I know it's a GM call, but to the GMs out there, if you allowed armor to be worn with power armor, what would be your limit? Are we going by pictures of what it looks like or are we using actual MDC stats? If it's stats, then how much MDC is too much to be worn while wearing power armor over top of that?
I was thinking the top MDC of under armor would be 10% of power armor MDC.

[Aermas]

I would allow for what's reasonable depending on the description of the item. Like the Coyote says it can fun under an upsized jumpsuit, or a TW Aviator jacket can be worn overtop certain light armors. I'm comfortable with one undersuit, like the NG stalkersuit, plus one one body armor, plus one oversuit like a jacket or poncho. Which counts as which has a little bit of play. After those layers comes Power Armor/Robot Vehicles.

I worry most about how to stack forcefields & such which are harder to decide. Like, if you have a Talisman of Armor, or some other Armor of Ithan spell on a light MDC suit or belt buckle, & you are inside power armor, should the AoI spell project outside it or within it? What about if a Naruni Forcefield is involved? Can a suit have AoI & a Forcefield? Which takes priority? What if we add a Megaversal Legion A.R. Field? & a Phase Shield? Can these be calibrated to work together? Which one activates first? Does the player choose or should the DM? Can the field generators be within Power Armor or do they need to be integrated to the PA suit not the pilot? Etc.

[Curbludgeon]

One example of the above is how a Triax Super Trooper can be worn inside a Gargoyle Bot.

I began a thread a while back which tried to look at potential combos, which if nothing else gives a listing of light armors which could probably fit under oversized clothing. If a given table is looking to exploit possessing multiple pilot skills, then a Gargoyle Bot/Super Trooper/Triax version of NG's Stalker Suit would be where to start. Getting more goofy would probably require one or more of Faerie Bots, Zentradi stuff out of Robotech, or superpowers like Techno-Merge.

[Mack]

If someone starts stacking armor, consider adding movement and PP penalties since the combos are like to bind or not quite fit right.

[Blackwater Sniper]

I had a LLW who wanted to cast a protection spell to cover the robot they were piloting. After some table discussion, we decided the protection would only be viable to the individual, not the vehicle they were inside.

There are some specific robot/power armor models that come with a suit of armor for when the pilot must get out of the vehicle. That's one if the smartest things I've seen in Rifts. They usually have a minimal MDC rating, around 25MDC.

Under MOST circumstances, I wouldn't allow armor stacking.

[Shorty Lickens]

I think we've had this conversation before but my position has always been: Armored clothing only. No heavier than a flight suit. And I say a standard flight suit helmet will not fit in power armor, it will only fit in a vehicle or robot vehicle.
Even stealth suit armor is too thick and bulky for inside power armor.
Magic spells and magic clothing are different, I'd need to visit them on a case by case basis.

[Aermas]

I think we've had this conversation before but my position has always been: Armored clothing only. No heavier than a flight suit. And I say a standard flight suit helmet will not fit in power armor, it will only fit in a vehicle or robot vehicle.
Even stealth suit armor is too thick and bulky for inside power armor.
Magic spells and magic clothing are different, I'd need to visit them on a case by case basis.

What about Armor that specifically calls for stacking?

[guardiandashi]

as a general rule:
robot vehicle
can wear any body armor inside it, possible piloting/"pp" penalties Ie somewhat clumsy depending on the details of the armor
modifications likely required to wear power armor inside or use power armor while piloting robot vehicles without breaking stuff.

power armor restricted to "flight suits, armored fatigues and the like, likely to NOT be able to wear helmets under the power armors helmet unless its specifically designed to work together

body armor
regular thin clothing, likely armored fatigues, or similar possible flight suits (unlikely) in most cases an integral "body glove", or similar under suit is actually part of the armor.

magic armor or armor enhancements are going to vary depending on the specific item or description

armor of ithan or similar could go either way, IE it basically goes over the skin, or it projectios over armor. but either way it does not protect a power armor suit/robot vehicle

shields can be integrated with armor, power armor or robot vehicles. with that said a power armor or body armor's shield or armor effect is NOT going to protect a next size up unit if inside it.

[Grazzik]

as a general rule:
robot vehicle
can wear any body armor inside it, possible piloting/"pp" penalties Ie somewhat clumsy depending on the details of the armor
modifications likely required to wear power armor inside or use power armor while piloting robot vehicles without breaking stuff.

power armor restricted to "flight suits, armored fatigues and the like, likely to NOT be able to wear helmets under the power armors helmet unless its specifically designed to work together

body armor
regular thin clothing, likely armored fatigues, or similar possible flight suits (unlikely) in most cases an integral "body glove", or similar under suit is actually part of the armor.

magic armor or armor enhancements are going to vary depending on the specific item or description

armor of ithan or similar could go either way, IE it basically goes over the skin, or it projectios over armor. but either way it does not protect a power armor suit/robot vehicle

shields can be integrated with armor, power armor or robot vehicles. with that said a power armor or body armor's shield or armor effect is NOT going to protect a next size up unit if inside it.

Great summary. My only adjustment would be to suggest even "armored" fatigues may be too bulky under body armor, as it may have plates that get in the way, and limit to fatigues made of MDC fabrics and thin padding. Otherwise

[drewkitty ~..~]

As a GM I would limit the type of armor that could be worn while operating a Power Armor would be the 'plain clothes' type armor. With whatever encumbrance penalties from that armor applied 1st before any bonuses from the PA.

To be able to wear anything else would require the char to pilot a 'robot' type vehicle or a normal vehicle.

[guardiandashi]

as a general rule:
robot vehicle
can wear any body armor inside it, possible piloting/"pp" penalties Ie somewhat clumsy depending on the details of the armor
modifications likely required to wear power armor inside or use power armor while piloting robot vehicles without breaking stuff.

power armor restricted to "flight suits, armored fatigues and the like, likely to NOT be able to wear helmets under the power armors helmet unless its specifically designed to work together

body armor
regular thin clothing, likely armored fatigues, or similar possible flight suits (unlikely) in most cases an integral "body glove", or similar under suit is actually part of the armor.

magic armor or armor enhancements are going to vary depending on the specific item or description

armor of ithan or similar could go either way, IE it basically goes over the skin, or it projectios over armor. but either way it does not protect a power armor suit/robot vehicle

shields can be integrated with armor, power armor or robot vehicles. with that said a power armor or body armor's shield or armor effect is NOT going to protect a next size up unit if inside it.

Great summary. My only adjustment would be to suggest even "armored" fatigues may be too bulky under body armor, as it may have plates that get in the way, and limit to fatigues made of MDC fabrics and thin padding. Otherwise

the "armored fatigues" I was talking about are the ones that are mdc cloth I think they were 10? mdc
basically they would be like the BDU you find if you do a google search for "military Fatigues"

[Grazzik]

the "armored fatigues" I was talking about are the ones that are mdc cloth I think they were 10? mdc
basically they would be like the BDU you find if you do a google search for "military Fatigues"

Gotcha. WB34 pg 41 has the NG line of armored fatigues. The 11 MDC version has chest and back plates and knee/elbow pads that might get in the way. The 6 MDC version is the one with just fabric and padding. Unfortunately, they call both "armored fatigues"...