How practical is a female fantasy armor?

[Seaspecter]

Exactly. And it's not like I care about the popularity of my works anymore (it's not; given up on that).

Also, it's common sense that not all worlds got an earth-like physical laws. This is what many often forget, and always follow rules. And rules in fiction limits creativity. A limited creativity diminishes interesting points in the work, making it boring. ??

Sometimes I get caught up in the 'make it realistic' mindset when writing my own story, and then I remember that my MC is a busty eldritch horror with rainbow hair and purple eyes who hangs out with elves and dwarves and I let it go.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

However, the use of armor and weapons doesn't change drastically, whether it is a low fantasy or a high fantasy.

It does. High and low fantasy differs by the amount of magical in the world. In high fantasy you can have as much magic as you want, and by extension as much enchantments as you want. If you want to, you can make that bikini armor enchanted for speed or something, and give adequate explanation on why it is like that. Not enough material, this particular material conflicts with other material, the less material you use, the better the person wearing it conducts magic, and so on. Multiple explanations that can only be possible in high fantasy.

but in a real war, it wouldn't fly.

It's a fantasy. What real war? Real war with dragons, hippogryphs, trolls, giants, and magical bearded men flying in oversized pots casting firestorms on people below? This kind of real war? Are we still talking about high fantasy, or are we talking about low fantasy that strives to be as close to realism as possible?

Think of a sword that has spikes in its handle again. They may look cool despite being completely unusable in practice.

Yeah, katanas that damage the player, or even allows you to do seppuku are one of the most popular weapons in DS trilogy. People love this shit. And they are quite strong in those games. In fact, very strong.

 

[Hans.Trondheim]

Sometimes I get caught up in the 'make it realistic' mindset when writing my own story, and then I remember that my MC is a busty eldritch horror with rainbow hair and purple eyes who hangs out with elves and dwarves and I let it go.

I'm the same. But I do apply a certain degree of logic to my works.

However, likewise, I give myself a certain degree of freedom too. It's what I want to write, and I'm consistent in publishing it for free. If readers have a problem with how I do things, there's always the 'drop' button.

 

[CarburetorThompson]

Armor with high heels is cool af I don’t care what anyone says.

The thought of a female knight being so good that wearing high heels has no negative effect on her movement or dexterity is just straight up badass

 

[owotrucked]

I'm the same. But I do apply a certain degree of logic to my works.

However, likewise, I give myself a certain degree of freedom too. It's what I want to write, and I'm consistent in publishing it gor free. If readers have a problem with how I do things, there's always the 'drop' button.

yeah consistency is the key

if there are people plastered in heavy armor from top to bottom, and they coexist with half naked warriors, there must be an internally consistent reason that justify their choice.

Maybe it's just aethetic purpose and the armored guys are just covering their baldness and ugly face with the luster of steel. Or maybe the half naked dudes have small equipment with viable builds that rival full armor builds

A badass cyborg like Raiden getting his ass handed by a balding senator in office clothes? It's nanomachines, son

 

[Hans.Trondheim]

yeah consistency is the key

if there are people plastered in heavy armor from top to bottom, and they coexist with half naked warriors, there must be an internally consistent reason that justify their choice.

Maybe it's just aethetic purpose and the armored guys are just covering their baldness and ugly face with the luster of steel. Or maybe the half naked dudes have small equipment with viable builds that rival full armor builds

A badass cyborg like Raiden getting his ass handed by a balding senator in office clothes? It's nanomachines, son

You said aesthetic choice. However, there are readers who won't accept that, applying medieval European knight stuff on everything that has a sliver of swords and magic fantasy.

 

[beast_regards]

Don't worry, the movies and games have been updated for modern audiences.

 

[BouncyCactus]

yeah consistency is the key

if there are people plastered in heavy armor from top to bottom, and they coexist with half naked warriors, there must be an internally consistent reason that justify their choice.

Maybe it's just aethetic purpose and the armored guys are just covering their baldness and ugly face with the luster of steel. Or maybe the half naked dudes have small equipment with viable builds that rival full armor builds

A badass cyborg like Raiden getting his ass handed by a balding senator in office clothes? It's nanomachines, son

Oh yea this is the king for everything. Internal consistency!

I just hate how most of them are low effort with no care in how they fit into the world at all.

40K have done with quite well in this aspect, given how Slanesshi daemons are demons of depravity, and so are their worshipers, so of course their armor is just bdsm gears.

 

[owotrucked]

You said aesthetic choice. However, there are readers who won't accept that, applying medieval European knight stuff on everything that has a sliver of swords and magic fantasy.

I meant the character's aesthetic choice.

Imagine this: no one in their day and age wear armor anymore. But they're so ugly and balding that they felt like their only salvation is covering their appearance with sick drip. So they decide to wear chainmail and closed helmet on public transportation in an awkward attempt to distract people from their ugliness. => Thus they coexist in a setting where most people wear light equipments.

Yeah, readers disagree with everything. You're right to ignore them

 

[TheEldritchGod]

Depends on what material you make it out of. I always use wicker.

 

[Seaspecter]

You said aesthetic choice. However, there are readers who won't accept that, applying medieval European knight stuff on everything that has a sliver of swords and magic fantasy.

And it's always the late medieval period, they never want to talk about the Greeks and the Romans who fight in what amounts to armored mini skirts.

 

[Hans.Trondheim]

And it's always the late medieval period, they never want to talk about the Greeks and the Romans who fight in what amounts to armored mini skirts.

And intricately designed muscle armors, glorifying the ideal male body (as always gor the Greeks).

 

[ConansWitchBaby]

As practical as having the very obvious weak points in super villains without it being protected. Briarhearts from Skyrim come to mind. Lichs for some reason still having their phylactery right fucking there.

 

[Hans.Trondheim]

I meant the character's aesthetic choice.

Imagine this: no one in their day and age wear armor anymore. But they're so ugly and balding that they felt like their only salvation is covering their appearance with sick drip. So they decide to wear chainmail and closed helmet on public transportation in an awkward attempt to distract people from their ugliness. => Thus they coexist in a setting where most people wear light equipments.

Yeah, readers disagree with everything. You're right to ignore them

Yeah, I know what you mean, and I encountered peeps who would apply medieval Euro knight armor physics, laws and aesthetics to that when they whine.

 

[BouncyCactus]

And it's always the late medieval period, they never want to talk about the Greeks and the Romans who fight in what amounts to armored mini skirts.

Asktually!

They wore sundresses beneath their breastpiece. Just a long tunic to their knee. So, your MC got precedent. And, well, they use large shields and fight in tight formations that negate some of the need for more armor.

Yeah, I know what you mean, and I encountered peeps who would apply medieval Euro knight armor physics, laws and aesthetics to that when they whine.

Yea, can't we get some other aesthetic, please? Animal-skin PJ of Meso-America? Leaves-skirt of the Polynesian?

 

[RepresentingDesire]

It's a fantasy. What real war? Real war with dragons, hippogryphs, trolls, giants, and magical bearded men flying in oversized pots casting firestorms on people below? This kind of real war? Are we still talking about high fantasy, or are we talking about low fantasy that strives to be as close to realism as possible?

Internal realism or consistency is even in high fantasy, thinking in such a way is inane for every story. What you said should still be true for low fantasy. You're basically saying it's just a children movie about space wizards.

 

[Hans.Trondheim]

Asktually!

They wore sundresses beneath their breastpiece. Just a long tunic to their knee. So, your MC got precedent. And, well, they use large shields and fight in tight formations that negate some of the need for more armor.

Yea, can't we get some other aesthetic, please? Animal-skin PJ of Meso-America? Leaves-skirt of the Polynesian?

Honestly, I think the back-armor of the Polynesian warrior-chiefs while leading their men are badass.

 

[beast_regards]

I would also like to point out that "skimpy" doesn't equal to "fantasy armour" and vice versa.

I've read quite a lot of fantasy books, and (almost) none of them try to describe their female character as dressing in the very revealing way, even the character that has been canonically described as attractive in the universe. If they were ever described for their exceptional dresses, it was for situation where it has been applicable, like balls or galas.

There have been several movies too, and most of them didn't went for skimpy outfits. Some did, yes, but it was either purposefully on the nose, or it was situation appropriate.

I played quite western fantasy games, and they didn't do it either.

First game I ever discovered for having your dreaded "fantasy armour" was Lineage 2. Of course, there were quite a few games like that since then, but in fact it has become rarer and rarer. I think I had to crack the client of the Tera Online to even have skimpy outfits ...

But outside of the very specific subset of harem fantasy novels (which is erotica) and harem fantasy anime, I don't think the female armour is even especially skimpy, so I don't quite understand the outrage.

 

[Fallion]

It depends on what a person considers to be fantasy-like. If you simply add some frills or tassels and call it fantasy armor, not everyone are going to agree with you.

Depends on what kind of fantasy it is. Obviously in low-fantasy people are going to use more realistic armor. What about high fantasy? What about cultivation novels? As for the elephant in the room, bikini armor. Why people never question armor of male barbarians? Conan is ok, but bikini armor is not?

Lastly. If you simply add bikini armor just because, I agree it looks bad. If you give proper explanation on why it exists I'm okay with it. Example. There is a tribe that doesn't have the resources, so they wear stuff like that. It is not practical, and even they know it, but they were fighting like that for centuries, so now they kinda got used to it.

Conan generally isn't portrayed as wearing armour, which makes perfect sense because he's not rich and in a hot climate.
Armour was expensive, even a gambeson was many times the price of a regular set of clothes which were often weeks of work.
In deserts you'd rarely see people wear armour for very long since it's quite literally fatal from the heat.
Without servants to quickly help equip the armour you'd either be forced to wear it and suffer heatstroke or just carry it around rarely using it.
Bikini armour literally barely protects anything, with none of what it protects being vital and would most likely be very uncomfortable as it provides no breathability while trapping all the sweat. And they will sweat as they need a fair amount of padding as I'm sure any lady who tried wearing a bra with metal wires in can attest to. I just don't see anyone making it outside fetish wear.

 

[Seaspecter]

Asktually!

They wore sundresses beneath their breastpiece. Just a long tunic to their knee. So, your MC got precedent. And, well, they use large shields and fight in tight formations that negate some of the need for more armor.

Yeah, the reason my MC runs around fighting in a sundress is because she is both immortal and invincible so any armor she wears is just for show. She actually takes off her equipment when fighting dangerous monsters so it doesn't get damaged.