Metal Body Armor
| Metal Body Armor | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Class | Protective Gear |
| Slot | Cuirass |
| Covers |
|
| Can't Wear With |
|
| Weight | 4 |
| Insulation | - |
| Wind Resistance | 80% |
| Bite Defense | 80% |
| Scratch Defense | 90% |
| Bullet Defense | 20% |
| Run Speed | -10% |
| Combat Speed | -5% |
| Discomfort | 20% |
| Condition | 5 |
| Wear Chance | 1 in 4 |
| Can Tear | No |
| Research |
|
| Crafting Skill | Blacksmithing: 6, Tailoring: 3 |
| Crafting | See How to Craft |
| Location | Containers |
| Spawn ID | /additem Base.Cuirass_Metal
|
| Crafting XP | 50 XP (Blacksmithing) 10 XP (Tailoring) |
Metal Body Armor is a forged steel breastplate held on with leather straps and buckles. It is heavy protective gear for the torso and back. It is a smithing project rather than a scavenged find.
Its main strength is all-round cover. It stops most bites, nearly all scratches and some gunfire on the torso, and it is tough enough to last. Its main cost is weight and bulk, which slow running and attacks.
The armour is made at a forge by a smith with good Blacksmithing and some Tailoring. Late-game survivor safehouses hold one only very rarely. The Tailor is the best occupation for protective gear. It starts with the most Tailoring skill.
Wearing
The armour is worn in the Cuirass slot over the upper torso, lower torso and back. It stops about four in five bites and nine in ten scratches there. It also turns aside about a fifth of bullets. The steel blocks most wind on the chest.
Running is a tenth slower, and attacks are slightly slower too. The armour is also fairly uncomfortable to wear for long.
Coat of Plates Body Armor gives the same bite and scratch cover with half the running cost and less discomfort, though it stops slightly fewer bullets. Scrap Metal Body Armor matches the bite and scratch cover too, but it wears out faster and stops fewer bullets. The Bulletproof Vest - Military stops every bullet, but it is far weaker against bites and scratches.
The armour cannot be worn with a bulletproof vest, a vest, a suit jacket, a bulky jacket, a bathrobe, a shoulder holster, sport shoulder pads or other torso outer layers. A shirt and a T-shirt still fit underneath.
Tailoring
The Forge Metal Body Armor recipe needs a Simple Forge or better, Blacksmithing level 6 and Tailoring level 3. The recipe must be learned first. It uses eight Small Steel Sheets, six Leather Strips, four Buckles, heavy thread and seventeen pieces of charcoal. A ball-peen hammer, tongs, a sewing needle and an awl are needed and kept.
Research Craft on the armour teaches Forge Coat of Plates Body Armor, Make Scrap Metal Body Armor and Forge Buckle.
A worn-out piece can go back into the furnace. Smelting it at an Advanced Furnace gives four Steel Chunks. A Simple Furnace or better can also melt it down into a crucible of steel.
The Research Craft option in the inventory menu studies the Metal Body Armor and teaches the recipes below.
| Recipe | Output | Image | Spawn ID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forge Coat of Plates Body Armor | Coat of Plates Body Armor | 
|
/additem Base.Cuirass_CoatOfPlates
|
| Make Scrap Metal Body Armor | Scrap Metal Body Armor | 
|
/additem Base.Cuirass_MetalScrap
|
| Forge Buckle | Buckle | 
|
/additem Base.Buckle
|
How to Craft Metal Body Armor
Each recipe that makes the Metal Body Armor is listed with its materials and the tools it keeps.
Forge Metal Body Armor
The Forge Metal Body Armor recipe makes the Metal Body Armor. It needs Blacksmithing level 6, Tailoring level 3. It is made at a Simple Forge. The recipe has to be learned first.
| Name | Image | Amount | Kept | Spawn ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charcoal | 
|
17x | No | /additem Base.Charcoal
|
| Steel Sheet - Small | 
|
8x | No | /additem Base.SmallSheetMetal
|
| Leather Strips | 
|
6x | No | /additem Base.LeatherStrips
|
| Buckle |
|
4x | No | /additem Base.Buckle
|
| Ball-peen Hammer | 
|
1x | Yes | /additem Base.BallPeenHammer
|
| Tongs | 
|
1x | Yes | /additem Base.Tongs
|
| Needle | 
|
1x | Yes | /additem Base.Needle
|
| Awl | 
|
1x | Yes | /additem Base.Awl
|
| Sinew Thread | 
|
1x | No | /additem Base.Thread_Sinew
|
Used in Crafting
These recipes accept the Metal Body Armor by its type rather than by name.
| Recipe | Output | Image | Station | Spawn ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smelt Large Steel Item | Small Ceramic Crucible with Steel | 
|
Simple Furnace | /additem Base.CeramicCrucibleSmall_Steel
|
| Smelt Steel From Large Steel Item | Steel Chunk | 
|
Advanced Furnace | /additem Base.SteelChunk
|
Locations
Metal Body Armor is almost never found. Late-game survivor safehouses can hold it in dressers, wardrobes, crates and boxes, but the odds round down to nearly zero. Forging it is the realistic way to get one.
The places where it spawns, with the rough chance per container.
| Location | Container | Chance |
|---|---|---|
| Survivor safehouse (late game) | Cardboard box | <0.1% |
| Survivor safehouse (late game) | Crate | <0.1% |
| Survivor safehouse (late game) | Dresser | <0.1% |
| Survivor safehouse (late game) | Small box | <0.1% |
| Survivor safehouse (late game) | Wardrobe | <0.1% |
Notes
- The steel takes many hits before it wears out, more than scrap or wooden armour.
- Research Craft on it unlocks the Coat of Plates Body Armor, which is easier on speed.
- The armour smelts back into steel when it is no longer useful.
- The bullet cover gives it an edge over wooden, bone and tire body armour.
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