Finglafin

By that logic we should put some penalties on magical swords, because if we don't then no one would want to use normal swords... Seriously. Plate is the best armor one can have. Period. It should be the best armor in the game BY FAR. Period. However, that doesn't mean a player will ever be able to equip a whole party with it. Plate armor has to be custom-fitted and is EXPENSIVE AS HELL. No, by that logic we shouldn't put penalties on magic swords. I think what others are suggesting (using your magic sword analogy) is that there might be situations where magic swords are not the optimal choice, perhaps against enemies that are highly resistant to magic and slashing damage. In that situation a mundane but well crafted warhammer would be superior. To bring it back to the armor discussion, I don't think its good design to have a hands down universal optimal with no drawbacks. Plate should certainly provide a peak attribute in regard to protection, no doubt, but it shouldn't be superior in every single instance, for every character that can wear it, in every situation hands down. Because what you get then is an unecessary narrowing of player choice and visual variety that stands in stark contrast to the high fantasy setting of the game world. Instead of a variety of warrior cultures with different techniques and dress you have a single monolithic first choice that is completely arbitrary given that the world has materials and craftsmanship and beings and magic which don't exist in reality.

Discussing armor viability strictly within the context of human history is misleading and invalid in regard to armor design for a fantasy video game. Certainly we take reality as a basis for determining the properties of various kinds of armor, but a fantasy setting injects many, many variables which fundamentally change how armor (and every other element) manifests in a way that is completely distinct from humans on earth in antiquity. Just a few of these variables that radically change how we consider armor are: non-human races with superhuman or sub-human attributes materials that have attributes which are completely disparate from any material found on earth crafting and design techniques that do not or can not exist in reality environmental conditions (like weather, gravity, terrain) that don't exist on earth and above all the presence of magic and enchantment which is both a consideration on its own and a modifier for all previously mentioned variables "Plate trumps all" might be more valid for a medieval europe combat simulator (it might not even be then). But this is a fantasy game where you might be able to construct a suit of armor made from dragon scales, or forge a shirt of enchanted chainmail from a metal that does not exist in reality. Variety, choice, complexity, and roleplaying are all essential to a game of this type. The world would be so terribly drab if I was forced (in a fantasy setting) to clad my barbarian in plate instead of having the option to dress him in the hide of a mythical creature that he slew himself. Its all a matter of balance. You want enough choice to be stimulating and true to the fantasy nature of the setting, but I'm not arguing that everything should be viable to the point where armor is merely a fashion statement.