In the core rule book it talked about effect of damaged weapons. Stage one was adding a Setback die. Stage two was one additional Difficulty die. Stage three was "Unusable".

What are the effects of damaged armor?

As there are no hard rules for it, you could do the same, with the Setback and Difficulty increases applied to any relevant Brawn- and Agility- based actions taken while wearing the armor. This could also be done by simply increasing the Encumbrance of the armor as it gets damaged (by +1 then +3) which offsets the usual reduction for wearing it and represents damaged armor not fitting as well. Optionally, reduce Defense or Soak instead.

2 hours ago, HistoryGuy said:

What are the effects of damaged armor?

By the Rules as Written, armor cannot be damaged because it cannot be targeted with effects like Sunder (Sunder specifies a held item which excludes armor). Per the rule that a double triumph on a successful combat check can break an item, that seems to be the only way that would possibly allow armor to get damaged within the game and that goes straight to broken armor. Even that is basically houserule territory, however.

That said, if you want armor to be damaged like handheld items, I'd suggest using the same method for handheld items but apply the setback and increased difficulty to things like stealth, athletics, coordination. Reduction of soak wouldn't quite work since armor varies in Soak.

2 minutes ago, GroggyGolem said:

Reduction of soak wouldn't quite work since armor varies in Soak.

I can certainly see a reduction in the Soak offered by the armor if it has several holes in it (or burned/melted patches). Various attachments could also be damaged and impaired or inoperable.

On 6/3/2018 at 11:39 PM, GroggyGolem said:

By the Rules as Written, armor cannot be damaged because it cannot be targeted with effects like Sunder (Sunder specifies a held item which excludes armor). Per the rule that a double triumph on a successful combat check can break an item, that seems to be the only way that would possibly allow armor to get damaged within the game and that goes straight to broken armor. Even that is basically houserule territory, however.

That said, if you want armor to be damaged like handheld items, I'd suggest using the same method for handheld items but apply the setback and increased difficulty to things like stealth, athletics, coordination. Reduction of soak wouldn't quite work since armor varies in Soak.

Order 66 Podcast episode 107 cleared this up once and for all by calling up Sam Stewart and asking (1 hour, 1 minute in).

In a huttshell: all armor, including cortosis armor, is vulnerable to sunder. The setback/difficulty dice from damaged equipment should be applied to checks for moving around.

2 minutes ago, penpenpen said:

Order 66 Podcast episode 107 cleared this up once and for all by calling up Sam Stewart and asking (1 hour, 1 minute in).

In a huttshell: all armor, including cortosis armor, is vulnerable to sunder. The setback/difficulty dice from damaged equipment should be applied to checks for moving around.

I mean, technically it's still not part of the Rules as Written. Developer answers are nice and usually are helpful but sometimes they make no sense like with the whole "yeah you can use a jetpack in space with the Piloting-Space skill" thing even tho they are written to be in-atmo only and use the Piloting-Planetary skill.

Dev responses are usually a kind of "do what works best for your table regardless of what the rules say" thing anyway, so it's not really part of the rules that armor can be effected, they are just kinda going "if that's how you want to do the thing, that seems reasonable".

1 hour ago, GroggyGolem said:

I mean, technically it's still not part of the Rules as Written. Developer answers are nice and usually are helpful but sometimes they make no sense like with the whole "yeah you can use a jetpack in space with the Piloting-Space skill" thing even tho they are written to be in-atmo only and use the Piloting-Planetary skill.

Dev responses are usually a kind of "do what works best for your table regardless of what the rules say" thing anyway, so it's not really part of the rules that armor can be effected, they are just kinda going "if that's how you want to do the thing, that seems reasonable".

It gives a clear insight how the rules were intended. "Wielded" in this case is supposed to include worn items, otherwise wrist mounted and armor mounted weapons would be immune as well, and that is really pushing it.

Sure, if you don't like a dev ruling, don't use it, same as any other rule in or outside the book but it's pretty disingenuous to claim it's not about as official it gets when:

* It's the rpg manager of FFG, not a freelancer, giving the answer.

* It's expanding and clarifying an earlier answer.

* It doesn't break or rewrite the rules in any way, unless you stick to an overly literal definition of "wield" (which is in itself is contradicted in the same sentence, as something on a belt is hardly handheld).

* The ruling is in this case pretty much crystal clear.

So, excluding what skills checks get hit with the setback/difficulty dice from damaged armor, it is, in fact, rules as written, even if it needed some clarification.

But hey, you play it anyway you like.