Throughout history (both real and imagined), the naming of weaponry has taken precedence over armor. This is pretty understandable in terms of grim Medieval warfare, when the most glorious helm could be smashed beyond repair after a skirmish. In the realms of D&D, it’s rare that a character takes their armor off, unless it’s to upgrade to something more exciting. So there’s plenty of time to pick an awesome name and get it to stick!
Good Armor Names
To come up with a name that makes people go “Oooooh”, you could choose to highlight what unique features the armor has. These could be physical details that paint an impressive mental picture, or more subtle factors such as benefits or alignments.
- Martyr’s Mithral
- Unbroken Chain
- Horned Helm of the Nine Hells
- Griever’s Gleaves
- Silversoul
- Moon-Touched Mail
- Deathwalker’s Plate
- Myrkul’s Mirror
Salamander Scale
In the bright of day, this mail appears dull compared to its metal counterparts. Only in firelight does its true power become apparent, as the salamander’s scales come alive with reflections of the dancing flame. The mail hungrily absorbs all nearby heat, making the reflections glow brighter and affording its wearer resistance to fire damage.
- Divine Defense
- Leviathan
- Blood-Forged Battlehelm
- Malar’s Forest Mail
- Unseelie Knight’s Plate
- Dragon-Fired Helm
- Talona’s Poisonplate
- Fiend Faulds
Barbute of Bhaal
Locking eyes with an adversary, even for a moment, can stave off bloodlust and foster a sense of shared humanity. Only sickening shadows of murderous intent appear behind the narrow slit of this blackened helm, casting fear into the hearts of any who look within.
- Shar’s Shadowhide
- Death Denied
- Mirrored Plate of Remorse
- Splintercatch
- Mail of the Magma Plane
- Leather of Loviatar
- Chestplate of Disavowal
Power Armor Names
Names for power armor seem to fall at opposing ends of a scale, from deadly serious to satirical whimsy. Many names can serve both purposes, with the armor design and game’s context indicating the player’s tone. For example, a suit called Grim Defender would fit right into a Curse of Strahd campaign, but would be equally suitable for an amusing jaunt in Wild Sheep Chase.
- Circuit Breaker
- Iron Conviction
- Preservation Instinct
- Castle of the Artificer
- The Resistance
- Psionic Pauldrons
- Heart of Steel
- Memento Mori
Glory of Gond
Many artificers turn their back on the pantheon, preferring to trust their own alchemical and scientific skills. Eager to prove his relevance in this ever-changing world, Gond visited this suit’s creator in a dream, offering an ingenious design in return for his faith.
- Cold Shoulders
- Portable Fort
- Incorruptible Honor
- Artificer’s Opus
- Infinity Chain
- Tinker’s Treasure
- Integument of Immortals
- Fate’s Force Field
Alea Iacta Est
As enemies gaze upon the hulking might of this iron armour, the significance of its title sinks in: The die has been cast. At the start of combat, the wearer of this armour rolls 1d20 and records the result. They may use this to replace one melee attack roll, increasing their own chances or deflecting an enemy’s blows.
- Unbloodied Chamber
- Second Skin
- Torm’s Totem
- Iron Oath
- Adamantine Barrier
- Eldath’s Plea
- Ad Infinitum
Medieval Armor Names
As the D&D system offers generalized categories of armor, you may need to look further afield to get down to the gritty details of what goes where. Medieval knights really did have a piece of armor for every body part, and a lot of them have intriguing names that slot right into a fantasy world.
- Cuisses of Life
- Auril’s Icy Armet
- Fate Grasp Gauntlets
- Shifting Cuirass of the Faerie Knight
- Angel’s Aventail
- Deathly Cutting Couters
- Jouster’s Jewels
- Tyr’s Tassets
Warrior Bride’s Iron Veil
The visor of this fearsome bascinet has been beaten into folds, a crude imitation of a bridal veil. In her reverence to Torm, the helm’s original owner refused to leave the battlefield for the altar, instead persuading her lover to make their vows on charging horseback.
- Gnarled Sabatons of Spite
- Fey-Touched Frog Mouth
- Rerebraces of Ruthlessness
- Conquest’s Crown
- Faulds of the Fire Plane
- Bearclaws of Iron
Thrice-Sealed Plackart
For the hero who sleeps with one eye open, always fearing the next attack. This layer of plate armor is engraved with a labyrinthine design, through which binding enchantments are woven. Unless the wearer is willing, the plackart cannot be removed by force or simple magic.
- Wraps of the Open Hand
- Coward’s Coif
- Sabayon Sabatons of the Pâtissier Knight
- Battle-Worn Brigandine
- Corona Borealis
- Vambraces of the Vacuum Plane
- Allhallows Halberd
- Ghost-Touched Gorget
What do you think of my suggestions? I feel like armor sometimes gets left out when we’re dishing out fun names to weapons and magic items. Is that true for your games too? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to hear any of your own name suggestions too.
