Upkeep is a nice idea
realy. BUT cRPG is a game, and players (me too) enjoy playing what they LOVE, some like to play as a cav, some like to play as plate, some like to play as ninja, some are str player and some are agi player. Playing agi give more wpf, speed, parade rapidity and BY that do not need heavy armor, the way they play don't requiered body protection, their best protection IS their agi. For them, upkeep is not a problem..
BUT some players enjoy playing str char, who are slower, realy slower, do less dmg but are in front of melee, fight face to face with enemy, they strike 1 time when they agi friends strike 3 times.
THIS IS A WAY TO PLAY.
mail / agi build is good AS plate/str character.
Reducing the possibility for players to play with the stuff they worked hard for earning is stupid, let's PLATE COME BACK, IT's JUST A CLASSE,A WAY TO PLAY, not a sort of overpowerd item we use.
Now, for wearing plate, we're oblige to play many many many round in realy light gear. It's a pitty and for what mh? what's the aim? Creating a peasant fight mod?
PLEASE look at Donjons and dragons rules, two way to play a warrior, heavy (plate and slow) and light (light armor and fast) . Both are deadly, both are cool, both are nice, why can't we get this here? (and plz dont answer me : go play dnd with your nerd friend)
AGI /STR , two way, two classes of warrior, two different kind of stuff.