Assuming they can choose things piecemeal, aside from cost, what reason might an adventurer have for choosing for leather gloves and boots over metal gauntlets and armored greaves/sabatons, but still keeping other pieces like chainmail or a breastplate?
The main thing I could think of would be cost - leather is simply going to be cheaper than metal no matter what. Leg armor historically wasn't super necessary for a long time unless you were on a horse. I could also see leather boots maybe being easier to sneak around in, but not by much if wearing any other sort of metal armor armor. Perhaps one might wear them as a more "semi-armored" form of dress - like around a town or stronghold they feel reasonably safe at?
I would like to hear other people's thoughts since I see leather gloves and boots depicted very often in DnD (and related fantasy stuff), but I hadn't really put much thought into it recently.
The only "armored boots" I can think of are with full plate. Everything else is going to keep your tough leather boots.
correct. I'm not talking about "armored boots" though. I mean, leather boots over greaves, something like [this.](https://www.reddit.com/r/DnD/comments/10sjjh9/ocart\_honor%C3%A9\_by\_bergholtzme/)
The armor went over boots or shoes. Nobody fought with armor on the soles of their feet. That would be a traction nightmare.
Comfort.
A good amount of civilizations, even Greek and Roman, loved wearing metal shin guards or thigh guards even if the rest of their legs were largely unarmored. Leather battle skirts certainly can serve the purpose of a thigh guard, but it's all preference if you want one or both. In a D&D setting, I could absolutely see a non-druidic group that specifically wears as little metal as possible to avoid an army of spellcasters heating metal on them. Similarly an anti-fey strike force may choose to wear as much iron armor as possible just to deter their advances.
True, I could see wearing no metal at all for one reason or another. I was curious why a typically armored person (knight, warrior, etc) might choose to wear leather gloves and/or boots instead of the more historical metal gauntlets and greaves, while still wearing other core armor pieces (breastplate, chain, helmet, etc). My best guess would either be comfort or cost.
One reason could be weight. A dex based fighter with a lower str score would want to keep things light. And as for the gloves, imagine trying to do everyday actions while wearing metal vs leather gloves and even if you keep the gloves off until before battle, keeping leather gloves readily available is a lot easier than metal gauntlets.
Metal gloves and boots are by far more protective, but leather both are by far more comfortable and functional. One will get tired faster with weights (even just 2-3 pounds) on the ends of your limbs. To manipulate anything less than a weapon you can wear leather gloves. Heck, even picking up a dropped weapon from the floor is not simple with metal gauntlets. Sabatons aren’t really necessary if you aren’t mounted (feet are relatively easier to protect). As a general rule, you want armor in this order: head, torso, arms, hands, legs, feet. As a general adventurer who needs mobility and manipulation as well as protection (vice a soldier only on the battlefield), I would choose leather gloves and boots over gauntlets and sabatons. Source: I own and wear various armor.
This is an insightful answer, thanks! I hadn't considered the need to manipulate small objects, which I could see coming up a decent amount on any sort of dungeon delving adventurer.
better palm and sole protection with leather, better fit for long duration wear and comfort, more reliable upkeep, moderately easier repair, in terms of hands, the glove is an added layer of protection to a weapons guard, and there are no vital organs to strike in the hands or feet, nor were the hands/feet typically attacked, you went for the body and head, necessitating better protection in those areas.
Put on a nice pair of leather gloves and use your hands. Now put on plate metal or chain gloves and do the same.
What you are asking is purely an asthetic in the current model of dnd there is no mechanical difference. You or your DM could homebrew some mechanics but RAW it doesn't matter.