Knights were generally quite well off financially, and they used a good deal of their wealth to properly equip themselves for battle. In the early 14th century, the typical suit of armor consisted of knee length chain mail shirt (hauberk), a chain mail hood extending over the shoulders, chain mail mittens and chain mail leggings. Plate mail protected the lower legs and upper arms. Such an outfit weighed about 60 pounds and cost (new) about a thousand ducats. A metal helmet (2-3) pounds and shield (about ten pounds) cost another few hundred ducats. Plate mail came in gradually from the 13th century on. First came stiff metal pieces to protect the arms and lower legs, then breast plates. By the late 15th century, full plate suits, weighting 70-90 pounds, cost 20,000 ducats and up . Both plate and chain mail were worn over thick woolen garmets that served as padding. With a full suit of armor, broken bones and bruises were more of a danger than cuts. Once plate mail came in, the war hammer became popular, as it proved easier to pound an opponent into submission than to cut him up with a sword. Yet another danger during battle was heat prostration. Battles were often fought in the Summer, and there were cases in which more knights were brought down by the heat than by enemy weapons during combats fought in hot weather. The stuff wasn't very comfrotable in the winter, either, despite the heavy padding. Of course, all that armor made it difficult to separate friend from foe, which led to the development of herealdry.