Super Simple Armor

mrpopstar · Jun 21, 2018

DMMike said:
1) no one cares about weight.

I do!

2) Someone with Dex 18 is going to be harder to hit in heavy armor than someone with Dex 12 in heavy armor.

I don't like the idea of Dex 18 affording a heavily armored rogue AC 22 before he picks up a shield. That would further emphasize Dex as a super stat and I'm looking to go the opposite direction.

3) The DM should impose stealth penalties, not the rulebook. (Or better yet, the player.)

Stealth penalties for bulky movement make sense to me.

4) Dex save penalty compensates for the removal of Dex modifier.

If you remove the Dex modifier, how is someone with Dex 18 going to be harder to hit in heavy armor than someone with Dex 12 in heavy armor?

5) It's super simple.

A little too simple as much is lost.

mrpopstar · Jun 21, 2018

Satyrn said:
I like that. Lowering the Str requirement from 13 would make the requirement's existence seem nearly pointless to me.

I feel the same about the requirement. Anything lower is pointless.

TwoSix · Jun 21, 2018

mrpopstar said:
I feel the same about the requirement. Anything lower is pointless.

Yea, I'm reversing my previous complaint and am going to agree. Making medium armor more Str dependent gives a subtle push for medium armor classes like Cleric, Ranger, and Barbarian towards Strength, which isn't a bad thing at all.

16 Str, 10 Dex Ranger goes Medium Armor, and has an AC of 15.
10 Str, 16 Dex Ranger goes Light Armor, and has an AC of 15.
13 Str, 14 Dex Ranger goes Medium Armor, and has an AC of 17.
16 Str, 6 Dex Ranger should go get heavy armor and not be a g****mn ranger!

I do wish High Str/High Dex builds had more synergy, but that's a bigger topic than this thread.

Ganymede81 · Jun 21, 2018

It looks great to me, though I'd miss having crappier armor for rabble.

I'd hate to deviate from the elegance of this system, but perhaps add in a low quality version of each suit of armor that can be gotten more cheaply. That way, there is still low-tier armor to give the mooks and full plate isn't accessible at first level.

mrpopstar · Jun 21, 2018

TwoSix said:
Yea, I'm reversing my previous complaint and am going to agree. Making medium armor more Str dependent gives a subtle push for medium armor classes like Cleric, Ranger, and Barbarian towards Strength, which isn't a bad thing at all.

16 Str, 10 Dex Ranger goes Medium Armor, and has an AC of 15.
10 Str, 16 Dex Ranger goes Light Armor, and has an AC of 15.
13 Str, 14 Dex Ranger goes Medium Armor, and has an AC of 17.
16 Str, 6 Dex Ranger should go get heavy armor and not be a g****mn ranger!

I do wish High Str/High Dex builds had more synergy, but that's a bigger topic than this thread.

I support reversals of thought upon reflection!

It really happened by accident as I was boiling the armor list down that I saw an opportunity to make Strength versus Dexterity a more meaningful decision point in terms of armoring up.

mrpopstar · Jun 21, 2018

Ganymede81 said:
It looks great to me, though I'd miss having crappier armor for rabble.

I'd hate to deviate from the elegance of this system, but perhaps add in a low quality version of each suit of armor that can be gotten more cheaply. That way, there is still low-tier armor to give the mooks and full plate isn't accessible at first level.

What I like is the opportunity to describe mooks as being lightly, moderately, or heavily armored in filthy beast hides without having to fuss with more granularity than is needed.

BookBarbarian · Jun 21, 2018

TwoSix said:
Yea, I'm reversing my previous complaint and am going to agree. Making medium armor more Str dependent gives a subtle push for medium armor classes like Cleric, Ranger, and Barbarian towards Strength, which isn't a bad thing at all.

16 Str, 10 Dex Ranger goes Medium Armor, and has an AC of 15.
10 Str, 16 Dex Ranger goes Light Armor, and has an AC of 15.
13 Str, 14 Dex Ranger goes Medium Armor, and has an AC of 17.
16 Str, 6 Dex Ranger should go get heavy armor and not be a g****mn ranger!

I do wish High Str/High Dex builds had more synergy, but that's a bigger topic than this thread.

As a guy who will gladly play a Fighter or Ranger with 14 Str and 14 Dex, I like it.

Yaarel · Jun 21, 2018

[sblock=Heh, suggestion withdrawn]

So far, the progression for AC totals is 16/17/18 + shield 2.

To make plate armor ‘special’ (technologically advanced, renaissance era), make it AC 20, but unable to stack with a shield.

Essentially plate armor (encasing the entire body in solid metal) is getting shield for free, while leaving both hands free.

[/sblock]

jaelis · Jun 21, 2018

Yaarel said:
So far, the progression for AC totals is 16/17/18 + shield 2.

To make plate armor ‘special’ (technologically advanced, renaissance era), make it AC 20, but unable to stack with a shield.

Essentially plate armor (encasing the entire body in solid metal) is getting shield for free, while leaving both hands free.

Why (in game) would you not be able to benefit from a shield while wearing plate? That seems pretty strange.

Yaarel · Jun 21, 2018

Probably a shield deserves max Dex 4 as well, similar to light armor. Otherwise, it feels weird for rogues to be slipping about with a shield in their hand. This also makes the awkwardness of Mage Armor + real shield, less optimal. Simply one shield is slightly less optimal than medium metal armor.

Maximum AC Possible
• AC 15 = unarmored 10 + (full Dex 5)
• AC 16 = unarmored 10 + shield 2 + (max Dex 4)
• AC 16 = light armor 12 + (max Dex 4)
• AC 17 = medium armor 15 + (max Dex 2)
• AC 18 = light armor 12 + shield 2 + (max Dex 4)
• AC 18 = heavy armor 18 + (no Dex)
• AC 18 = Mage Armor 13 + (full Dex 5)
• AC 19 = Mage Armor 13 + shield 2 + (max Dex 4)
• AC 19 = medium armor 15 + shield 2 + (max Dex 2)
• AC 20 = heavy armor 18 + shield 2 + (no Dex)

Super Simple Armor

mrpopstar

Sparkly Dude

mrpopstar

Sparkly Dude

TwoSix

Dirty, realism-hating munchkin powergamer

Ganymede81

First Post

mrpopstar

Sparkly Dude

mrpopstar

Sparkly Dude

BookBarbarian

Expert Long Rester

Yaarel

He Mage

jaelis

Oh this is where the title goes?

Yaarel

He Mage

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