D&D 5E Tweaking the fighter: bonus to AC when unarmoured or lightly armoured

I've been thinking about how to let lightly-armoured fighters get a boost to AC without enabling cheese. Heroes tramping around in full plate isn't very cinematically heroic and was perfectly skewered in Your Highness.

I've come up with this, so please tell me what you think.

Fighter class feature: AC combat bonus.

When wearing no armour or Light Armour the fighter can get a bonus to AC. The bonus does not apply when the fighter is surprised. The bonus may be used instead of but not in addition to bonuses from statistics or class features or other class bonuses. I.e. it is exclusive to those. It stacks with magic armour and shields. The bonus applies only to AC; Dex is still required for finesse weapons.

At 2nd level the benefit is +2
At 5th level the benefit is +3
At 9th level the benefit is +4
At 13th level the benefit is +5
At 17th level the benefit is +6.

You will see that the benefit matches the Proficiency Bonus (except first) but requiring levels in the Fighter class prevents the multiclassing cheese that granting the Proficiency Bonus straight off could encourage.

This gives a maximum AC of 18 for a 17th level fighter in studded leather, which is equivalent to plate. A fighter can still wear plate, of course, which still gives AC when surprised and the benefits of Heavy Armour Mastery if taken.

Comparing with other classes:

• Barbarian: the barbarian gets an AC of 10 + Dex mod + Con mod at level 1, for a max of AC 22 at level 20. A typical Barbarian might have Dex 16 and Con 16 at level 4 for AC 16; the fighter has AC 14. At level 9, the fighter has AC 16 too.
• Monk: as above but with Wis instead of Con.
• Rogue: Dex 16 at level 4 for AC 15 vs AC 14 for the Fighter.
• Arcane spellcasters can take Mage Armour for AC 13 + Dex mod, so likely 15 or 16.

The ability might seem inferior to that of other classes but note that the Fighter can wear Light Armour types, which can be enchanted and the Fighter doesn't suffer Disadvantage on Stealth rolls for wearing many armours, in regards to which this ability matches Breastplate + Dex 14 at 9th level. And the Fighter doesn't have to spend time donning armour.

What do you think?

It looks worth trying.

Quartz said:

You will see that the benefit matches the Proficiency Bonus (except first) but requiring levels in the Fighter class prevents the multiclassing cheese that granting the Proficiency Bonus straight off could encourage.

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That's not exactly in keeping with 5e design philosphy, and, really, if you're wanting to see less heavy armor in your game, dipping fighter to get this feature instead of getting heavy armor should be OK, no?

What do you think?

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I like the idea of Proficiency to AC, in some way, in general, the ideas I've had on the subject tend to be more complicated than this (because I just gravitate twards complexity when designing stuff, one good reason I should never be a professional designer - the other being I need job income).

A couple of not too complex thoughts: you can tie it to use of a shield or weapon, becaue it includes parrying. You could limit it to attacks from an enemy the fighter designates. It could work well with implementing facing rules.

But, in general, it seems like it should help do what you want: lighten up on the armor.


Now, what about Life Clerics & Mountain Dwarves?

Changing your AC formula while surprised is not really something that happens in 5E. It is additional complexity beyond what the game is intended to support.

Other than that, it mostly seems fine. It might be hard to describe what a low-Dexterity fighter is doing to maintain their superior Armor Class in light armor. If your goal was to support a fighter wearing light armor, you could already just play a high-Dexterity fighter, so I'm not really sure what the benefit of this rule is supposed to be.

Maybe replace Prof bonus with AC 13 bonus like the S
Dragon Sorcerer.

One of the house rules I played with was:

When you gain Heavy Armor Proficiency, you may swap it out for:

Unarmored Tactician: When unarmored, your AC is 10 + DEX + INT.

Only problem is it was too cherry-pick-able for wizards.

As written would the said feature stack with dex Mod?

If a PC can move 30' and generate a 17 AC in armor under the rules, then you're ok with just letting them have it without the armor. It is just reskinning with negligible balance impacts.

Khaalis's Light Armor fighter variant from another thread is still, in my opinion, the best take that I have seen on the concept for 5e . The link is in the first post of the thread.

Hiya!

I think you're looking at the "problem" backwards. You escalating the power level...not de-escalating it. I would put down penalties to hit when wearing heavier armors or something. Say -1 for Light, -3 for Medium, and Disadvantage for Heavy. Or something like that...something that messes with the Offense vs Defense ratio for a warrior. You can be quick, light and maneuverable...or you can be slow, heavy and static. Your ability to get at your opponent, or away from, and use the "Five D's of Combat" (Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive and Dodge) is diminished the more restrictive and cumbersome the armor is.

Or you could just allow everyone who can use Light Armors the ability to use their Bonus Action to try and "dodge" a single melee attack at them...save DC equal to the To Hit roll of the attacker. That'd be good incentive to stick with Light armor. It's one more dice roll though, and some don't like that.

My point is I wouldn't be giving "bonuses" for using lighter armor so much as I would give "penalties" for using Armor.

^_^

Paul L. Ming