armor as DR - shields?

[GlassJaw]

In most Armor as DR/Defense bonus systems, shields add to your defense. I've never been 100% happy with this though.

I envision armor as DR/Defense rulesets to imply that you are attempting to avoid being "hit" altogether and when you do get hit, your armor kicks in and absorbs some of the damage for you. Sure a shield can help you parry and deflect attacks but why can't you also choose to raise your shield, knowing full well that you are going to get whacked, so it absorbs the blow? I mean they do it in the movies.

To take this one step further, in the Conan system, shields add to your Parry defense and do not add to your DR. You also can't use your Parry defense against ranged attacks. Again, this seems incorrect to me. I know there have been many instances (both historical and otherwise) of using a shield to completely deflect or absorb an incoming ranged attack.

My thought was to allow someone using a shield to decide how they want to use it. Against melee attacks, they can use it as DR or to add to their Defense. Against ranged attacks, it counts as DR only.

Thoughts?

 

[Roudi]

That would certainly add a bit more tactical considerations to shield use... I like it in concept. I'd have to have some numbers to crunch in order to determine it's viability in the d20 Modern system... but it's a good idea, and good ideas are the ones you run with.

 

[Varianor Abroad]

If it adds to either in melee, but only to DR ranged, that implies that the PC can choose to be harder to hit, or take less damage. In terms of the ranged attack, it implies that they'll always be using it to reduce damage, so they are more likely to get hit and take damage when facing opponents with heavy ranged damage that exceeds their attacks. DR tends to actually be a little more useful since it always reduces damage, whereas a chance to hit may still mean a hit, with no DR.

That aside, most players prefer a choice always. I don't see a problem with allowing it either way in each situation. That's one less special case rule to remember.

 

[genshou]

I think allowing it to apply to either is a good option. Set in stone that a character decides it at the start of their turn and the decision lasts until their next turn (like Dodge, TWF, Combat Expertise, and many other combat options), and I think it'll work fine.

 

[Lobo Lurker]

In the GAME OF THRONES rpg, shields add to your defense, unless your opponant decides not to try and get around your sheild, but go through it. In such cases, it counts as DR.

It should be mentioned that GAME OF THRONES, while d20, is a bit different from standard d20. Shield bonuses are largers, for instance.

 

[Khorod]

It usually adds to your defense with the idea that you are using the shield to parry an attack. I have sometimes seemed advanced shield usage adding in a small DR boost.

 

[genshou]

In the GAME OF THRONES rpg, shields add to your defense, unless your opponant decides not to try and get around your sheild, but go through it. In such cases, it counts as DR.

It should be mentioned that GAME OF THRONES, while d20, is a bit different from standard d20. Shield bonuses are largers, for instance.

So what you're saying is that, in A Game of Thrones, it's the attacker and not the defender who chooses whether it is Defense (AC) or DR bonus? This I like. But how do shields work with regards to ranged weapons in A Game of Thrones?

 

[Imperialus]

So what you're saying is that, in A Game of Thrones, it's the attacker and not the defender who chooses whether it is Defense (AC) or DR bonus? This I like. But how do shields work with regards to ranged weapons in A Game of Thrones?

They are a streight AC bonus. Makes sence since an attacker with a two handed greatsword has a reasonable chance of hacking streight through a shield but a bow or X-bow is never going to destroy a well made shield, you have to get around it. Also keep in mind that shields in GoT provide very high AC bonus's, 7 or 8 AC for a large shield. Combine that with the DR of a suit of plate and it's damn tough to take down a knight. Also to concider is that with the relatively low HP's of GoT sword and board styles of fighting are MUCH more attractive. Either your opponant is going to have to hope for some very good attack rolls combined with lousy defence rolls or he needs to waste at least a round or two bashing your shield to kindling.

 

[genshou]

They are a streight AC bonus. Makes sence since an attacker with a two handed greatsword has a reasonable chance of hacking streight through a shield but a bow or X-bow is never going to destroy a well made shield, you have to get around it. Also keep in mind that shields in GoT provide very high AC bonus's, 7 or 8 AC for a large shield. Combine that with the DR of a suit of plate and it's damn tough to take down a knight. Also to concider is that with the relatively low HP's of GoT sword and board styles of fighting are MUCH more attractive. Either your opponant is going to have to hope for some very good attack rolls combined with lousy defence rolls or he needs to waste at least a round or two bashing your shield to kindling.

That makes sense for piercing weapons, but what about slashing and bludgeoning (thrown weapons such as a tomahawk or a club)? These would still apply as AC, right? But in some cases it may make sense to use DR instead. Just a random thought that came into my muddled brain.

 

[Imperialus]

well the only thrown weapons detailed in the GoT sourcebooks are spears, axe's, and daggers. I could see a axe or somthing doing damage to a shield and it would be interesting to come up with a javalin like the roman pilla specifically designed to render shields useless.

there are 4 types of shield available in GoT Bucklers, Small Wooden, Small Steel, and Large Wooden. They provide AC bonus's ranging from +4 to +8. If an attacker decides to bash through the shield it adds it's damage reduction to what your armour provides once again ranging from 4/- to 8/-. Should the attacker decide to try and destroy the shield itself it only recives it's damage reduction but any damage done is subtracted from the shields hitpoints rather than the characters... at least until there is nothing left of the shield but splinters the size of your thumb.