Class defense bonus

[SWAT]

I'm gonna start a new normal-magic but very-low-magic-item campaign, and I'm faced with the problem of BABs that increase with level, but ACs that don't. With few magic items available, everything the players face will eventually be able to hit them all the time. I figure a class defense bonus is the way to go, as this is what low-magic-item systems use (Star Wars, Spycraft, Wheel of Time). But, I don't like the way it's presented in Unearthed Arcana. I can already see Wizards taking one level of Fighter just for the +4 AC boost. This would be... unacceptable.

So, is a class defense bonus the way to go? If not, can you suggest anything else? And if so, what equation would you (or do you) use to calculate it?

Thanks!

 

[Corinth]

Yes, using a class-based Base Defense Bonus progression is the way to go. Find a copy of Unearthed Arcana and use the rules there. I suggest that you allow this bonus to stack with armor and shields, as that is the simplest way to implement this variant rule in a way that replaces (for the most part) the need for magic armor and shields.

 

[SWAT]

While the idea of stacking the bonus with armor and shields is interesting, I'm mainly looking for an equation or table that's different from what's in Unearthed Arcana. Something that will prevent my Wizard multiclassing to Fighter problem I mentioned.

 

[Terraism]

One thing worth noting is that most - if not all - systems that have a class-based Defense bonus reduce it by two every time you take the first level of a new class. (WoT, page 63, second line under Defense bonus; Star Wars, page 64, second line under Defense Bonus.) Since no class has a Defense bonus of less than +2 at first level, you never *lose* by multiclassing, but it's quite possible not to gain anything, and the most you'll gain is +2.

 

[Aus_Snow]

As it happens, I'm running a 'normal-magic, low-magic-item' campaign myself, based (kind of) in FR (FR? isn't that uber-high-magic-item? yep, there.)

My ah, 'reworking' of Class Defense Bonus might not be very applicable in your case, but well, it's as follows:

1. Base Defense = BAB.

2. Other than that, it functions much like AC.


But then, I'm also using armour as DR, critical effects, and a couple of other house rules that seem to balance it all out nicely.

It's mostly to support my (wacky?) theory that a high level fighter would be better at defending him/herself than a 1st level wizard (feats notwithstanding). Crazy, huh.


But other than that, the Star Wars system seems to work fine, more or less. Hm, for Star Wars anyway. :\

 

[Storyteller01]

"Arsenal" from Perpetrated press, but it converts the AC from armor and shields to DR. It also seems a bit counterintuitive (fighters gain average AC progression, but rogues gain the Best AC progression), but that's just my perspective. Instead, I treat the level AC bonus as a dodge bonus that gets cut in half when you wear medium or heavy armor.

 

[Jondor_Battlehammer]

Have the bonus equal the opposite of your BAB. That will stop your problems right there.

 

[Storyteller01]

Have the bonus equal the opposite of your BAB. That will stop your problems right there.

Forgive my befuddled mind... but what do you mean?

 

[SWAT]

I'm also unsure as to what Jondor might mean opposite of BAB.

Anyway, I've been searching for solutions to my problem at other locations as well, and something that comes up often but hasn't really been mentioned here is a dodge bonus of BAB/2. This seems to actually work if armor provides AC. So wearing armor is no more or less discouraged, and you can get your AC high enough to survive.

After 10 minutes of thought, I still can't find a whole in this idea...

 

[Hodgie]

This seems to work quite well, but there are a few holes. First and foremost is that this causes AC to increase linearly when under the normal rules it does not. This, however, is not that important. Certain classes are aided more than others. The barbarian will be aided more than the monk. In fact, the monk is sort of screwed because they rely heavily on equipment. This also tends to favor two-handed fighting because the bonus for a shield never increases beyond 2 (no magic). Finally, you'll see a majority of your wizards going Eldritch Knight because that is a really powerful combo.


All in all though the pros outweigh the cons many times over in my opinion, and I've seen it used to good effect several times.