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<blockquote data-quote="Water Bob" data-source="post: 6110592" data-attributes="member: 92305"><p><strong>HEAVY, SWEATY ARMOR</strong> ...a tweak!</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Armor can be hot and restrictive, and the game illustrates this mechanically in a couple of ways. The Max DEX Bonus column on the armor chart can penalize the Dodge AC of a character. <strong>Tito's Trading Post</strong>, pg. 41, provides an optional fatigue rule for some armors when worn a long time. The tweak I am discussing in this post is designed for GMs who want to give the decision to wear armor--especially heavy armor--a little more weight.</p><p></p><p>In real life, people did not always wear the heaviest armor because (a) they could not afford it, but also because (b) the armor is restrictive, uncomfortable, heavy, and not something you'd want to wear every day like a suit of clothes.</p><p></p><p>This tweak is meant to increase the trade off between mobility and armor protection.</p><p></p><p>But, before I discuss the tweak, let me say that I think the Conan RPG does a fine job already of making that distinction. If you look at the Armor Table and the Max DEX Bonus column, the table is pretty forgiving for light, flexible armor and pretty restrictive for the heavier armors. The rule is pretty good, as it is, especially if you add in the optional fatigue rule from Tito'd Trading Post--since we're playing a heroic sword & sorcery game.</p><p></p><p>But, let's consider the average human, with a DEX 10 or DEX 11. There is no real difference to whatever type of armor he wears. Using the tweak that I discuss in this post, EVERY character will be effected by the choice to wear armor or not, and a preference may be given to the lighter, more flexible armors.</p><p></p><p><strong>Here's how the tweak works: </strong>Simply consider the Max DEX Bonus column on the armor chart to referr to the character's DEX bonus AND his character level Dodge bonus. This is just another way to customize the game to your taste, and using this tweak, players will definitely have more of a decision about wearing armor when it is available to their characters.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>For example, take the 3rd level NPC that I posted earlier in the thread:</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>If we use the rules by the book, wearing armor is a no brainer because this character is not affected. Let's put him in some very restrictive heavy armor: plate mail. This character can Dodge just as well as he can in plate armor as he can when just wearing a loin cloth. In fact, all characters with a DEX as high as DEX 15 are not restricted at all when wearing Plate Armor.</p><p></p><p>This obvious break in logic is what this tweak will fix in your game.</p><p></p><p>Using the tweak, Morghun cannot add more than +2 to his Dodge AC when wearing the Plate Armor, which means, he'll never be higher than Dodge AC 12 and will have to rely on his ability to Parry blows rather than Dodge them.</p><p></p><p>Doesn't that sound more realistic? The armor is heavy, and thus, he's not as able to skirt arrows that fly at him as he is when he's just wearing a loin cloth. Heavy armor makes the character more of a sitting duck--a tank, basically.</p><p></p><p>I mean, Plate Armor weights 55 lbs.! It makes sense, doesn't it, that if you wear it, you cannot Dodge as effectively?</p><p></p><p>I think so.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Water Bob, post: 6110592, member: 92305"] [B]HEAVY, SWEATY ARMOR[/B] ...a tweak! Armor can be hot and restrictive, and the game illustrates this mechanically in a couple of ways. The Max DEX Bonus column on the armor chart can penalize the Dodge AC of a character. [B]Tito's Trading Post[/B], pg. 41, provides an optional fatigue rule for some armors when worn a long time. The tweak I am discussing in this post is designed for GMs who want to give the decision to wear armor--especially heavy armor--a little more weight. In real life, people did not always wear the heaviest armor because (a) they could not afford it, but also because (b) the armor is restrictive, uncomfortable, heavy, and not something you'd want to wear every day like a suit of clothes. This tweak is meant to increase the trade off between mobility and armor protection. But, before I discuss the tweak, let me say that I think the Conan RPG does a fine job already of making that distinction. If you look at the Armor Table and the Max DEX Bonus column, the table is pretty forgiving for light, flexible armor and pretty restrictive for the heavier armors. The rule is pretty good, as it is, especially if you add in the optional fatigue rule from Tito'd Trading Post--since we're playing a heroic sword & sorcery game. But, let's consider the average human, with a DEX 10 or DEX 11. There is no real difference to whatever type of armor he wears. Using the tweak that I discuss in this post, EVERY character will be effected by the choice to wear armor or not, and a preference may be given to the lighter, more flexible armors. [B]Here's how the tweak works: [/B]Simply consider the Max DEX Bonus column on the armor chart to referr to the character's DEX bonus AND his character level Dodge bonus. This is just another way to customize the game to your taste, and using this tweak, players will definitely have more of a decision about wearing armor when it is available to their characters. For example, take the 3rd level NPC that I posted earlier in the thread: [B][/B] If we use the rules by the book, wearing armor is a no brainer because this character is not affected. Let's put him in some very restrictive heavy armor: plate mail. This character can Dodge just as well as he can in plate armor as he can when just wearing a loin cloth. In fact, all characters with a DEX as high as DEX 15 are not restricted at all when wearing Plate Armor. This obvious break in logic is what this tweak will fix in your game. Using the tweak, Morghun cannot add more than +2 to his Dodge AC when wearing the Plate Armor, which means, he'll never be higher than Dodge AC 12 and will have to rely on his ability to Parry blows rather than Dodge them. Doesn't that sound more realistic? The armor is heavy, and thus, he's not as able to skirt arrows that fly at him as he is when he's just wearing a loin cloth. Heavy armor makes the character more of a sitting duck--a tank, basically. I mean, Plate Armor weights 55 lbs.! It makes sense, doesn't it, that if you wear it, you cannot Dodge as effectively? I think so. [/QUOTE]
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