D&D (2024) Help with a Defense weapon mastery property

[Horwath]

It should be, if you win contested attack roll by 5, you get to attack the target for free.

but I would not trade attacks for defense,
you win encounters by killing faster, not dying slower!

 

[rules.mechanic]

It should be, if you win contested attack roll by 5, you get to attack the target for free.

but I would not trade attacks for defense,
you win encounters by killing faster, not dying slower!

Thanks, good idea. I thought about that to fit with the Degree of Success theme I otherwise use, but winning the contest roll by a large margin almost guarantees a successful attack versus AC, so that already felt like a reward. And I use Degree of Success for the AC bit so the high roll could already generate a crit there. If the opponent rolls a 1, I could see that working well as allowing you a free attack (which may or may not hit versus AC).

All in, v1 not popular here or elsewhere - partly due to trading/compromising attacks for defense, partly due to tracking future attacks. Going to have further think about v2. Thanks all!

 

[mellored]

If you really want to keep the contested rolls...

When you would be hit by an attack, you can use your reaction to make an attack roll. Use the result as your AC against the triggering attack, potentially causing it to miss.

 

[rules.mechanic]

Thanks. It's probably a bit too small an effect for a reaction (assuming attacker has similar attack bonus, might expect a 25% chance of changing the outcome). Could instead require the attacker to re-roll the attack, or add a proficiency dice to your AC. Or could do without a reaction (e.g. 1 free use per round, maybe 2 if you have the Extra Attack feature). It's not quite the theme I was going for, but will have a think about it.

 

[mellored]

Thanks. It's probably a bit too small an effect for a reaction (assuming attacker has similar attack bonus, might expect a 25% chance of changing the outcome).

25% is pretty good since your not expending resources. Compared to patient defense or shield spell for instance.

But if you want it more powerful...

Before you make an attack with this weapon, you can choose to deal no damage with an attack. Instead, you have an AC equal to your attack roll until the start of your next turn.
You can do this multiple times, and take the highest result, or use your normal AC if you rolled lower.

add a proficiency dice to your AC.

Defensive duelist.

 

[rules.mechanic]

Defensive duelist.

Yes, that's right - always good to have a benchmark.

Before you make an attack with this weapon, you can choose to deal no damage with an attack. Instead, you have an AC equal to your attack roll until the start of your next turn.
You can do this multiple times, and take the highest result, or use your normal AC if you rolled lower.

Yeah, have tried a versions of that and it feels like there's something in it. The feedback I've had is that it's quite a big trade to lose the attack (like in v1). However giving it free on every attack and allowing a choice becomes OP. As does keeping the loss of attack but allowing the choice after the roll. Could do:

"If you made an attack this turn, make another attack roll. It deals no damage but you may instead choose to have an AC equal to that attack roll until the start of your next turn."

However, mathematically, you might as well then make that "defense roll" on each attack and would stop meta-gaming after a very high roll.

Will have a think about how else to do it, probably working from v2