D&D 5E Medium Armor Fix

[cbwjm]

I don't really know what the problem is that people have with medium armour, is it because you can get a similar AC with light armour and a maxed out Dex and if so, why is that a problem?

 

[Zardnaar]

I don't really know what the problem is that people have with medium armour, is it because you can get a similar AC with light armour and a maxed out Dex and if so, why is that a problem?

Unless you are a spellcaster or Barbarian its kinda meh.

Even if you are a spellcaster its only decent on some of them like light clerics who do not plan to make much in the way of attack rolls. Its because with he default array odd are you are not going to have much more than +2 to hit anyway in medium armor and you may as well go strength or dex based and skip medium armor.

Its a side effrect of the default array, attack rolls and damage keyed of str and dex, and the lack of varierty in the armor AKA all lt armor has no dex max, all med armor is +2, all heavy armor +0.

Say if you are a cleric for example with medium armor proficiency. You want a high wisdom, and you want to go and fight so you want a decent AC. And you want decent hit points.

So you have a 16 wisdom, 14 con, 14 dex yay and then you realise you only have +2 to hit off your abiltiy scores and have MAD with youe ASIS when it comes to wisdom/dex.

 

[cbwjm]

This doesn't really explain why people think it is bad. Is it because someone in light armour can have the same AC? I've used medium armour on my dwarf ranger, seemed to work fine. I think people are making an issue out of pretty much nothing.

 

[Zardnaar]

This doesn't really explain why people think it is bad. Is it because someone in light armour can have the same AC? I've used medium armour on my dwarf ranger, seemed to work fine. I think people are making an issue out of pretty much nothing.

Rangers are a bit less MAD than the pure spell casters so can do something like 16 strength, 14 con, 14 dex and 12 wisdom. And you're a Dwarf with decent racial mods.

medium armor is also fine with decent rolled stats, with the default you are more or less looking at something like 16,14,14 or 16,16,14 if half elf and a 14 con is nice.

 

[Kryx]

Stream of consciousness:

I've also considered another approach, inspired by 4e: armor types based on the material


This changes a bit more than a simple fix, but may be what I'm after. Class changes as a result:

• Barbarian has Leather, Hide armor. Different
• Bard has Leather, Hide armor. Valor and Blades get Chain armor. Similar
• Cleric has Leather, Hide, and Chain armor. You could add scale proficiency for all the domains that have heavy armor. Similar
• Fighter has Leather, Hide, Chain, and Scale armor. Different
• Paladin has Leather, Hide, Chain, Scale, and Plate armor. Unchanged.
• Ranger has Leather, and Hide armor Different
• Rogue has Leather armor. Unchanged.
• Warlock has Leather armor. Unchanged.

The lesser Chain, Scale, and Plate armors are options for characters who can invest 2 in Dex.
Barbarian would likely need a rule next to Unarmored Defense allowing the usage of Constitution in place of Dexterity while using Leather or Hide.
Strength Fighters would lose 1 AC as they aren't wearing plate (most fighter images are in chain or scale so I think restricting plate is flavorful, +1 AC could be added elsewhere if needed for balance).
Ranger would lose access to chain, but it's thematically appropriate imo.

Comparison for the Barbarian because he is the most changed:
Barbarian RAW 5th level: Breastplate 14+2 = 16 AC
Barbarian Houserules 5th level: Hide 13+3 = 16 AC

 

[Xeviat]

At mid game assuming max stats we're looking at
Light armor: 12+5 = 17 AC
Medium armor: 16+2 = 18 AC, DR 1
Heavy armor: 18 AC, DR 2

View attachment 86121

What are your thoughts? Is the Medium Armor AC too much? How about the DR?

Thank you for your feedback.

Hi Kryx; I love your work. Here are some of my thoughts.

Currently, heavy armor and light armor are balanced against each other assuming a few things. First, assume a 16 starting Dex and +2 Dex at 4th and 8th. Second, we assume Studded Leather and Chain mail at 1st. Then, based on medium armor, we assume Disadvantage to Stealth is worth +1 AC. Last, we can assume an armor upgrade at 4th and 8th level.

Tada, Light and Heavy are equal.

Medium Armor has two troubles. First, there is only one armor upgrade for each of Medium Armor's two paths: Chain shirt > Breastplate, and Scale mail > Half plate. The second trouble is the Dex 14 requirement to max AC. Together, both of these hurt Medium Armor.

If you're a Ranger with a Dex of 18, then there is some choice between Studded Leather and Half Plate, but no choice between Breastplate and Studded leather. I feel like Medium should always he an improvement over Light when you can afford better Mediums.

You adding DR could help with that. But, by buffing Breastplate and Half Plate's AC, and not adding intermediary armors, you've inserted a +2 AC jump when you upgrade armors instead of a +1 upgrade.

I wouldn't want to go back to 4E armor categories. I like the grouping and I like the AC upgrades to keep up with Dex growth on the Light Armor classes. Remember 4E's Masterwork Armor to accomplish the same thing?


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[Satyrn]

I say this every time in these threads.

Medium armor (breastplate) is the best choice for my dex-based gnome battlemaster built with the standard array. The only way I will get any improvement by switching to light armor is by pumping up my Dex with a couple ASIs and there are feats I'd rather take instead.

I think Medium armor is only a suboptimal choice when powergaming - and lots of options become suboptimal when powergaming. That's rather the point of powergaming.

 

[Satyrn]

That said, I do have some real feedback.

What are your thoughts? Is the Medium Armor AC too much? How about the DR?

First, I don't know what's happening with the Heavy Armor Master feat now. It seems unnecessary if it changes the DR to 3, too much if it adds up to 5.

And I would probably find the DR 1 on my gnome's breastplate to be too fiddly to want to bother with for such a minor result. But that's me.

You are getting the result you were seeking. You've made breastplate better than studded leather.

 

[Kryx]

Hi [MENTION=57494]Xeviat[/MENTION], I see your posts often (I lurk on most balance threads) and often agree with them. Thanks for stopping by and providing your thoughts

I wouldn't want to go back to 4E armor categories. I like the grouping and I like the AC upgrades to keep up with Dex growth on the Light Armor classes. Remember 4E's Masterwork Armor to accomplish the same thing?

I really like the 4e classifications. The result is far more realistic for my tastes - Barbarians and Rangers in Hide armor and very little plate. It also provides viable options between +2 dex and no dex builds.

I discussed it with my players and they agree that it fixes the issues we had with the system.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

Generally Fighters are considered to be the best-trained in matters of weapons and armour, because that is pretty much their definition.
Would it be possible for a knight, or similar concept character to learn how to wear plate, or do you need a certain level of divine inspiration to be able to know how to wear that sort of armour?