Recent content by Izumi

So... those who pretend to be elves pretend to be gatekeepers, and those who pretend to be gatekeepers pretend they can keep out women. Now, those who pretend to be gatekeepers of the pretend gatekeepers now pretend they can stop pretend gatekeepers from pretending they can keep out women. Hmm...

I like it. I'd adjust to just 1 saving throw attempt before character death, however. If you are hit by a damage-inflicting spell or attack after such a save then you must roll another save attempt. May all our characters die so horribly that our wailing cries of non-acceptance honor their...

It sometimes feels awkward to players when the pantheon too-closely resembles historical beliefs, or carries the names of historical gods but doesn't fit their notions of authenticity. It's a no-win unless you've got a group who's uniquely open-minded, disinterested in the fluff, or a...

Fantasy without a basis in reality is very poor indeed. Let's not go overboard the way people have done to the katana throughout the years. I've noticed an emerging bias to the greatness of European arms that is unmerited, just as silly, and just as untrue. At what time period are you...

Everybody knows the katana descends from the short, and slightly curved, thrusting sword of the Japanese pikemen called the uchigatana. Mounted Japanese warriors used their traditional sword, a more radically curved one, called a jindachi. Those higher ranking warriors leading these groups of...

Japanese were forced to refine iron sand, but it's amazing how good their arms and armor came out despite the primative process they used to force out the impurities. As the smiths experimented through the centuries some created arms and armors of extremely high quality comparable to the best in...

lol, I suppose I should have mentioned you can't be reduced below 1 hp? Unless you put on something you aren't trained in, and although slightly more annoying to actually strike, are still easily taken out by the ever-trusty armor-piercing dagger once accomplished? Yoroi doushi got their name...

Well, there is no guarantee of a devestating hit on unarmored foes either, but since they get hit more often, they'll probably take more damage as the back and forth progresses. The HP abstraction has always been open to interpretation though.

It's a single and temporary reduction in your character's overall hp total that lasts only as long as he/she wears the armor on their person. It represents the fortitude and endurance necessary to mimic the effect of wearing and fighting in these armors for long periods of time. Armor both...

Historic, of course. It's our baseline for the fantastic. I'd do something like this: Padded Cloth 11 + Dex (+4 Max) -1 to hp total when worn. Leather Armor 12 + Dex (+3 Max) -2 to hp total when worn. Brigandine/Ring Armor 13 + Dex (+2 Max) -3 to hp total when worn. Scale/Lamellar Armor 14...

What gives you all the impression a man in heavy armor is more difficult to strike or more difficult to dodge? Neither is actually true. With room to maneuver, an unarmored man of experience can easily escape a man in full plate or keep him at bay until he grows tired. The problem arises when he...

Not in all cases. Rogue could beat the AC, but those hp represent a lot of fighting skill, he can't hold out for long, and the additional expense is worth it if the fighter rolled a low dex ability score. I don't have any interest in what you will or won't buy that's up to you. Pretty...

Further Thoughts: I consider my Okegawa Dou to be a Medium armor. Half Dex is actually about right. To compensate, stances become very low, and you try to keep your shoulders in line with the foes fists. Considering this, A heavier armor would further reduce dex. The question becomes does...

Thoughts: Heavy Armor makes your reactions a little slower unless your strength offsets the weight. However, even if that were not the case, you are almost never so slow in heavy armor that a foe in lesser or no armor can take advantage easily before you recover and threaten their life again...

Wisdom + Level is the most realistic way to go. Intelligence can't reliably guess intentions in time, and fast reflexes don't guarantee your brain makes the decision/act dynamic quicker. With Wisdom and experience you can force reactions, change their intentions, and therefore discover an...