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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Sir Brennen" data-source="post: 2460682" data-attributes="member: 553">With all the discussion on Concentration checks, let me throw another option out there I've been considering for my own game:One thing I don't like about ASF is it's another roll required in combat.  Same thing with just making in a Concentration check.  (I also agree with the scalability problems - too hard at low levels, too easy at high.)  I do, however, like the idea of armored mages, especially at higher levels.Instead, what if instead armor simply reduced the effectiveness of Arcane magic? This could easily be represented by lowering caster level for the various armor types.  Light is a -1 CL, Medium -2, Heavy -3.  Add -1 if not proficient.  Shields add their Armor Check Penalty to CL reduction.Note that this would also affect checks to evercome SR, using Dispel Magic and the like. However, spells not overly reliant on CL become a bit more useful.  Also, it might encourage casters to look at less common spells as they try to get around the reduced CL.Special Materials such as mithral retain their relevance, since they lower the armor type by one category.  Light armors made of mithral (not many metal light ones, I know) would have a caster level reduction of zero.The 1st level caster obviously isn't going to get much benefit from this, but I don't see a wiz fresh from the academy having any experience with armor anyway.  Wiz's donning armor is more something that one would see for adventuring spell casters, so they pick up the proficiency along the way (such as by multi-classing.)  Optionally, the CL penalty could be ruled to never lower the actual CL below 1 (if proficient).  So if a first level wiz/sor burns a feat (or two) on Armor Proficiency, he actually has a little pay-off, though it will have a price as he goes up in levels.Originally, I thought about making the CL reduction equal to the current ASF % divided by 5, so a Chain Shirt [20% ASF] would reduce CL by 4.  A Mithral Chain Shirt [10% ASF] has a -2 CL reduction.  I thought this was a little steep, but YMMV, especially those that want to get down to the specific types of armor.  Other variantions are possible on this idea, like basing the CL reduction on Armor Check Penalty instead, so wizards could wear leather armor no problem, and masterwork armor helps with the CL reduction.  Each +1 of magic enhancement bonus might also reduce CL reduction by one.Anyway, my 2 coppers.</blockquote>

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