AC or DR

[DungeonmasterCal]

edit: I also use a variant of Class-based Defense bonuses, mimicking Poor, Medium, and Good saving throw progression.

Yup...I do the same.

 

[MonsterMash]

For D&D I prefer AC for armour not DR, in a system like RQ2 I used and was happy with armour = DR or for a D20 example Conan RPG, but in core D&D its armour = AC.

 

[wingsandsword]

I really don't think a +1 weapon should be able to disregard non-magical platemail. That makes magical weapons entirely too powerful. (Besides, the damage bonus on a magical weapon covers this nicely.)

No, that makes magical weapons magic. Magic weapons with just enhancement bonuses are underpowered now. Magic swords should be something to be feared, not just a 5% increased chance to hit and it can hit the DR on some monsters.

Magic weapons ignoring normal armor was something I first saw in Iron Heroes and liked. Of course, that was also presuming that magic weapons are significantly rarer than D&D standard, and just being 4th level does not entitle you to a +1 sword, so making normal armor /Magic or Adamant is more for that power level.

 

[diaglo]

weapon vs armor type

 

[RFisher]

Six open, half-a-dozen the other. It doesn't really matter.

In fact, I have a slight preference for "to hit" & damage to be resolved in a single roll, it which case the difference disappears.

 

[mmadsen]

Alternatives to Armor-as-AC and Armor-as-DR

There are many, many options -- many of them quick and simple -- besides armor-as-AC and armor-as-DR.

One option is to merge everything that makes you hard to hurt into AC: armor bonus, Dex bonus, Con bonus, class/level bonus (instead of hit dice), etc. Then the "to hit" roll really would be a "to hurt" roll.

Another option is to have one stat for getting hit (Defense) and another for getting hurt (Toughness), whether that second stat is implemented as a Save (like Mutants & Masterminds' Damage Save) or more like AC (a DC to overcome).

 

[Voadam]

In theory I like Armor as DR, in practice I like AC.

 

[TheGM]

It was avaible in 3.0 as well. Stoneskin spells, Adamantine armor...


People associate the term "damage reduction" with monsters special abilities, but all it really is is anything that reduces damage.

Like...armor for instance...

Yeah, okay. I meant D20, typed 3.5.

I don't think it's necessary to have a second mechanic. And DR requires ever-increasing damage-dealing.

 

[Tonguez]

just to add an extra complication, because DnD has no called shots I've been thinking about a system were ALL weapons do the same damage (d6 ie a dagger in the eye is as effective as a sword). However different weapons have different crit ranges (so a dagger only crits on a nat 20 whereas a long sword might crit 17-20)

Anyway Armour = DR x/crit

oh and even different crit ranges for different strikes (eg Wicker Armour Peircing 5/crit; Bludgeon 10/crit)

 

[TheAuldGrump]

None of the above - armor does make it harder to hit and do damage, so a full suit, with fewer gapes, protects better against most weapons.

Armor does protect against damage by spreading impact over a wider area, so does offer damage resistance.

However a system that uses both would likely be too time consuming for most people.

The Auld Grump