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Alternatives to the feat-tax solution to to-hit and F/R/W defenses
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<blockquote data-quote="Elric" data-source="post: 4744649" data-attributes="member: 1139"><p>This has the advantage of being a smaller fix (in terms of the balance between characters) than adding to three ability scores. However, it would probably be less intuitive in practice, as it's a specific exception from the way even the HR fix works in general. You'd also need a different standard than +1 to weakest defense. For example, what happens if a character's lowest defense without any items is Reflex, but his lowest Defense while he's using his Heavy Shield is Will?</p><p></p><p>Before Karinsdad suggested the three ability scores fix, I had suggested periodically adding +1 to your Defense with the lowest associated ability score, which I think is the easiest way to implement this.</p><p></p><p>I dislike Masterwork Armors, because while I see the necessity for Masterwork Heavy Armors, Masterwork Light Armors seems like an unnecessary kludge. If I didn't care about changing the game's base rules in a significant way, but did care about having characters scale appropriately in a less exception-driven way, what I'd do is:</p><p></p><p><strong>1)</strong> Characters get +1 to-hit and all defenses (including AC) at levels 5/15/25</p><p></p><p><strong>2)</strong> At levels 4/8/14/18/24/28, add 1 to three ability scores.</p><p></p><p><strong>3)</strong> Masterwork Light Armors don't exist. Masterwork Heavy Armors are as follows:</p><p>+1 additional bonus to AC for heavy armor with a +2 magic enhancement bonus</p><p>+2 additional bonus to AC for heavy armor with a +3 or +4 magic enhancement bonus</p><p>+3 additional bonus to AC for heavy armor with a +5 magic enhancement bonus</p><p>+4 additional bonus to AC for heavy armor with a +6 magic enhancement bonus</p><p></p><p>If you give out higher plus armor at the start of levels ending in 3/8, the current progression leads to near equality in the pace of scaling of light and heavy armors.</p><p></p><p><strong>4)</strong> The PH II feats Weapon Expertise, Implement Expertise, Robust Defenses, Epic Fortitude, Epic Reflex, and Epic Will are banned. I'd allow Paragon Defenses (maybe changing it to an Epic feat instead of a Paragon feat) and the Unyielding Fortitude line of Epic PH II feats.</p><p></p><p>This causes to-hit, AC, and FRWs to increase by 28 over 29 levels (assuming the PCs put the three ability bonuses to abilities that increase different FRWs). It also causes AC to rise more quickly over these levels. At the moment, the Masterwork Armor AC bonuses occur relatively late in PC careers, which means that AC is behind monster to-hit by an average of 3 for levels 21-27 (this is for heavy armor if you assume armor enhancement goes up at levels ending in 3/8; the number for light armor is similar). </p><p></p><p>While I'm at it with maximal fixes, you'd also want to increase many MM1 high level monsters' damage so they provide a more serious threat <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> <strong>Edit:</strong> From further on in the thread, my suggestion for increasing monster damage is: </p><p></p><p><strong>5)</strong>Monsters get +2 damage at levels 11/16/21/26, +3 damage instead for Brutes. Of course, if MM2 monsters are designed significantly differently, a one-size fits all solution won't work well here.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Elric, post: 4744649, member: 1139"] This has the advantage of being a smaller fix (in terms of the balance between characters) than adding to three ability scores. However, it would probably be less intuitive in practice, as it's a specific exception from the way even the HR fix works in general. You'd also need a different standard than +1 to weakest defense. For example, what happens if a character's lowest defense without any items is Reflex, but his lowest Defense while he's using his Heavy Shield is Will? Before Karinsdad suggested the three ability scores fix, I had suggested periodically adding +1 to your Defense with the lowest associated ability score, which I think is the easiest way to implement this. I dislike Masterwork Armors, because while I see the necessity for Masterwork Heavy Armors, Masterwork Light Armors seems like an unnecessary kludge. If I didn't care about changing the game's base rules in a significant way, but did care about having characters scale appropriately in a less exception-driven way, what I'd do is: [B]1)[/B] Characters get +1 to-hit and all defenses (including AC) at levels 5/15/25 [B]2)[/B] At levels 4/8/14/18/24/28, add 1 to three ability scores. [B]3)[/B] Masterwork Light Armors don't exist. Masterwork Heavy Armors are as follows: +1 additional bonus to AC for heavy armor with a +2 magic enhancement bonus +2 additional bonus to AC for heavy armor with a +3 or +4 magic enhancement bonus +3 additional bonus to AC for heavy armor with a +5 magic enhancement bonus +4 additional bonus to AC for heavy armor with a +6 magic enhancement bonus If you give out higher plus armor at the start of levels ending in 3/8, the current progression leads to near equality in the pace of scaling of light and heavy armors. [B]4)[/B] The PH II feats Weapon Expertise, Implement Expertise, Robust Defenses, Epic Fortitude, Epic Reflex, and Epic Will are banned. I'd allow Paragon Defenses (maybe changing it to an Epic feat instead of a Paragon feat) and the Unyielding Fortitude line of Epic PH II feats. This causes to-hit, AC, and FRWs to increase by 28 over 29 levels (assuming the PCs put the three ability bonuses to abilities that increase different FRWs). It also causes AC to rise more quickly over these levels. At the moment, the Masterwork Armor AC bonuses occur relatively late in PC careers, which means that AC is behind monster to-hit by an average of 3 for levels 21-27 (this is for heavy armor if you assume armor enhancement goes up at levels ending in 3/8; the number for light armor is similar). While I'm at it with maximal fixes, you'd also want to increase many MM1 high level monsters' damage so they provide a more serious threat :) [b]Edit:[/b] From further on in the thread, my suggestion for increasing monster damage is: [b]5)[/b]Monsters get +2 damage at levels 11/16/21/26, +3 damage instead for Brutes. Of course, if MM2 monsters are designed significantly differently, a one-size fits all solution won't work well here. [/QUOTE]
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Alternatives to the feat-tax solution to to-hit and F/R/W defenses
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