Armor as Defense and DR

[Aussiegamer]

If an attack roll is greater than your maximum AC, it bypassed the armor "somehow" (either by striking an unarmored part your body, at a joint, etc..) and hits you. The Armor DR does not apply. This covers the "dagger can defeat plate mail" quandary. Plate mail protects well, but a high enough attack roll can avoid it.

This though at first seems a good idea it leads to armour becoming useless, as it offer nil protection once the lowered AC is rolled above the required number. And in scifi the weapons do far more damage than normal D&D3.5 damage does.

Since armour is now broken into AC and DR that means the AC is significantly lower, every 1 AC down is 5% easier to hit.

The dagger defating the plate was done by the plate wearing being stunned or held and then a cope da grace done to them, it would be very rare (insert nat 20 rolled here) for a dagger to even hurt a plate mail wearer.

I followed the idea to the most the same, but no cover just AC.

so a meduim PC with +1AC dex, +1AC deflection, +2AC Armour and +1AC shield.

would be
10-11 complete misses due to size and deflection and defence
12 to hit the touch attack but would not penerate the shield bouncing off harmlessly
13 would penerate the shield but bonuces off the armour
14 would still bonuce off the armour
15 would penerate all armours

The damage would have to defeat all the layers of DR to hurt the person still. This system allows for damage to different parts of the armour as the armour must breach the armours deflection to be damaged itself.

I have a maximum of the DR of the armour as the maximum damage a single attack can do to it, and it has a base HP of x10 the DR the armour has.

I also included natural armours that can be damaged, except they can grow back over time and are not destroyed as normal armour can be.

 

[DnDChick]

This though at first seems a good idea it leads to armour becoming useless, as it offer nil protection once the lowered AC is rolled above the required number. And in scifi the weapons do far more damage than normal D&D3.5 damage does.

I agree, which is why if you want to use such a system in D&D, adding in a class bonus to AC mechanic is in order (like the Defense bonus in d20 Modern and Conan d20). It simply won't work if all the character has to go on is Dex and cover bonus.

Also, setting the DR high enough for it to be effective and worthwhile is crucial. The values I suggested above were just that ... suggestions. Only playtesting can really tell one what the best levels would be.

Sci fi weapons do inflict more damage, but at the same time, sci fi armor would provide better DR.

 

[Aussiegamer]

I agree, which is why if you want to use such a system in D&D, adding in a class bonus to AC mechanic is in order (like the Defense bonus in d20 Modern and Conan d20). It simply won't work if all the character has to go on is Dex and cover bonus.

I saw the def bonus as becoming too high in d20M and thus dumped the idea from my system. I did introduce armour use and weapon use as skills and the characters gain something every 5 ranks they have in that skill. The ranks are assigned to the types of weapons and armour, this seems to add to the balance.

Also, setting the DR high enough for it to be effective and worthwhile is crucial. The values I suggested above were just that ... suggestions. Only playtesting can really tell one what the best levels would be.

I have done a bit of working out the average personal weapon damage V personal armour DR, and aimed for 50% damage is negated by the DR. So I hope that with some testing it works out OK as well.

As we all do - suggest. If you like it then use it if not delete or change it.

Sci fi weapons do inflict more damage, but at the same time, sci fi armor would provide better DR.

Which was my point about allowing a high roll to hit which would completely bypass the armour.

 

[DnDChick]

Which was my point about allowing a high roll to hit which would completely bypass the armour.

With high-tech armors, we allow for Complete cover, therefore, the DR always applies.

 

[Aussiegamer]

yep I am heading that way too, just a suggestion for others.

Look at the Nexus body armour rules, I watched a programm about body armour and it really opened my eyes to what happens.

 

[Aus_Snow]

oops, mispost.