Armor that reduces damage?
- Thread starter Darklance
- Start date
RangerWickett
Legend
The simplest system I've heard is this:
Armor Mastery
You are skilled at using a particular type of armor to defend yourself.
Prerequisites: Appropriate Armor Proficiency, base attack bonus +5.
Benefits: When you gain this feat, choose one type of armor. When wearing that type of armor, you gain limited damage reduction. If you choose a light armor, you gain DR 1/-. If you choose medium armor, you gain DR 2/-. If you choose heavy armor, you gain DR 4/-.
Special: You may take this feat multiple times. The effects do not stack. Instead, each time choose a different type of armor.
Armor Mastery
You are skilled at using a particular type of armor to defend yourself.
Prerequisites: Appropriate Armor Proficiency, base attack bonus +5.
Benefits: When you gain this feat, choose one type of armor. When wearing that type of armor, you gain limited damage reduction. If you choose a light armor, you gain DR 1/-. If you choose medium armor, you gain DR 2/-. If you choose heavy armor, you gain DR 4/-.
Special: You may take this feat multiple times. The effects do not stack. Instead, each time choose a different type of armor.
A'koss
Explorer
I just posted the most current version our group is using on RGFD, a little copy/paste should do the trick...
Before I get into it I should probably explain what I'm trying to do here. First, the rules work great as is but soon I'm going to throw a little twist in it which me and my group have been hammering out. That little twist is going to be a level based AC bonus, much like in Star Wars or WoT. A figher for example will (very likely) gain a bonus AC equal to a Cleric's BAB. The idea here is to create it in such a way that characters will use *less* armor as they get more and more powerful. Armor, which affords great protection at lower levels becomes an impediment to their combat skill-based AC which will eventually overtake the advantages of carrying a big metal suit. This will create a more cinematic style of play reminiscent of Conan, etc...
With the kinds of opponents characters face at high levels it's just better to just avoid an onrushing 3 ton fist that to see if your armor is up to the challenge. ;-) Light armor will impose a moderate penalty to your Skill AC, Med. armor more yet and Heavy armor will negate it (or very close to it) entirely regardless of level. I won't include these numbers here, but when I get it all sorted out I'll repost them. Armor bonuses shouldn't change much from what you see here.
Note that for these rules: **armor and deflection bonuses will no longer stack.**
Now on with the most current version of the armor rules.
ARMOR AC Bonus DR
Padded +0 1/-
Leather +0 2/-
Studded Leather +1 2/-
Chain Shirt +2 1/-
Hide +1 2/-
Scale mail +2 2/-
Chainmail +3 2/-
Breastplate +3 3/-
SHIELDS (Shields only deflect damage)
Buckler +1
Shield, small, wooden +1
Shield, small, steel +1
Shield, large, wooden +2
Shield, large, steel +2
1. AC Bonus: The ability of the armor to deflect blows. This improves by 1 for every 2 "plusses" for magical armor.
2. DR: How much damage the armor is going to absorb for you. This improves by 1 for every "plus" for magical armor
3. Special materials: DM fiat. Mithril, Adamantite and other special materials may moderately affect AC or DR.
4. Shields: AC also improves by 1 for every 2 "plusses" for magical varieties.
For example:
n/m chainmail, AC +3, DR 2/-
+1 chainmail, AC +3, DR 3/-
+2 chainmail, AC +4, DR 4/-
+3 chainmail, AC +4, DR 5/-
+4 chainmail, AC +5, DR 6/-
+5 chainmail, AC +5, DR 7/-
Armor and Shields IMC are simply denoted differently to eliminate the calculations.
ARMOR DEX Penalty
Padded -0
Leather -0
Studded Leather -1
Chain Shirt -1
Hide -2
Scale mail -2
Chainmail -3
Breastplate -2
SHIELDS
Buckler -0
Shield, small, wooden -0
Shield, small, steel -0
Shield, large, wooden -1
Shield, large, steel -1
1. DEX Penalty: This replaces the Max. Dex bonus.
2. Strong Characters and Armor: For every 4 points of Strength greater than 10, reduce the DEX penalties by 1. For every 2 points of Strength greater than 10, reduce the Armor Check penalties by 1. If your adjusted Armor check penalty is between 0 and -2, you may move at full speed.
For example:
A 18 Strength Fighter in chainmail and carrying a large steel shield suffers a Dex Penalty of -2 and an Armor Check Penalty of -3. If his Strength were 20 his Armor Check Penalty would be low enough to allow him to move at his full rate.
He would have to possess a Strength of 26 to wear chainmail and carry a lg. steel shield without any Dex or Armor Check penalties.
A'koss!
--
The Rings of Concordance has a new url!
http://members.shaw.ca/infinity/Main_Page.htm
Before I get into it I should probably explain what I'm trying to do here. First, the rules work great as is but soon I'm going to throw a little twist in it which me and my group have been hammering out. That little twist is going to be a level based AC bonus, much like in Star Wars or WoT. A figher for example will (very likely) gain a bonus AC equal to a Cleric's BAB. The idea here is to create it in such a way that characters will use *less* armor as they get more and more powerful. Armor, which affords great protection at lower levels becomes an impediment to their combat skill-based AC which will eventually overtake the advantages of carrying a big metal suit. This will create a more cinematic style of play reminiscent of Conan, etc...
With the kinds of opponents characters face at high levels it's just better to just avoid an onrushing 3 ton fist that to see if your armor is up to the challenge. ;-) Light armor will impose a moderate penalty to your Skill AC, Med. armor more yet and Heavy armor will negate it (or very close to it) entirely regardless of level. I won't include these numbers here, but when I get it all sorted out I'll repost them. Armor bonuses shouldn't change much from what you see here.
Note that for these rules: **armor and deflection bonuses will no longer stack.**
Now on with the most current version of the armor rules.
ARMOR AC Bonus DR
Padded +0 1/-
Leather +0 2/-
Studded Leather +1 2/-
Chain Shirt +2 1/-
Hide +1 2/-
Scale mail +2 2/-
Chainmail +3 2/-
Breastplate +3 3/-
SHIELDS (Shields only deflect damage)
Buckler +1
Shield, small, wooden +1
Shield, small, steel +1
Shield, large, wooden +2
Shield, large, steel +2
1. AC Bonus: The ability of the armor to deflect blows. This improves by 1 for every 2 "plusses" for magical armor.
2. DR: How much damage the armor is going to absorb for you. This improves by 1 for every "plus" for magical armor
3. Special materials: DM fiat. Mithril, Adamantite and other special materials may moderately affect AC or DR.
4. Shields: AC also improves by 1 for every 2 "plusses" for magical varieties.
For example:
n/m chainmail, AC +3, DR 2/-
+1 chainmail, AC +3, DR 3/-
+2 chainmail, AC +4, DR 4/-
+3 chainmail, AC +4, DR 5/-
+4 chainmail, AC +5, DR 6/-
+5 chainmail, AC +5, DR 7/-
Armor and Shields IMC are simply denoted differently to eliminate the calculations.
ARMOR DEX Penalty
Padded -0
Leather -0
Studded Leather -1
Chain Shirt -1
Hide -2
Scale mail -2
Chainmail -3
Breastplate -2
SHIELDS
Buckler -0
Shield, small, wooden -0
Shield, small, steel -0
Shield, large, wooden -1
Shield, large, steel -1
1. DEX Penalty: This replaces the Max. Dex bonus.
2. Strong Characters and Armor: For every 4 points of Strength greater than 10, reduce the DEX penalties by 1. For every 2 points of Strength greater than 10, reduce the Armor Check penalties by 1. If your adjusted Armor check penalty is between 0 and -2, you may move at full speed.
For example:
A 18 Strength Fighter in chainmail and carrying a large steel shield suffers a Dex Penalty of -2 and an Armor Check Penalty of -3. If his Strength were 20 his Armor Check Penalty would be low enough to allow him to move at his full rate.
He would have to possess a Strength of 26 to wear chainmail and carry a lg. steel shield without any Dex or Armor Check penalties.
A'koss!
--
The Rings of Concordance has a new url!
http://members.shaw.ca/infinity/Main_Page.htm
Malin Genie
First Post
In the system I am working on, the current AC bonuses are split between AC and DR (so full plate gives +4 AC, DR 4; a chain shirt gives +2 AC, DR 2.)
AC also doesn't get DX bonuses: however, it only represents the 'passive' defence of the character, and is the minimum required to hit (if the target is flat-footed.)
The defender under this system gets to make a defence roll (10 + defence bonus) with defence bonus either being BAB + Dex + Weapon Focus + Defending weapon bonus + Expertise/Fighting Defensively for parrying; BAB + shield bonus for shield blocks (although a successful shield block deals damage to the shield); or Reflex save + size bonus + Dodge bonus (such as the Dodge Feat)
So a 5th level fighter with 12 Dex in full plate and with a +1 large shield and +1 longsword (with Focus) has
AC 14, parry +7, block +8, dodge +2
If an attack rolls 13 or less, it misses automatically
If it rolls 14 or more, he can attempt to parry (1d20+7) block (1d20+8 but his shield takes damage) or dodge (1d20+2)
If he fails, he still gets DR 4 against the attack
I haven't yet worked out what to do with multiple attacks, flanking etc. (if anybody has any comments/criticisms/suggestions about this system I'd be very interested to hear them...)
AC also doesn't get DX bonuses: however, it only represents the 'passive' defence of the character, and is the minimum required to hit (if the target is flat-footed.)
The defender under this system gets to make a defence roll (10 + defence bonus) with defence bonus either being BAB + Dex + Weapon Focus + Defending weapon bonus + Expertise/Fighting Defensively for parrying; BAB + shield bonus for shield blocks (although a successful shield block deals damage to the shield); or Reflex save + size bonus + Dodge bonus (such as the Dodge Feat)
So a 5th level fighter with 12 Dex in full plate and with a +1 large shield and +1 longsword (with Focus) has
AC 14, parry +7, block +8, dodge +2
If an attack rolls 13 or less, it misses automatically
If it rolls 14 or more, he can attempt to parry (1d20+7) block (1d20+8 but his shield takes damage) or dodge (1d20+2)
If he fails, he still gets DR 4 against the attack
I haven't yet worked out what to do with multiple attacks, flanking etc. (if anybody has any comments/criticisms/suggestions about this system I'd be very interested to hear them...)
Last edited:
Jack Daniel
Legend
saduff said:
My DR rules were based on hardness originally, but I decided that a die range was better because it added more random chance. No "rogue with a short sword gets pasted because he can't get past the knight's DR 8 platemail."
