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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jack Simth" data-source="post: 3028280" data-attributes="member: 29252">Well, mechanically, on average, the mechanics of armor as DR will have effects on viable builds:3 DR helps out more against opponents with more attacks - the level 5 fighter with a greatsword that deals 2d6+8 with each swing (ignoring power attack for now) at +10 deals 3 less points of average damage, while the level 5 fighter with two short swords dealing 1d6+4/1d6+4 at +10/+10 soaks the effect of the DR twice - while without the DR, they both average the exact same amount of damage, with the DR, the two-hander deals more average damage than the two-weapon fighter.  All else being equal, the DR makes the two-weaponer easier to deal with faster than it does the two-hander.  The more DR, the more of a discrepancy between the challenge posed by the two fighter-5 builds.3 AC helps out equally against opponents with one big attack as it does with opponents with multiple attacks - the level 5 fighter with a greatsword that deals 2d6+8 with each swing (ignoring power attack for now) at +10 deals 15% less average damage, the same damage loss as the level 5 fighter with two short swords dealing 1d6+4/1d6+4 at +10/+10.  All else being equal, each fighter poses essentially the same challenge to the party; the two builds remain on par with each other regardless of what happens to the party's AC.When Power Attack gets into the mix, the two-hander has even more of an advantage over the two-weaponer.From the party's perspective, armor as DR makes the two-weapon fighting build even less viable than in the core ruleset, at least compared to the two-hander build.  When you throw power attack into the mix, you don't want to exchange AC for DR on one-for-one; the two-handed fighter will simply power attack more - and the +2 damage per -1 to attack puts you at +1 damage taken for each point of AC you traded for DR.  The Two-weaponer must power attack (not that you can Power Attack with shortswords....), and while he does indeed get two points of extra damage for each point of attack bonus he loses, he's staying even with the AC you traded for DR - so when you trade your AC for DR at one-for-one with the against the Two-Weaponer, nothing happens.Long story short: Armor as DR variant makes two-handed weapon fighting even more attractive compared to two-weapon fighting than in the core ruleset.  Good?  Maybe, maybe not.</blockquote>

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