Defense Bonus

[kolvar]

I would like to introduce a defense bonus like in Wheel of Time to my campaign, but still keep the old classes. After thinking about it, I figured, that the less armored classes like rogue and the wizard types would benefit from this rather more than the fighter types. And what to do about the monk? The fighter would have to become similar to the armsman, gaining the ability to receive the defense bonus while wearing armor, same goes for the paladin.
But still a balance problem stays.
Has anybody done something similar for his campaign?

HELP?

 

[Khaalis]

Can you summarize the Defense Bonus (Don't own WoT).

As for the basic argument, you need to look at why you wish to add the ability. What is it in your game that makes you think you need it? Can it be balanced in any other way?

Once I see more about the bonus I can make some more comments.

 

[kolvar]

simply put the defense bonus (I think it is called Defense Rating in WoT) is a level dependend bonus to your AC starting at +2 to +4 and going up to +8 to +14 on 20th level (figther and wizards recieves +8, rouge +11, Ranger +11 and one special type of fighter +14 (they are not exactly rangers, fighters, wizards, rogues etc. though))
Why I want to do it? My campaign is rather low on magic items and the defense potiential is rather low compared to the attack potential. In addition I like the badly-armored fighter.

 

[Khaalis]

Well the idea is sound if you run in a low magic world. The D&D system is designed to allow AC to rise as steeply as BAB through the use of magic. Without that magic, BAB quickly bypasses AC (which maxes out around 20 without magic). The WoT system seems pretty simple, but I would limit it basically to better progressions to the melee classes and the weaker progression to the non-melee classes (like wizard). Honestly, why would a Wizard get as much defense bonus as a Fighter?

From what you listed I would do the following (using the ending bonuses you listed [8 to 14] to denote wich Defense Bonus path to give). Or something similar to this.

Bard (+10)
Barbarian (+12)
Cleric (+10)
Druid (+10)
Fighter (+14)
Monk (+8)
Paladin (+14)
Ranger (+12)
Rogue (+10)
Sorcerer (+8)
Wizard (+8)

Logic behind this example:
* Wizard and Sorcerer get lowest due to being the least "melee" of all classes.
* Monks get lowest due to the fact that it is the 3rd modifier to AC that they receive already (anything more is too much).
* Bard, Cleric, Druid, Rogue are all semi-melee but not focused on melee training so they should be better than Wiz/Sor but not as good as a melee class.
* Barbarian and Ranger are melee classes but Barbarians are more of a reckless charge and bash fighter, and Rangers spend as much if not more time on their Wilderness skills as melee training so they should get more then semi-melee classes but not as much as a dedicated melee class.
* Fighter and Paladin: Pure melee classes. A fighter is nothing more than a killing machine and spends all of their time training to kill. A Paladin in the same view gains other abilities but they are all Supernaturally granted gifts and they are basically and technically nothing more than a killing machine with a "cause". Thus the highest training in melee.



Also, if you like the idea of Unarmored Fighters who can still defend themselves, you might want to seriously look at the Swashbuckling Adventures d20 system. It is specifically a low magic, high melee style system. Specifically, there are 3 feats (a chain) that would work well.

Unarmored Defense Proficiency (Beginner, Intermediate, Master)

This feat chain basically grants you an increase to your AC based on both your Character Level as well as on your Feat level (Basic, Intermediate or Master) when NOT wearing armor (classic swashbuckling style). A Master at 20th level far exceeds the defense capability of a 20th Fighter in Full Plate (as it should be after spending 3 feats on it when a Fighter needs no feats to wear plate).


So there are my meager thoughts.

 

[kolvar]

oh bugger, I forgot to mention something important:
DR does not work with armor, i.e. if you wear armor, you lose your defense bonus. That is, why the fighter/ armsman got such a low DR, because he is the only class, that is allowed to use armor and DR together.
That is the reason behind the low DR of the fighter.

 

[Khaalis]

I would most definately recommend the Swashbuckling feats then. Grant everyone the beginner for free then make them use feats to increase that ability.

Even if you dont use those feats, I would stick to the bonuses I listed and for the reasons listed. An unarmed Wizard should never be as good at melee defense as an equal level Fighter (short of using Magic to do so).

 

[kolvar]

Thank you, I think about it (have first to get hand on the rules, though)

 

[Khaalis]

Which rules, WoT or Swashbuckling?

If Swashbuckling, post here and I will post up the 3 the basics of the 3 feats.

 

[kolvar]

Swashbuckling. Are the feats OGL? if not, don't do it, I will get them from the next hobby store.

 

[Khaalis]

I will check the OGL on it when I get home (at work now), and let you know.