Dragon age GM help required

[PnPgamer]

Im looking for GM advice:
I've noticed the rogues in my party are heavily lacking in effectiveness in combat. How could I change their actions to be more meaningful? in comparison, two-handed axe wielding warriors in my party do 3d6+6 damage, while rogues struggle with bows 1d6+5 or smaller melee weapons with 1d6+1(+1d6 possible backstab bonus)
system in general handles armor as reduction, ranging from 3 to 10. Bonuses to attack are not a solution, hitting enemies is usually easy enough.

Preferably want answers from people who are familiar with the system, but anyone can pitch in.
Thanks in advance!

 

[shesheyan]

I play Fantasy AGE which is very similar. Armour damage reduction is a problem. In the Fantasy AGE Companion book Green Ronin suggests adding +1d6 across the board. I find that too powerful. 3d6+1d6 is too much for a two-handed axe.

Instead my solution was to make all weapons with 1d6 become 2d6. Then I fiddled a bit with the bonus. Short bow and long bow are now 2d6+1, crossbow 2d6+3. Works fine with an average of 7 damage (plus ability bonus to damage).

 

[shesheyan]

Im looking for GM advice:
I've noticed the rogues in my party are heavily lacking in effectiveness in combat. How could I change their actions to be more meaningful? in comparison, two-handed axe wielding warriors in my party do 3d6+6 damage, while rogues struggle with bows 1d6+5 or smaller melee weapons with 1d6+1(+1d6 possible backstab bonus)
system in general handles armor as reduction, ranging from 3 to 10. Bonuses to attack are not a solution, hitting enemies is usually easy enough.

Preferably want answers from people who are familiar with the system, but anyone can pitch in.
Thanks in advance!

Also, don't forget to adjust creature damage. It has to be fair on both sides!

 

[kingpin000]

system in general handles armor as reduction, ranging from 3 to 10. Bonuses to attack are not a solution, hitting enemies is usually easy enough.

Preferably want answers from people who are familiar with the system, but anyone can pitch in.
Thanks in advance!

First of all, Pierce Armor stunt is cheaper for Rogues than others. Second, Rogues are more a debuffer than damage dealer. Third, Marksman Master talent!!!

 

[GMMichael]

I've noticed the rogues in my party are heavily lacking in effectiveness in combat. How could I change their actions to be more meaningful?

Are the fighters in your party complaining that they can't sneak and steal treasure very well?

Rogues are more a debuffer than damage dealer.

This sounds about right. For oodles of how-to examples with the A.G.E. system, look up Titansgrave: the Ashes of Valkana on Youtube.

 

[bulletmeat]

In F-AGE, to make it more deadly we add focus of a relevant weapon to damage (bow focus to bow damage for example). We also add a +1 to damage for the level of weapon style talent you are using. So w/a Shield and Weapon Style at Journeyman w/a +2 focus the PC does +4 damage. So far it's scaling just fine for the group.
To counter on the adversaries we have +1 per threat type & +1 per beefing up level. So a heroic ogre (moderate) does +4 damage. It's been working fine.
Though we did reduce only PC health (1d6+Con every even level to 20th, no health at odd levels) we kept the adversary health they same. No real issues for us.

 

[bulletmeat]

Someone, somewhere (can't remember) made quicker damage rules. 1d6 damage is 4 base damage, 1d6+1 is 5 base damage, 2d6 is 8, etc. You add modifiers of the associated ability and the total from the dragon dice. So a short sword (6 base) + 3 accuracy (9 total) is added to whatever the dragon die rolls.
That improves the low d6 damage ranges but keeps the 3d6 damage ranges in check. It does lower the 4d6 & higher range damages but may be something that works for you.

 

[PnPgamer]

Are the fighters in your party complaining that they can't sneak and steal treasure very well?

They don't actually. They can keep up with the rogues very well.

 

[GMMichael]

They don't actually. They can keep up with the rogues very well.

Hmm. In Fantasy AGE, characters take an armor penalty to their Dexterity tests (the sneaking and treasure stealing). Unless they're Warriors who have taken the Armor Training talent. Same case in Dragon Age?

 

[PnPgamer]

Hmm. In Fantasy AGE, characters take an armor penalty to their Dexterity tests (the sneaking and treasure stealing). Unless they're Warriors who have taken the Armor Training talent. Same case in Dragon Age?

I think they only get penalty to speed if they are proficient in them. Nonproficient causes them to have penalties to all dex related stuff... iirc (I will recheck from the rules)

Edit: checked and that is how it is.