Great, that simplifies the mechanic even more.
How to make armor piercing maces, flails, picks?
- Thread starter RangerWickett
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Neuroglyph
First Post
Arguably, the pick is already a High Crit weapon, which might be how they are representing its armor piercing power already.
Maces weren't really all that "armor piercing", so much as "armor denting" and capable of driving the armor into the wearer with bone breaking force.
But if you're really devoted to the idea, just add your armor piercing power to a magical version, and make it something special - in the hands of a boss or leader type. Trying to add the mechanic to what may amount to a dozen NPCs, all wielding picks and maces, will just bog the combat down too much.
Maces weren't really all that "armor piercing", so much as "armor denting" and capable of driving the armor into the wearer with bone breaking force.
But if you're really devoted to the idea, just add your armor piercing power to a magical version, and make it something special - in the hands of a boss or leader type. Trying to add the mechanic to what may amount to a dozen NPCs, all wielding picks and maces, will just bog the combat down too much.
FoolishFrost
Hero
Just checking, but armor piercing weapons are what we're talking about, right?
Well, armor reduces the chance to hit, so it should not effect damage at all. It should effect chance to hit? And in fact, the only thing that these type of weapons really effected was heavy armors, (I know, it's an over-generalization), so a +1 weapon bonus to attacks vs. heavy armor?
Or am I wandering off course?
Well, armor reduces the chance to hit, so it should not effect damage at all. It should effect chance to hit? And in fact, the only thing that these type of weapons really effected was heavy armors, (I know, it's an over-generalization), so a +1 weapon bonus to attacks vs. heavy armor?
Or am I wandering off course?
RangerWickett
Legend
My thought is, I've got full plate. If you attack me with a sword, you've got to aim in some very precise spots to hurt me, so that's why my AC is high. If you attack with a pick, if you can hit one of those precise spots, I'll be really hurt, but even if you miss, your pick might go through a plate and still hurt me. It just won't be as much, because the metal absorbed some of the damage.
The logic works the same way with other armors. You can stab a guy in chainmail in his armpit or throat, or you can wallop him with a mace in his chest, and still hurt him a bit.
Bear in mind, my group liked Conan d20's combat rules, where you could either try to bash through armor, or hit a weak spot, so a little fiddly-ness is not big problem if it gives us more combat options.
The logic works the same way with other armors. You can stab a guy in chainmail in his armpit or throat, or you can wallop him with a mace in his chest, and still hurt him a bit.
Bear in mind, my group liked Conan d20's combat rules, where you could either try to bash through armor, or hit a weak spot, so a little fiddly-ness is not big problem if it gives us more combat options.
AbdulAlhazred
Legend
I'd say if its fun for a given group, go for it. It certainly isn't going to unbalance the game to add a point or two of damage now and then on a near miss.
keterys
First Post
Well there's another possible option then...
For those weapons, whenever making an attack against AC, you may choose to instead make the attack against the target's Reflex but deal half damage.
Course, that'd be damn popular with daze/stun/etc type attacks so maybe not. But making the conscious decision to give up trying to hit a weak point and let it do its work anywhere is something.
For those weapons, whenever making an attack against AC, you may choose to instead make the attack against the target's Reflex but deal half damage.
Course, that'd be damn popular with daze/stun/etc type attacks so maybe not. But making the conscious decision to give up trying to hit a weak point and let it do its work anywhere is something.
LostSoul
Adventurer
There is a fiddly bit in D&D, though: HP don't reflect actual damage.
A hit vs. AC could be a slice into the armpit of a guy wearing full plate, a thrust down into the space between the neck and the bone, or just a heavy smash against the breastplace that winds your opponent.
That means that it's hard to reflect what AP weapons actually do.
Hmm...
Here is a simple idea: +1 atk vs. AC.
A hit vs. AC could be a slice into the armpit of a guy wearing full plate, a thrust down into the space between the neck and the bone, or just a heavy smash against the breastplace that winds your opponent.
That means that it's hard to reflect what AP weapons actually do.
Hmm...
Here is a simple idea: +1 atk vs. AC.
Saeviomagy
Adventurer
It would be pretty simple to remove their high crit and give them a +2 to hit targets who wear armor.
Starfox
Hero
I feel this is what the4 High Crit property is all about; regardless of the target's AC, you got a 1-in-20 chance of landing a really big wallop. The larger a percentage of your total damage comes on a crit, the less you lose because of AC.
This is why it annoys me that Scimitars are high crit - these are surface slashing weapons meant not to stick as you make ride-by attacks and not intended for armored targets at all.
This is why it annoys me that Scimitars are high crit - these are surface slashing weapons meant not to stick as you make ride-by attacks and not intended for armored targets at all.
