Leather Armor Prof: Str 10 requirement

[Stalker0]

For wizard's, str is a dump stat. Even if you use encumbrance rules, they've been toned down enough where an 8 strength will get you everything you need.

Second, leather armor proficiency is one of the best feats a wizard can take, given them a +2 to AC over their normal armor. Some would say its an absolute gimmey feat.

So why not fix two problems at once, have leather require a 10 Str. That way strength is no longer a dump stat, and leather becomes a reward for wizards are not frail sticks.

Thoughts?

 

[Emirikol]

Its definately not a game breaking sort of thing, however leather armor is trivial enough where I wouldn't think a wizard would ever bother.

jh

 

[Nifft]

For wizard's, str is a dump stat. Even if you use encumbrance rules, they've been toned down enough where an 8 strength will get you everything you need.

Also for Rogues, half the world's Paladins, most Warlocks, half the world's Clerics, and half the world's Rangers. Oh, and many Swordmagi, too. But they all get Leather anyway, and most get better armor, too.

Second, leather armor proficiency is one of the best feats a wizard can take, given them a +2 to AC over their normal armor. Some would say its an absolute gimmey feat.

Well, Wizards are the only ones who actually have to pay a feat to get Leather, but it's none the less often worth the feat. (Which everyone else of 8 Str gets for free.)

In other words: it's odd that you're singling out Wizards, while ignoring the vast majority of 8 Str characters out there who use Leather with impunity. Or, in the case of Cha-based Paladins, use Plate armor & Heavy Shields with impunity.

Cheers, -- N

 

[jbear]

Have you had a look at the feats available for a wizard at heroic tier??? IMHO they are pretty lame esp considering rangers lethal hunter for example, turning extra dmg to d8's. My wizard took leather armour prof. without thinking twice.

 

[deleteme123456]

I was actually just contemplating this last night. In our group, the Wizard (Staff) has a higher AC than the rogue (Brutal) and never gets anywhere near the front lines. At low levels, even with ranged attackers, she always has cover, and between that and a fighter's mark on the enemy, I'm rarely better off targetting her as the DM. Since I am firmly in the camp of PCs should NOT be invincible and should be readily damagable (not necessarily killable, but damageable) by the monsters, I think that something's just not lining up right there.

That said, I was contemplating STR 11 or even 13 for leather armor, because it wasn't very hard to see DEX becoming the next dump stat after STR, just switch your 8 and 10. Now if you're playing an Wand wizard, well... who plays wand wizards anyway? Then dump WIS or CHA, whichever set of skills you don't want.

And yes, I agree that the Heroic Tier options for Wizards are not very good to say the least, but multiclass, skill training, skill focus, toughness, durability, quick draw... all these come to mind right away. Maybe invent a weapon focus: wand/orb/staff/(holy symbol/rod) for your casters--although you might want a special: you can apply this extra damage to a maximum of two targets per attack, since 4 or 5 extra damage every turn (if the enemies are really clumping that bad) might step on the toes of the strikers.

 

[jbear]

yes, in my party the wizard (staff) also has the same AC as the large part of the group +4 from INT, +2 from leather, +1 Staff, +1 1/2 level so 18 total.
The ranger (2 weapons) is the same: +3 DEX, +3 hide, +1 2 Weapon Defence and +1 1/2 level so 18 as well. So, no, no special insentive for taking out the wizard. I don't see this as a bad thing. The wizard had to take a feat to get this protection, so fair enough.

As far as the feats you mentioned, you probably notice they are all generic feats which wound pretty much benefit any class, definitely not desiged to give a special benefit to the wizard.

Im sure some of them will be taken when the wizard gets to a higher level, but at level 2 he took leather proficiency, and really it seemed like a no brainer...

 

[tankschmidt]

So why not fix two problems at once...

I don't see any problem. Every class has a dump stat, and every character will see some feats that are hard to pass up. Your suggestion effectively gives a wizard player the choice of losing two points off his point buy or two points off his AC. And frankly the wizard as a class does not need to be made weaker.