Making AC more robust

[Asmor]

One thing I think could add something to the game without really changing anything would be to divide AC into different sections. Your total AC would remain unchanged, but based on your assailant's result you could determine if he missed you or if he struck you but was totally blocked by armor.

So I suggest this. Add up your dexterity modifier, dodge modifier, and any other modifiers that suggest you are increasing your AC by making yourself a more difficult target, and add 10. The result is your avoidance AC. Everything else represents the weapon impacting you, but the blow being blocked. This is your impact AC, which should be equal to your normal AC.

This is nice because it lets you add a bit more depth to the descriptions of combat (i.e. if a roll just barely misses the avoidance DC, you might say "You hear a woosh as the axe passes mere inches from your face").

It also lets opens up the possibility of new mechanics. For example:

Electro-Sword (catchy name, eh?) a +1 shocking long sword which still deals its energy damage as long as you beat the avoidance DC.

Or a feat...

Defensive Roll [Fighter Bonus]
Prerequisites: Tumble 5 ranks, Dexterity 13+
Whenever an attack misses your avoidance DC, you may take a 5-foot step

 

[CRGreathouse]

This already exists in the core rules. The "avoidance DC" is the touch Armor Class, and the "impact AC" is the Armor Class. Your sword could deal its extra damage whenever the touch AC is hit.

 

[Lord Morte]

Not that new

One thing I think could add something to the game without really changing anything would be to divide AC into different sections. Your total AC would remain unchanged, but based on your assailant's result you could determine if he missed you or if he struck you but was totally blocked by armor.

...

This is nice because it lets you add a bit more depth to the descriptions of combat (i.e. if a roll just barely misses the avoidance DC, you might say "You hear a woosh as the axe passes mere inches from your face").

I do something similiar, at least with my minions as they're the ones I have the necessary info handy for. Doing for the PCs would either require asking for two figures when I attack (AC and avoidance[touch] AC) or keeping a record of player ACs handy (which I understand some DMs may do but which I don't as standard). If a DM wants to, he can do this, but it's a question of whether the extra flavour is worth the extra work.

It also lets opens up the possibility of new mechanics. For example:

Electro-Sword (catchy name, eh?) a +1 shocking long sword which still deals its energy damage as long as you beat the avoidance DC.

Or a feat...

Defensive Roll [Fighter Bonus]
Prerequisites: Tumble 5 ranks, Dexterity 13+
Whenever an attack misses your avoidance DC, you may take a 5-foot step

Interesting ideas. How about Longsword of the Sudden Shock as an alternative name for the sword? It certainly would be a sudden shock to the player the first time you use it. I can see any of the elemental damage weapons with a similiar effect, so perhaps it would make a good magical weapon enhancement.

I'd add Dodge as a prereq on the feat, and change the name to Defensive Sidestep or something. Defensive roll is a rogue special ability as IIRC.