Marionnen's Musings: Touch AC and Why it's Irrelevant

[airwalkrr]

Touch AC does indeed go up with levels, assuming you are following expected treasure values. For most classes with poor Reflex saves, if you pick up a +1 to your ring of protection every three or four levels you will end up with a +5 ring of protection eventually which is only 1 point away from the +6 you'd have from levels. And there are other ways to boost touch AC as well through either multiclassing or other non-core items if you allow them. For classes with high Reflex saves the equation is indeed a little different.

 

[delericho]

If you're going to bring items into it, you have to also account for the cloak of resistance, which should be advancing at the same (or probably a higher) rate. So the differential is much more significant.

Plus, the equation being a "little different" for high-Ref classes is actually a pretty key consideration!

 

[Belzbet]

Yeah i would agree with delericho... ALL THINGS CONSIDER (ITEMS CONSIDERED, and MONKS INCREASE TO DODGE CONSIDERED)... it is simple true that SAVES increase at a constant rate (2+1/2HD for good saves, and 1/3HD for bad saves).. and AC DOES NOT increase at a constant rate (that is why most creatures have significant natural armor)...

But if we consider items then yeah maybe tocuh AC will get high but there will be sorresponding (profane, divine, luck) bonuses that will ALSO apply to reflex and that you COULD get through ITEMS...

SO... ITEMS ASIDE... reflex NO DOUBT increases at a constant rate will touch AC DOES NOT... (sorry for the bolds it does not imply rudeness but emphasis)...

To note: ability MODS to AC shoudlnt be a factor because abilities increase at a GREATLY lower constant rate than saves increase...

 

[airwalkrr]

Much of this discussion is academic in my personal position because I am working on ideas to eliminate touch attack mechanics from spells entirely on the premise of simplifying the mechanics of it all. I will discuss this in a future post, but right now, I am working on the idea that spells should simply require a single saving throw (and usually allow a save for half damage or partial effect). I working on a way to do this that is simple and can apply universally to all spells without requiring a special adjustment to each spell individually though so I don't just end up re-writing the whole spells chapter.