This has come up a few times in playtests - the upper scaling of DEFENSE scores. Creatures with high attributes can have DEFENSE scores scale out of proportion to attack rolls. For example, a dragon with scores around 50 in some attributes will have a DEFENSE around 100, give or take. It can't hit itself with 10d6 (its average roll will be 35).
So I've been working on DEFENSE for a while, testing different methods. I wasn't quite ready to include it in the recent O.L.D. character generation playtest document, especially since those high scores wouldn't feature in it, but with the Monsters document in progress and it including dragons and the like, it needs to be addressed now.
So here is the proposed calculation. I'd love it if you would playtest this, either in O.L.D. or in N.E.W.
For DEFENSE, simply take the total of your AGI and END dice and multiply by 3. For example, if your AGI is 4 (2d6) and your END is 8 (3d6), your DEFENSE is simply (2+3) x 3 = 15.
For MENTAL DEFENSE, simply take the total of your WIL and your INT dice and multiply by 3. For example, if your WIL is 6 (3d6) and your INT is 10 (4d6), your MENTAL DEFENSE is simply (3+4) x 3 = 21.
This allows a big critter like a dragon, with scores of 50 in each, to have a DEFENSE score of 54, rather than the score of 100 or so it currently has (actually, more like 46 due to its size). That, of course, is the top end of anything you're likely to see, and you still need to be rolling 15d6 to have a 50% chance of hurting it, although a good roll on 10d6 will scrape through. Still very, very difficult, and will likely require experienced characters with good equipment, good skills, some luck, and use of exploits and positioning.
This shouldn't affect low level games all that much; the effect will be seen in the extreme cases. Obviously dragons are not suitable opponents for starting characters!
So I've been working on DEFENSE for a while, testing different methods. I wasn't quite ready to include it in the recent O.L.D. character generation playtest document, especially since those high scores wouldn't feature in it, but with the Monsters document in progress and it including dragons and the like, it needs to be addressed now.
So here is the proposed calculation. I'd love it if you would playtest this, either in O.L.D. or in N.E.W.
For DEFENSE, simply take the total of your AGI and END dice and multiply by 3. For example, if your AGI is 4 (2d6) and your END is 8 (3d6), your DEFENSE is simply (2+3) x 3 = 15.
For MENTAL DEFENSE, simply take the total of your WIL and your INT dice and multiply by 3. For example, if your WIL is 6 (3d6) and your INT is 10 (4d6), your MENTAL DEFENSE is simply (3+4) x 3 = 21.
This allows a big critter like a dragon, with scores of 50 in each, to have a DEFENSE score of 54, rather than the score of 100 or so it currently has (actually, more like 46 due to its size). That, of course, is the top end of anything you're likely to see, and you still need to be rolling 15d6 to have a 50% chance of hurting it, although a good roll on 10d6 will scrape through. Still very, very difficult, and will likely require experienced characters with good equipment, good skills, some luck, and use of exploits and positioning.
This shouldn't affect low level games all that much; the effect will be seen in the extreme cases. Obviously dragons are not suitable opponents for starting characters!
