Speculation about interaction of AC and reflex defence

[Plane Sailing]

Didn't a recent article mention there would be no touch or flatfooted AC anymore?

That was what got me thinking along these lines... no touch AC, but the principle is still going to be needed so...

touch and flatfooted AC would disappear if touch attacks were made against Reflex defence (and flatfooted attacks where made against armour alone, although I think that is a harder sell).

The method I've thought about above would have the benefit of a single roll just being matched against whichever defence is appropriate (and having to beat both of them in a normal attack).

Cheers

 

[Plane Sailing]

Dios te oiga

I had to use the google translator to understand that, but thanks!

 

[Baby Samurai]

touch and flatfooted AC would disappear if touch attacks were made against Reflex defence (and flatfooted attacks where made against armour alone, although I think that is a harder sell).

They have stated that targeting Ref Defence replaces Touch AC.

As for flat-footed, they have stated you will use your regular AC, but you will grant "combat advantage" to your opponents (maybe +2 to hit and the ability to sneak attack if they have it?) if you are flat-footed.

 

[Majoru Oakheart]

They have stated that targeting Ref Defence replaces Touch AC.

As for flat-footed, they have stated you will use your regular AC, but you will grant "combat advantage" to your opponents (maybe +2 to hit and the ability to sneak attack if they have it?) if you are flat-footed.

Yeah, I imagine that AC won't change a lot from the way it is now. Armor is the emphasis in D&D rather than heroically jumping out of the way and just being missed like it is in Star Wars.

So, I imagine AC being Armor bonus plus dex bonus of some sort. Whether we have max dex bonuses from armor or not, who knows.

But I think that there basically is no "touch attacks". If a spell targets your reflex defense, you roll a d20, add your spell to hit number and if you hit the reflex defense you hit. Some spells will likely do half effect if you miss, some might have no effect.

 

[Nebulous]

Question: If you have a Defense score over 20, say a 23, but a natural 20 is always a hit...? What if it doesn't meet your Defense score anyway if the attacker only had +1? So a 21 attack against your 23 Defense still automatically does double damage?

 

[Plane Sailing]

Question: If you have a Defense score over 20, say a 23, but a natural 20 is always a hit...? What if it doesn't meet your Defense score anyway if the attacker only had +1? So a 21 attack against your 23 Defense still still automatically does double damage?

What I would hope is that a natural 20 is only a critical hit if you would have hit normally; thus in the scenario you outline above a 20 would be an automatic hit but not a crit for double damage.

 

[Plane Sailing]

So, I imagine AC being Armor bonus plus dex bonus of some sort. Whether we have max dex bonuses from armor or not, who knows.

I think they will have missed a trick if they still roll together Dex and Armour like that. My hopes are not high, but I hope they do think the possibilities through a little more.

Cheers

 

[Baby Samurai]

What I would hope is that a natural 20 is only a critical hit if you would have hit normall

I don't think so – they want to retain the excitement of rolling that natural 20 and know you hit (critical) no matter what.

Look at films/books etc, even a neophyte can get lucky and smack the demon.

 

[Plane Sailing]

I don't think so – they want to retain the excitement of rolling that natural 20 and know you hit (critical) no matter what.

Look at films/books etc, even a neophyte can get lucky and smack the demon.

To clarify:

What I'd like to see is natural 20 is always an automatic hit. If you could *only* hit on a natural 20, you do normal damage. If your 20 + bonuses equals or exceeds the target defence, you get a critical for double damage.

Otherwise, you find that a half-blind octogenarian peasant can't actually score a normal hit on a dragon. He gets critical hits or nothing. That seems a little strange to me.

Cheers

 

[Grazzt]

I hope this isn't the case. Nothing stops the action as much as confirm rolls. I'd rather have it Plane Sailing's way with two scores to beat.

In my system there is Parry, Armor, and Dodge. Pick two.

yep. Who knows...maybe it is one roll that has to beat AC and (in the case of a ghoul's paralysis) Fort Def. So, a ghoul whose attack roll bypasses its opponent's AC and Fort paralyzes that opponent.