jmucchiello
Hero
That's an interesting take. Thanks for contributing. What DR values do you use for each armor type?
Thoughts on Proficiency and AC
That's an interesting take. Thanks for contributing. What DR values do you use for each armor type?
Ilbranteloth
Explorer
We're still working out that math on that one. The trick is one of game interest rather than one of realism.
For example, plate armor was pretty effective against every known weapon of the time. So we started with a 5/10/15 scale, the idea being plate would stop even most of the damage from a greatsword. But that meant that combat was miss, miss, miss, miss, big hit (Critical). Realistic, perhaps, but not fun.
Also, we consider hit points to represent skill, stamina, and luck more than physical damage. So it makes sense that this is impacted by attacks even if they don't actually penetrate the armor. Many battles were won by outlasting your opponent in terms of stamina. So it makes sense that the DR reduces the damage, but not totally eliminate it.
So our current range is from 2 to 8 points of DR.
We differentiate between bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage too. So mail armor is 2/2/4. Full plate is 6/6/8. But that's not entirely necessary. We like it because it simulates the nature of armor and weapon design. Also, light weapons have disadvantage against mail or plate armors. A rapier wasn't designed to attack somebody in a full plate harness.
The amount of Dex modifier is impacted, either all, half or none. So mail you can add half, full plate none. We're on the fence for this one though. The idea is that we want somebody who is unarmored but well trained in that style (high proficiency and Dex modifier) to be able to have a higher AC than somebody in full plate, because they still have the significant disadvantage of taking full damage on every hit.
While it seems to add complexity, the players have really seemed to enjoy that aspect. A shield just provides cover, so they'll use their shield against creatures wielding weapons that can cause more damage to them, for example.
Another thing is that we allow folks to layer armor, with a max DR of 8.
Mail 2/2/4
Brigandine 4/4/6
Brigandine over mail: 6/6/8
The combinations allowed are the ones that make sense (historically and design). Full plate is form-fitted, and can't be worn over other armor.
But our combat system goes beyond this. For example, when you score a critical hit, you choose the location of the hit. Which means that if you're just wearing a breastplate, the armor only protects that location on a critical hit. If they are wearing a helm (which they should) it reduces damage enough that it probably makes more sense to target an unarmored, or lightly armored, arm or leg since you'll do more damage. We view critical hits as something that can change the course of battle, often resulting in a surrender or the creature fleeing. It's probably easier just to paste it here:
CRITICAL HITS
• You can score a critical hit with a weapon attack (including natural weapons), not spell attacks.
• You score a critical hit when you roll 5 or more needed to hit and a natural 20. Some abilities reduce this threshold to a 19 or 18.
• You cannot gain an opportunity attack when making a critical hit, even if the hit is high enough to gain one.
• You cannot choose to reduce a critical hit once it has been rolled. Your attack is deadly, even if it’s unintended.
The effects of a critical hit are:
• Choose the hit location.
• Roll all damage dice twice then add modifiers.
• The creature must make a Constitution saving throw. If they fail, they suffer:
o One level of wounded.
o Fail by 5. They are incapacitated.
o Fail by 10. They are injured, stunned, or unconscious (DM’s choice).
o Fail by 10 (and a natural 1). Your attack is lethal. The creature is decapitated, has their skull crushed, a strike through the heart or other vital organ, etc. It need not be instantaneous, but only long enough for a dying breath.
• The effects are cumulative. The creature can make a Constitution saving throw at the end of each round to end any conditions other than injured or unconscious.
CRITICAL MISSES
You score a critical miss when you roll a natural 1.
You decide the results. Some examples are:
• Attackers have advantage.
• You suffer a minor condition as the result of equipment failure, the environment, or your own ineptitude.
• Conditions can be blinded, deafened, debilitated, disarmed, knocked prone or kneeling, etc.
• You might accidentally strike an ally.
• You could slip and fall down the stairs you’re standing on, or the railing you’re leaning on breaks, or your sword blow missed and is now stuck in a table or support, or your bowstring breaks, or halberd shaft splits.
The results should be dramatic, meaningful and situational. They will almost always provoke an opportunity attack (assuming you missed by 5 or 10 more than needed to hit).
The Wounded and Injured Conditions are similar. Both use the exhaustion track. You can recover from wounds during a short rest. Injuries use the death saving throw mechanic, one save per day. So an injury lasts at least 3 day if you roll three successes. Otherwise they last longer.
We prefer a fairly risky and brutal approach to combat. But I think that the AC/DR system could easily be implemented without a lot of other modifications. Essentially you're altering the math to allow for more hits, but less damage per hit. It obviously favors weapons that do more damage. But it also encourages more defensive tactics, since you know you'll be taking damage more frequently.
jmucchiello
Hero
That is obviously more than most people need but cool nonetheless. I like the differences between b/p/s and think that could be the simplified version of the above. Don't know that I would go so far as to penalize all light weapons against plate but I could see something like that in Pathfinder 2. 
FrogReaver
As long as i get to be the frog
What if being proficient in armor gave an ability to reduce attacks damage by half a number of times per day equal to proficiency bonus?
