[UA] Class Defense Bonus too high?

[monboesen]

I wholeheartedly concur with Mouseferatu. It is important to insure that the tanks still have the best AC, otherwise classbalance falters.

Characters with with good reflex and build-in "nimbleness" usually have high dex scores anyway, which models their defensive moves nicely, and they can even stack the defense bonus with it. So for them its all gravy and they will benefit the most.

In my low-magic game i think im going to combine several of systems in UA with a small change. Im going to use wound/vitality points, class defense and armor as dr. The change being that armor (but not shields) will reduce class defense by its armor check penalty.

That will keep the AC at about the level they are now for tanks, but give them respectable dr. Their less amored companions will increase in AC, but thats really a neccecary change when you reach middle levels, fight giants and has no magic to improve AC.

 

[Uruush]

Now, that doesn't mean other methods are bad. There's no inherent reason why those proportions must stay the same. But I like the fact that they do in the rule as written. It's easier to tweak something away from standard, IMO, than to tweak it toward.

You and mosboesen make some good points. I'm tweaking away. Every other rule system I'm acquainted with that uses one number to simulate being difficult to hit, and another number to represent the protective effects of armor is keyed to skill in combat and/or Reflexes. It would be better if none of the Light armors offered DR 2/-(Chain Shirt). I'll have to look at that...

My table is balanced for a world in which PCs cannot wear armor without being immediately attacked by every minion or lackey of the dark god Izrador: Midnight. Armor, primarily Leather, Studded Leather, and Scale is for Orcs and dark Legates (Clerics). Clerics are not an allowed PC class, and few PCs are interested in Fighter (more than a level or two) because they can't take advantage of the armor proficiencies anyway.

Class balance is a tricky thing. Once you start implementing these UA rules, you are messing with class balance anyway, so you have to be careful about implementing them as written. My method helps Rogues slightly (Good Ref) and Rangers (Wildlanders) (Good BAB and Good REF). It is precicely those classes with light weapons and/or TWF that are most hurt by a system that introduces DR on every foe they meet. DR of 1,2,3, or 4 is more powerful than you think. Consider that DR 1/- is a power offered only to Barbarians when they finally reach 7th level. DR 2/- only to 10th level Barbarians. Now every 1st level Cleric in chainmail my PCs come up against should have the best Class Defense and DR 3/-? I don't think the rules are quite right for me as written (the Sor19/Pal1 with a CD of 12, for example).

Playtest and consider carefully every option in UA carefully before implementing and find the balance that is right for your campaign; I've gone through a dozen tweaks and iterations in the last week already... I've lowered all the numbers as is, and brought column D closer to column C, so that I'm baby-stepping towards finding the correct balance.