Unarmored fighting - your opinion please

[Bastoche]

Bracers of armors do not have an armor penalty check... i do not understand.
As for high dexterity... you are partly right... but still a chain shirt, + 4 AC max dex +4 remains a wise choice at low level when you can afford it.

Bracers of armor would stack with your bonus suggestion. Too powerful IMO.

 

[Havoc]

Bracers of armor would stack with your bonus suggestion. Too powerful IMO.

Hum maybe...
I'll just drop the bracers then!
Unless of course I find a better way

 

[Bastoche]

Hum maybe...
I'll just drop the bracers then!
Unless of course I find a better way

And wizards ? Would their mage-armor stack with the bonus ? You see, I think it's easier to go with a status quo than to change everything...

 

[hong]

As for high dexterity... you are partly right... but still a chain shirt, + 4 AC max dex +4 remains a wise choice at low level when you can afford it.

It would still remain a wise choice under your proposed rule. I'd much rather have +4 AC from a chain shirt than +1 AC from a defense bonus of half my +2 BAB.

 

[Bastoche]

You should at least make it into a feat. But Dodge already plays that role... An improved dodge maybe ?

 

[Havoc]

It would still remain a wise choice under your proposed rule. I'd much rather have +4 AC from a chain shirt than +1 AC from a defense bonus of half my +2 BAB.

True...
In fact, in Wheel Of Time, the armor-less fighter class (I cannot remember the name but what I do remember is that it is a hard name to remember ), starts with a defensive bonus of 4 - i suspect it is for balancing it against the chain shirt.

Maybe raising it but making it incompatible with armor and armor bonus is the way to go.

 

[Havoc]

You should at least make it into a feat. But Dodge already plays that role... An improved dodge maybe ?

I do not know... dodge applies to one selected oponent, dodge cannot be used when dex bonus is denied...
The later makes senses and provides a balancing factor. I need to think

 

[Bastoche]

I do not know... dodge applies to one selected oponent, dodge cannot be used when dex bonus is denied...
The later makes senses and provides a balancing factor. I need to think

My point was that in order to make an unarmored bonus balanced, it should be a feat IMO. And it should be balanced with dodge. If that eventual feat become a must have for wizards and sorceror, there's a problem.

Personnaly, I don't think it's a good idea to mess with the AC system unless you want to run a very low or no-magic campaign. And his would require a major work out of the rules (probably already done somewhere...).

 

[mmu1]

End up with higher AC? How so ??
But for monks, I guess you found out a major flaw

Suppose you're a 10th level fighter in masterwork full plate with a large shield. Your Max AC, without taking magic into account, is going to be 10+8(plate)+2(shield)+1(Dex)=21 You have a huge armor check penalty, and you wouldn't benefit from the defense bonus even if it worked in heavy armor.

You put your plate into hock, and get a mithirl chain shirt (or just a masterwork one) and a masterwork buckler. Your AC is going to be 10+4(armor)+1(shield)+1(Dex)+4 or 5(Defense bonus), or 20/21. At that point, your AC is basically the same as in full plate, but your armor check penalty is gone, or nearly so, and your base speed is 30 feet per round instead of 20. By 12th level, you can have the same AC you'd have in full plate, running around in just a chain shirt and swinging a greatsword.

And that's all assuming that your DEX isn't higher than 12.

 

[Caliban]

Sorry it should have been in house rules.

As for Wot and star wars, it means that I have to review each class and PrC and assign defence bonuses; not very elegant

Why would you need to do that?

The Defense Bonus in Star Wars is simply your Total Reflex Save +2.