Unearthed Arcana and Armour as Damage Resistance

[Waylander]

This topic has probably been done to death but I've only just received my copy of UA!

I'm planning to use the class based defensive value and armour as damage reduction.

However, armour only provides damage reduction and does improve AC.

Also, magical bonuses stack with damage reduction rather than improving armour class but classes (e.g. the barbarian) do not gain damage resistance as a class ability.

I think this should balance - the maximum damage resistance +5 plate armour would give is (+4 normal and +5 magical for a total of) +9. The maximum a barbarian could have under the UA rules is +3 (medium armour) +5 (class bonus) for a total of +8.

Given that our campaign world is low magic and hardly anyone would ever get a +5 anything (let alone plate mail) I think this could work.

Also, for shields would provide a deflection bonus to armour class.

Sorry if this is a little rambling but I'm at work . . .

 

[Waylander]

The only real problem with this is that it severely limits how worthwhile the different types of armour are. Stripping out the less worthwhile armours leaves me with:

....................................................Max......Armour.....Arcane
Light armour.....Price..........DR........Dex.....Penalty......Failure
Leather..............10 gp.........1/-.........+6..........0.............10%

Medium armour
Chainmail.............150 gp.......2/-........+2.........–5............30%
Breastplate..........200 gp.......2/-........+3.........–4............25%

Heavy armour
Half-plate............600 gp.......3/-........+0.........–7............40%
Full plate.............1,500 gp....4/-........+1.........–6............35%

As it would be nice to have more variety of armour (at least one additional Light) does anyone have any suggestions given the above system?

 

[monboesen]

Im not sure I understand exactly why all the other armors are suddenly unattractive but as a fellow DM pondering how to combine the systems I'll tell you what I've decided to do.

I'm going to let the class defense bonus stack with armor. To cull AC values back armor will reduce the class defense bonus with its armor check penalty, in effect being bulky enough to hamper defensive moves a bit.

I do think that letting magic bonus stack with dmr is pretty strong. A potential dmr of 5-9/- will have a huge impact on the game, unless players are only fighting really hardhitting foes.

Ill not do any math but just the observation that Dmr is really strong agains opponents doing damage in the 1-8+3-4 range (normal for fighter types in my low magic campaign). Usually cutting damage in half or even negating it completely.

 

[Bihor]

I was reading the Kalamar Player's Guide and I readed the description of the cord armor, and it's says the the armor provide little defence against bludgeoning with noting else. With the rules about damage reduction it now make sens to make the armor 1-1/percing or slasing.


If you want more diversity you add a bit more damage reduction on a armor and add percing slashing or bludgeoning .

chain mail could be good against percing

the plate could be good agains bludgeoning .

I think there was a optional rule like that one in the 2e in the master guide

 

[Waylander]

Im not sure I understand exactly why all the other armors are suddenly unattractive but as a fellow DM pondering how to combine the systems I'll tell you what I've decided to do.

This is because if all armour offers is damage resistance, and no bonus to AC, it becomes a very flat structure of 1/- to 4/- in terms of benefit.

The only other differentiator is how much impact the armour has in terms of max dex allowable or penalties to skills and arcane spellcasting. e.g. in my example armours, a breastplate give no extra damage reduction but the 50gp over chainmail buys you a better max dex/armour penalty/arcane casting profile.

I do think that letting magic bonus stack with dmr is pretty strong. A potential dmr of 5-9/- will have a huge impact on the game, unless players are only fighting really hardhitting foes.

I would agree with this except: (a) magic is not so frequent in my campaign so the 9/- scenario is highly unlikely; (b) the recommended system in UA potentially allows a barbarian to have 8/- at higher levels (medium armour plus class-based damage resistance).

I was reading the Kalamar Player's Guide and I read the description of the cord armor, and it's says the the armor provide little defence against bludgeoning with noting else. With the rules about damage reduction it now make sens to make the armor 1-1/percing or slasing.

If you want more diversity you add a bit more damage reduction on a armor and add percing slashing or bludgeoning.

chain mail could be good against percing.

the plate could be good agains bludgeoning .

I think there was a optional rule like that one in the 2e in the master guide.

Thanks for the reply! However, I think this is adding one layer of complexity too many. The theoretical position of a new Light armour could be something like:

-- More flexible than Leather . . . e.g. cost around 80gp, DMR 1/-, Max Dex 7 (or 8), Armour Penalty 0, Arcane Failure 10% (or 5%).

-- More inflexible than Chainmail . . . e.g. cost around 120gp, DMR 2/-, Max Dex 1 (or 0), Armour Penalty -6 (or -7), Arcane Failure 35% (or 40%).

I've no idea what the "more flexible than leather would be", the "more inflexible than chainmail" could be wooden armour - like the armour used by the barbarian nations in the Young Kingdoms (Elric saga).

What do you think?

 

[Waylander]

*bump*