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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Animal" data-source="post: 5968929" data-attributes="member: 40328">Let's rework AC and AR.Armor should probably help characters survive the blows, not dodge them. So make armors Damage Reduction only items (maybe add some protection from elemental damage.. or not). Now let's rename Armor class as Defense in order not to get confused, for armors now won't add to avoiding hits.Keep only dodge (dex and spells like haste, that make you more reactive) and deflection (shields and spells like mage armor and shield, that magically deflect blows) defense bonuses. Armors should impose penalties on dodge bonus to defense - the heavier and more cumbersome the armor, the harder it should be to dodge and avoid hits. No penalties on deflection though.Implement Combat Rating that scales with level. Combat rating gives a flat bonus to attack (like AR) AND defense. Why combat rating makes sense? Classes that spend more time training with weapons should not only get more precise with their attacks, but should also learn to avoid incoming attacks better. Let's say combat heavy classes (fighters and rogues) get +1 bonus every 2 levels, hybrid classes (various gishes) every 3 levels and casters (mages and clerics) every 4 levels. This goes in tune with current design for fighters (them getting higher AC armour with level). Rogues will end up with highest defense (imho makes sense as they're supposed to be quick and dodgy) but won't overshine fighters in tanking due to low DR. Clerics will have good DR, but weaker defense and mages will have to rely on protective spells and meatshields.As it just occured to me, due to a very slow progression of combat rating, there will be more emphasis on such character choises as ability scores, gear and moduled stuff (like feats). Thus through items and modules DMs can tweak power levels in their campaigns (powerful bonuses on items will make for heroic campaigns, while keeping items at +3 threshhold will make for more gritty and realistic settings where a pack of goblins with rusted spears can still be quite challenging for the party).Thoughts?</blockquote>

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