Damage Reduction [Archive] - Wizards Community

Damage Reduction [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Drakken2672
06-09-07, 02:27 PM Recently when re-reading the Unearthed arcana, I saw a DR variant. I had a thought about this variant which brought up a question i had answered on another thread.

BUT... I'm looking for some feedback or just general ideas on this as a possible game variant and running a campaign with this variant.

Optional DR rules say that if you have full plate the AC bonus is 4 with a 4 DR. etc etc for the rest.

Use the DR variant rules, and allow some DR to stack that normally wouldn't. thus giving an overall lower ac to all monsters and giving all monsters and pcs a significant boost to DRs.

I'm just kinda looking for some feedback and some ideas to kinda flesh this out and possibly make it usable in a campaign setting.

Thanks in advance to those that respond.
Need_A_Life
06-09-07, 02:42 PM I personally prefer the normal system, though this other system may be more realistic...

Probably because I like playing unarmoured types (warforged w/ "adamantine body" are considered unarmoured in this case) more than ones wearing half-plates and the likes.

It seems balanced, though.
Ace_of_time
06-09-07, 09:39 PM I personally prefer the normal system, though this other system may be more realistic...

Probably because I like playing unarmoured types (warforged w/ "adamantine body" are considered unarmoured in this case) more than ones wearing half-plates and the likes.

It seems balanced, though.

You are talking about In the new DR optional rules or that it is that way now?
runestar
06-10-07, 02:02 AM Why armour as dr generally is not worth the effort (http://www.seankreynolds.com/rpgfiles/rants/armorasdamagereduction.html)
Burgundy Lotus
06-10-07, 06:59 AM Why armour as dr generally is not worth the effort (http://www.seankreynolds.com/rpgfiles/rants/armorasdamagereduction.html)

It's his Given#2 that is the biggest stumbling block to creating a good armour as DR system without creating 6 other rules it balance it.
Drakken2672
06-10-07, 06:49 PM Thanks for posting that rant/article that pretty much closed off that idea. Maybe if it didn't over complicate things well beyond what is good i'd try it but that article hit the counterpoint well too firmly to the point.
tarkin
06-11-07, 05:41 PM Honestly, I disagree with Sean.

Power Attack is a common feat (though in myopinion, not worth it).

If you have DR of 10, than (assuming I am level 5), I can Power attack -5, +10 using a two handed weapon to completely eliminate the DR.

By my book, I see little reason not to allow DR armor. Just use the Power Attack formula as a basis for conversion.

2 pts of DR = same value as +1 to AC.
Neutronium_Dragon
06-11-07, 09:10 PM The problem with that is that it's generally better to not get hit in the first place than to take a little less damage when you do.

+4 to AC is going to make a big difference as to how many hits you take. Particularly at high level, when damage values escalate substantially, getting hit 20% less often is going to be a lot more valuable than taking 8 points less every time you're clobbered for the amounts that an opponent will be doing then.

And that ignores the likelihood of secondary effects from those attacks, most of which are still going to do enough damage to get some through and trigger their potentially really nasty other consequences regardless, whereas the +4 AC would have prevented them entirely.
runestar
06-11-07, 10:41 PM I could see a system which replaces dr with a percentile damage reduction formula. This way, each attack will at least do some damage, regardless of how little damage it might normally do.

As it is, this "armour as dr variant" penalizes builds which rely on multiple attacks each dealing little damage too much. Even moreso than the current system, IMO.

For example, a fighter dual-wielding light weapons will not be able to benefit from power attack. That is just too bitter a pill for me to swallow...:(
Frugal
06-12-07, 11:18 AM The big issue I can see is that so many things ignore DR. Although the main things I can think of use touch attacks, which ignore the armour bonus to AC anyway. I'd have to look at the system more to see how that might balance out. It definitely does nerf the lots of lower damage attacks though.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Drakken2672 06-09-07, 02:27 PM	Recently when re-reading the Unearthed arcana, I saw a DR variant. I had a thought about this variant which brought up a question i had answered on another thread. BUT... I'm looking for some feedback or just general ideas on this as a possible game variant and running a campaign with this variant. Optional DR rules say that if you have full plate the AC bonus is 4 with a 4 DR. etc etc for the rest. Use the DR variant rules, and allow some DR to stack that normally wouldn't. thus giving an overall lower ac to all monsters and giving all monsters and pcs a significant boost to DRs. I'm just kinda looking for some feedback and some ideas to kinda flesh this out and possibly make it usable in a campaign setting. Thanks in advance to those that respond.
Need_A_Life 06-09-07, 02:42 PM	I personally prefer the normal system, though this other system may be more realistic... Probably because I like playing unarmoured types (warforged w/ "adamantine body" are considered unarmoured in this case) more than ones wearing half-plates and the likes. It seems balanced, though.
Ace_of_time 06-09-07, 09:39 PM	I personally prefer the normal system, though this other system may be more realistic... Probably because I like playing unarmoured types (warforged w/ "adamantine body" are considered unarmoured in this case) more than ones wearing half-plates and the likes. It seems balanced, though. You are talking about In the new DR optional rules or that it is that way now?
runestar 06-10-07, 02:02 AM	Why armour as dr generally is not worth the effort (http://www.seankreynolds.com/rpgfiles/rants/armorasdamagereduction.html)
Burgundy Lotus 06-10-07, 06:59 AM	Why armour as dr generally is not worth the effort (http://www.seankreynolds.com/rpgfiles/rants/armorasdamagereduction.html) It's his Given#2 that is the biggest stumbling block to creating a good armour as DR system without creating 6 other rules it balance it.
Drakken2672 06-10-07, 06:49 PM	Thanks for posting that rant/article that pretty much closed off that idea. Maybe if it didn't over complicate things well beyond what is good i'd try it but that article hit the counterpoint well too firmly to the point.
tarkin 06-11-07, 05:41 PM	Honestly, I disagree with Sean. Power Attack is a common feat (though in myopinion, not worth it). If you have DR of 10, than (assuming I am level 5), I can Power attack -5, +10 using a two handed weapon to completely eliminate the DR. By my book, I see little reason not to allow DR armor. Just use the Power Attack formula as a basis for conversion. 2 pts of DR = same value as +1 to AC.
Neutronium_Dragon 06-11-07, 09:10 PM	The problem with that is that it's generally better to not get hit in the first place than to take a little less damage when you do. +4 to AC is going to make a big difference as to how many hits you take. Particularly at high level, when damage values escalate substantially, getting hit 20% less often is going to be a lot more valuable than taking 8 points less every time you're clobbered for the amounts that an opponent will be doing then. And that ignores the likelihood of secondary effects from those attacks, most of which are still going to do enough damage to get some through and trigger their potentially really nasty other consequences regardless, whereas the +4 AC would have prevented them entirely.
runestar 06-11-07, 10:41 PM	I could see a system which replaces dr with a percentile damage reduction formula. This way, each attack will at least do some damage, regardless of how little damage it might normally do. As it is, this "armour as dr variant" penalizes builds which rely on multiple attacks each dealing little damage too much. Even moreso than the current system, IMO. For example, a fighter dual-wielding light weapons will not be able to benefit from power attack. That is just too bitter a pill for me to swallow...:(
Frugal 06-12-07, 11:18 AM	The big issue I can see is that so many things ignore DR. Although the main things I can think of use touch attacks, which ignore the armour bonus to AC anyway. I'd have to look at the system more to see how that might balance out. It definitely does nerf the lots of lower damage attacks though.