Post/Author/DateTime	Post
DireHawk 04-30-07, 11:15 AM	Well, I just thought of this one. I don't quite know about it yet, but I think I like it. Ever notice the problem that characters tend to continually increase their attack bonus, in fact, MUCH quicker than AC increases? And how AC only ever increases with better armor, better magic, or better dex? What happened to skill in AC? Sure, there's the full defense option, and to a lesser extent attacking defensively, but we all know at some point even doing that is worthless. Well, I got a better idea... I think... Parry (optional rule to replace total defense and attacking defensively) Whenever a character uses a full-attack action, they can choose to trade their attacks and devote them to defense. A character can sacrifice any number of attacks (up to a maximum of their normal number of iterative attacks) for an equal number of parries. After sacrificing an attack, a character makes their full number of attacks as normal minus the sacrificed attacks. After this, the character can choose to parry an attack against them as an immediate action. The defender must declare the parry once the attack against him is declared. If the parry is declared and the attack misses the defender’s normal AC, the parry attempt is used. If the attack would normally hit, the defender makes an opposed parry roll equal to the total attack bonus of the sacrificed attack. The parry roll modifier is equal to the total attack bonus of the sacrificed attack. If the opposed parry roll is greater than the result of the attack, the attack results in a miss. If the parry roll equals the attack, the defender takes only half damage from the attack. If a parry is declared, and the incoming attack misses the defender’s AC, the parry is still used. A defender must be aware of the attack in order to parry it. A defender cannot parry an attack anytime they are denied their dexterity bonus. Any parry attempts not used by the time of the defender’s next turn are wasted, though the defender can choose to sacrifice more attacks to parry for the next round. Special: If a defender parries with a Buckler, they get a +1 to their parry roll. Light shields get a +2. Heavy shields get a +4. Ranged attacks can be parried, but the defender takes a -20 to their parry roll.
SlinkyTWF 05-01-07, 01:41 PM	I tied it to the effective skill level. Thus, at level 1, you would get either a +1 defensive/+2 Total defensive AC bonus. Every four melee class levels (well, in my game, Armed Combat skill ranks) adds +1/+2 to those modifiers (e.g., +2/+4 at level/rank 4, +3/+6 at level/rank 8, etc.). It remains something you have to actively engage by declaring fighting defensively or full defense, but is considered to be an inherent ability of the fighter class/subclass. Of course, if anything causes you to lose your dexterity bonus to AC, you also lose this.