Post/Author/DateTime	Post
tiluvias99 07-31-05, 09:45 PM	I have a few issues with how equipment works in DnD, and I was trying to think of good ways to fix them. Some of the things I was thinking of: on Armor: -speed reduction and ACP should only apply if the character if encumbered by the armor. If armor isn't heavy enough to encumber you, then why should it penalize things? the exception to this are things such as move silently. -max dex should not only apply to AC, but also to other things. armor that makes it hard to move around should also affect certain skills, and things such as my reflex save. -the AC bonus armor provides is simply a cover bonus to AC. something that covers more of the body gives a higher AC, something that covers less gives a lower AC. -If an attack roll against the wearer or the armor fails by less than or equal to the cover bonus to AC the armor provides, then damage is still rolled, but the armor provides Damage Reduction. On weapons: -scrap the entire system. -begin using the longsword as a base. then adjust the other weapons to it, but instead of just trying to balance it by damage, balance it by penalties to attack as well. for example, compared to a longsword, a pick would have a much higher damage die (a hit with a pick will do a lot more damage than a sword slash, when using the same strength), but would also impose a penalty to attack rolls because its harder to hit someone with a pick than with a longsword. a greatsword might gain a bonus on attack rolls, because it has a larger striking surface. weight would not apply to this attack roll penalty, only the weapon's shape. -a penalty to attack and damage rolls based on the weight of the weapon applies. This could be countered by having high strength. for example (I'm just picking out random numbers here, don't hold me to these), a character with 18 strength and wielding a weapon that was heavy enough to apply a -3 penalty to attack and damage rolls would only gain +1 to attack and damage from high strength. if he was wielding it two-handed, then he would gain a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls. This represents how much harder it is to swing accurately and with enough force a heavier weapon (but heavier weapons would normally have a higher base damage die). -size category restrictions are removed, replaced by the weight penalties. bigger weapons may be hard to swing, but that doesn't make it impossible. Note that the size categories can remain, and so would inappropriately sized weapon peanlties. -weapons are grouped according to general length (longsword in one category, dagger in another). for each difference in length category, the wielder of the longer weapon gets a bonus to AC or something. after a certain number of length differences, the wielder of the shorter weapon may provoke AoOs from the wielder of the longer weapon just by attacking. thoughts? suggestions? more ideas on how to better the system? tell me!
Aurotuli 08-01-05, 12:12 AM	not much time to comment right now, but the most glaring aspect of your system - to me - is the penalty to damage based on weight. I would reverse that aspect so that there is a penalty to attack but a bonus to damage for unusually heavy weapons. I would reverse this again (entirely) for lighter weapons: bonus to attack, penalty to damage. Remember that increasing the mass increases the force of the swing - and thus the damage. Lighter weapons are easier to maneuver but harder to put as much force behind. This is part of the reason for the Str * 1.5 for two handed weapons.