Armor Defence Bonus [Archive] - Wizards Community

Armor Defence Bonus [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
E. Ravenwood
01-24-08, 08:43 PM I'm attempting to run a home-brewed campaign that requires some deeper thinking. The idea is that it is low magic and based more on realistic medeival warfare than fantasy. Here in lies the rub.

With low magic, getting hurt takes longer to heal. So I have devised a way to keep characters from getting hurt.

The idea is that since it is low magic, there really isn't a need for Arcane Magic Failure, so replace that title of "Arcane Magic Failure" with "Armor Defence Bonus". What I came up with is that the arcane percentage becomes a defence bonus, so the heavier armor or shielkd you carry, the higher the value, obviously, because full plate would defend against swords better than say, leather.

Using the same percentage as the Arcane Spell Failure, the attacker must role a percentage on a successful hit higher than the Armor Defence Bonus (previously known as Arcane Spell Failure, known here on out as Armor Defence Bonus) For instance, an attacker goes up against somebody wearing full plate mail, he rolls and makes a successful hit, and roles less than 35%, his blow is deflected by the armor.

In any case, armor and shield Armored Defence Bonus will stack, so even the rogue, who wears leather with a 10% can add 5% on with a buckler. If he wears a chain shirt and a buckler, he has a one out of four shot of deflecting a blow with 25%.
In the case of tanks, who most PC's will probably want to play in a low magic game, 35% from full plate matched with a heavy wooden shield is a 50% bonus.

A 20 is still an automatic hit. A critical that confirms must also roll the Armor Defence check. In the event it doesn't land, the weapon does normal damage instead of x2 or x3 or 4, which ever.

I will also institute that my PC's have the armor repaired regularly or the percentile begins to drop.
Also, I do realize that there will be that one guy who will get full plate and a tower shield so he can have 85% armor defence, but just make it clear how easy a target he will become when he is the slowest moving guy on the field.

Before I use this method, I was wondering if I could get some feed back, I'd like to know if anyone can find a glich or problem before putting the plan into effect.
AntontheDM
01-24-08, 09:28 PM I don't think you really need to change much. I'd just say that potions work over a couple of hours or overnight instead of instantly, and they can't drink more than one or two healing potion in a day (don't want to overdose). Instead of being magical, potions become chemical or alchemical. You said low magic, so the arcane spell failure would still apply to your arcane magic users, what few there are. If you meant no magic, then just ignore that figure, not being able to heal so quickly might make the PC more apt to use their diplomacy instead of the "let's get 'em" attitude.
You may want to use the optional DR rules, the armor bonuses are a little lower but it also lessens the damage you receive.
Saiyamantis
01-25-08, 12:28 AM Armor already provides a percent chance to deflect blows away from the wearer- it's called an armor bonus. Spell failure has nothing to do with defense, and trying to invent some sort of correlation between the two is only going to imbalance the game.

If you're playing in a low-magic setting, the only thing you really have to do to armor is disregard the spell failure column., sicne it likely won't apply to your players. If you want to go into greater detail than that Unearthed Arcana has some interesting variants- a combination of defense bonus and armor as damage reduction would go a long way towards simulating realistic armored combat.
UAMDB
01-25-08, 10:50 AM I think you are forgetting that Armour already calculates the chance of not getting hit. Its called Armour Bonus. The fact that Full plate gives you a +8 on your armour about equals a 40% chance of not getting hit. You will basicly doubling he effect of armour.
Holy_Avenger_441
01-25-08, 11:38 AM Half-plate and tower shield would have a 100% spell failure, even if you are slow you would be unstopable. I would replace deflection with a damage reduction that responds to the armor type.
E. Ravenwood
01-25-08, 02:10 PM Half-plate and tower shield would have a 100% spell failure, even if you are slow you would be unstopable. I would replace deflection with a damage reduction that responds to the armor type.

Interesting, I'll think about that.

And Yes, I do know what an armor bonus is, the idea is that arcane casters are very rare and clerics rarely leave their convent. So in a world where healing is not something to be taken lightly, I thought it would be a good way to keep them from taking vast amounts of damage in the game, which will mostly consist of battle field campaigns. They will not receive upgrades as usual either. Luxuries such as half plate and tower shields are a long way down the road.
toucanbuzz
01-25-08, 05:16 PM Sucks for that 300' long, 50' high, 54 strength huge ancient red dragon to be futilely striking the 1st level fighter who managed to afford good armor.

Dragon: scratches its head. "I dunno. Yesterday I was shredding up that other dragon with its AC 40, and the day before that I moved a mountain."

A cloud giant with his oversized morning star nods as he takes a swipe at the 1st level warrior but rolls too low on the % and misses. "I've been trying the last half hour, but he's got that stupid shield and armor he bought down at Larry's Supply Store."

Dragon: "Want me to burn the store down?"

Giant: "Sure. I'm bound to roll a 20 eventually. I'll stay here."

Yeah, it's not gonna work. Just encourage use of the Heal Skill and Healer's Kits to speed recovery.
Dei
01-25-08, 07:03 PM An alternative I use when dealing with low magic settings is to reduce the need for magical healing by altering the way hitpoints work.

A character's health is divided between "health" and "Vigour". Health is based purely on con bonus and goes up by 1 + con bonus per level (negative con bonuses reduce vigour so health will always rise by at least 1). On top of these they have "battle vigour" which is the hit points they earn from their class hit-dice, unlike health, vigour gained can be reduced to 0 with extremely low con scores.

I.e. A 3rd level fighter with a +3 con bonus would have 12 hit points and 17 vigour (assuming average rolls). Meanwhile a 3rd level rogue with a +1 con bonus would have 6 hit points and 11 vigour (assuming average rolls). A sorcerer with a -2 con bonus will still have 3 hit points but 0 vigour.

When damage is dealt vigour is removed first and hit points are only affected once all Vigour points are gone. Vigour recovers much, much faster than hit points, at a rate of level+con modifier/hour (with a minimum of 1/hour) while hit points recover at the normal speed per day.

Vigour reduction is a blow draws blood, dents armour, numbs your sword arm and generally wears you down without giving any telling injury, basically a movie wound that the character will shrug off once he has had a chance for a breather. This means that a mundane party does not need to constantly be resting up for days on end in a setting where magical healing is hard to come by and can power through small encounters with much the same sort of drain in terms of recovery times that a high magic party would need.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
E. Ravenwood 01-24-08, 08:43 PM	I'm attempting to run a home-brewed campaign that requires some deeper thinking. The idea is that it is low magic and based more on realistic medeival warfare than fantasy. Here in lies the rub. With low magic, getting hurt takes longer to heal. So I have devised a way to keep characters from getting hurt. The idea is that since it is low magic, there really isn't a need for Arcane Magic Failure, so replace that title of "Arcane Magic Failure" with "Armor Defence Bonus". What I came up with is that the arcane percentage becomes a defence bonus, so the heavier armor or shielkd you carry, the higher the value, obviously, because full plate would defend against swords better than say, leather. Using the same percentage as the Arcane Spell Failure, the attacker must role a percentage on a successful hit higher than the Armor Defence Bonus (previously known as Arcane Spell Failure, known here on out as Armor Defence Bonus) For instance, an attacker goes up against somebody wearing full plate mail, he rolls and makes a successful hit, and roles less than 35%, his blow is deflected by the armor. In any case, armor and shield Armored Defence Bonus will stack, so even the rogue, who wears leather with a 10% can add 5% on with a buckler. If he wears a chain shirt and a buckler, he has a one out of four shot of deflecting a blow with 25%. In the case of tanks, who most PC's will probably want to play in a low magic game, 35% from full plate matched with a heavy wooden shield is a 50% bonus. A 20 is still an automatic hit. A critical that confirms must also roll the Armor Defence check. In the event it doesn't land, the weapon does normal damage instead of x2 or x3 or 4, which ever. I will also institute that my PC's have the armor repaired regularly or the percentile begins to drop. Also, I do realize that there will be that one guy who will get full plate and a tower shield so he can have 85% armor defence, but just make it clear how easy a target he will become when he is the slowest moving guy on the field. Before I use this method, I was wondering if I could get some feed back, I'd like to know if anyone can find a glich or problem before putting the plan into effect.
AntontheDM 01-24-08, 09:28 PM	I don't think you really need to change much. I'd just say that potions work over a couple of hours or overnight instead of instantly, and they can't drink more than one or two healing potion in a day (don't want to overdose). Instead of being magical, potions become chemical or alchemical. You said low magic, so the arcane spell failure would still apply to your arcane magic users, what few there are. If you meant no magic, then just ignore that figure, not being able to heal so quickly might make the PC more apt to use their diplomacy instead of the "let's get 'em" attitude. You may want to use the optional DR rules, the armor bonuses are a little lower but it also lessens the damage you receive.
Saiyamantis 01-25-08, 12:28 AM	Armor already provides a percent chance to deflect blows away from the wearer- it's called an armor bonus. Spell failure has nothing to do with defense, and trying to invent some sort of correlation between the two is only going to imbalance the game. If you're playing in a low-magic setting, the only thing you really have to do to armor is disregard the spell failure column., sicne it likely won't apply to your players. If you want to go into greater detail than that Unearthed Arcana has some interesting variants- a combination of defense bonus and armor as damage reduction would go a long way towards simulating realistic armored combat.
UAMDB 01-25-08, 10:50 AM	I think you are forgetting that Armour already calculates the chance of not getting hit. Its called Armour Bonus. The fact that Full plate gives you a +8 on your armour about equals a 40% chance of not getting hit. You will basicly doubling he effect of armour.
Holy_Avenger_441 01-25-08, 11:38 AM	Half-plate and tower shield would have a 100% spell failure, even if you are slow you would be unstopable. I would replace deflection with a damage reduction that responds to the armor type.
E. Ravenwood 01-25-08, 02:10 PM	Half-plate and tower shield would have a 100% spell failure, even if you are slow you would be unstopable. I would replace deflection with a damage reduction that responds to the armor type. Interesting, I'll think about that. And Yes, I do know what an armor bonus is, the idea is that arcane casters are very rare and clerics rarely leave their convent. So in a world where healing is not something to be taken lightly, I thought it would be a good way to keep them from taking vast amounts of damage in the game, which will mostly consist of battle field campaigns. They will not receive upgrades as usual either. Luxuries such as half plate and tower shields are a long way down the road.
toucanbuzz 01-25-08, 05:16 PM	Sucks for that 300' long, 50' high, 54 strength huge ancient red dragon to be futilely striking the 1st level fighter who managed to afford good armor. Dragon: scratches its head. "I dunno. Yesterday I was shredding up that other dragon with its AC 40, and the day before that I moved a mountain." A cloud giant with his oversized morning star nods as he takes a swipe at the 1st level warrior but rolls too low on the % and misses. "I've been trying the last half hour, but he's got that stupid shield and armor he bought down at Larry's Supply Store." Dragon: "Want me to burn the store down?" Giant: "Sure. I'm bound to roll a 20 eventually. I'll stay here." Yeah, it's not gonna work. Just encourage use of the Heal Skill and Healer's Kits to speed recovery.
Dei 01-25-08, 07:03 PM	An alternative I use when dealing with low magic settings is to reduce the need for magical healing by altering the way hitpoints work. A character's health is divided between "health" and "Vigour". Health is based purely on con bonus and goes up by 1 + con bonus per level (negative con bonuses reduce vigour so health will always rise by at least 1). On top of these they have "battle vigour" which is the hit points they earn from their class hit-dice, unlike health, vigour gained can be reduced to 0 with extremely low con scores. I.e. A 3rd level fighter with a +3 con bonus would have 12 hit points and 17 vigour (assuming average rolls). Meanwhile a 3rd level rogue with a +1 con bonus would have 6 hit points and 11 vigour (assuming average rolls). A sorcerer with a -2 con bonus will still have 3 hit points but 0 vigour. When damage is dealt vigour is removed first and hit points are only affected once all Vigour points are gone. Vigour recovers much, much faster than hit points, at a rate of level+con modifier/hour (with a minimum of 1/hour) while hit points recover at the normal speed per day. Vigour reduction is a blow draws blood, dents armour, numbs your sword arm and generally wears you down without giving any telling injury, basically a movie wound that the character will shrug off once he has had a chance for a breather. This means that a mundane party does not need to constantly be resting up for days on end in a setting where magical healing is hard to come by and can power through small encounters with much the same sort of drain in terms of recovery times that a high magic party would need.