Jastermereel
2011-08-11, 04:41 PM
While it doesn't have any concrete impact on gameplay, I'm curious if people have ever worked out in what order things contribute to AC.
That is if the hobgoblin swings and axe and their To-Hit total is insufficient to beat the adventurous rogue's AC then they miss, but do they miss because the rogue is too dexterous, because they have armor on, or because of something else?
I got to thinking about this when writing up the game journal for the group I DM for. I tend to over-write it a bit, drawing out some fight sequences a little long, but there are only so many times I can type out that someone simply missed. If I had a simple way to figure out just how they missed it might actually be useful (to know better what they're up against) and fun (to describe how they missed).
So far, I haven't seen anyone lay this out (likely because there isn't a reason why it would matter) so here's my best guess.
The following ignores extra factors (like prone, cowering, pinned and the like) and primarily focuses on the additive factors of the basic equation:
AC = 10 + Size Modifier + Dex Modifier + Armor Bonus + Shield Bonus + Deflection Bonus + Insight Bonus + Natural Armor Bonus + Dodge Bonuses (+ Other Modifiers)
Thinking of each of the 8 (excluding Other Modifiers) as another layer to bypass, the reflex-types would come first while the physical barriers would come last. Put another way, if you nimbly duck away from my blade, it doesn't matter if you're wearing a shift or mountain plate, but if my roll would have been good enough for a touch attack, then your armor becomes relevant. On the other hand, if I strike true, I would first have to overcome the intrinsic difficulty in hitting you before worrying if I pierce your skin.
My best guess is Insight/Size, Dodge/Dexterity, Deflection, Shield, Armor, Natural Armor.
Insight and Size (assuming a modifier beneficial to AC) precede Dodge and Dexterity as the latter pair can be lost if the target is flatfooted (and thus are functional even before the attack can be made). Deflection seems appropriate between the movement types and the barrier types as it operates at the moment of impact itself. After that, Shield, Armor and Natural Armor seem naturally ordered.
Negative factors might not even enter into this as, if they contributed then the swing hit and one would use a wholly different vocabulary of smashing, crunching, and otherwise painful words to describe the result.
Again, I realize it has little impact on the rules, but it seems like a good way to make descriptions livelier while staying accurate. And isn't it more fun to know that while your ranger didn't mortally wound the frost giant, at least your rapier pierced his chain shirt and was only stopped by his thick calloused skin?
That is if the hobgoblin swings and axe and their To-Hit total is insufficient to beat the adventurous rogue's AC then they miss, but do they miss because the rogue is too dexterous, because they have armor on, or because of something else?
I got to thinking about this when writing up the game journal for the group I DM for. I tend to over-write it a bit, drawing out some fight sequences a little long, but there are only so many times I can type out that someone simply missed. If I had a simple way to figure out just how they missed it might actually be useful (to know better what they're up against) and fun (to describe how they missed).
So far, I haven't seen anyone lay this out (likely because there isn't a reason why it would matter) so here's my best guess.
The following ignores extra factors (like prone, cowering, pinned and the like) and primarily focuses on the additive factors of the basic equation:
AC = 10 + Size Modifier + Dex Modifier + Armor Bonus + Shield Bonus + Deflection Bonus + Insight Bonus + Natural Armor Bonus + Dodge Bonuses (+ Other Modifiers)
Thinking of each of the 8 (excluding Other Modifiers) as another layer to bypass, the reflex-types would come first while the physical barriers would come last. Put another way, if you nimbly duck away from my blade, it doesn't matter if you're wearing a shift or mountain plate, but if my roll would have been good enough for a touch attack, then your armor becomes relevant. On the other hand, if I strike true, I would first have to overcome the intrinsic difficulty in hitting you before worrying if I pierce your skin.
My best guess is Insight/Size, Dodge/Dexterity, Deflection, Shield, Armor, Natural Armor.
Insight and Size (assuming a modifier beneficial to AC) precede Dodge and Dexterity as the latter pair can be lost if the target is flatfooted (and thus are functional even before the attack can be made). Deflection seems appropriate between the movement types and the barrier types as it operates at the moment of impact itself. After that, Shield, Armor and Natural Armor seem naturally ordered.
Negative factors might not even enter into this as, if they contributed then the swing hit and one would use a wholly different vocabulary of smashing, crunching, and otherwise painful words to describe the result.
Again, I realize it has little impact on the rules, but it seems like a good way to make descriptions livelier while staying accurate. And isn't it more fun to know that while your ranger didn't mortally wound the frost giant, at least your rapier pierced his chain shirt and was only stopped by his thick calloused skin?