Yakk
2006-12-12, 11:09 AM
I'm curious if I can get a somewhat sensible parry/block/dodge system working.
This can be used in addition to, or instead of, "passive armor". Your flat-footed "passive armor" becomes the roll -- roll worse than your min roll, and the result is ignored, you get the min roll instead.
This variant gives players a set of active skills to defend themselves with. Each time you use an active skill in a round, you get -5 to that skill (or, in the case of Parry, that Parrying with that weapon) if you try using it again.
This gives extra melee defence against a single attacker, and makes multiple attackers more dangerous. It also gives an advantage to TWF --
Dodge:
Your Dodge starts out as your base class Reflex save. Spells and effects that boost your Reflex save don't boost your Dodge.
Heavy armor subtracts 3 from this number, Medium armor subtracts 2, and Light armor subtracts 1.
Your "Dex Bonus to Dodge" is 4 + Dex Bonus.
Armor also caps it. Add 5 to the "Max Dex to AC" for the cap on "Dex Bonus to Dodge".
So a L 20 Rogue (12 base Dodge) with 30 dex (+15 dex to dodge) not wearing armor has a +27 Dodge roll.
A L 1 Rogue (2 base Dodge) with 16 dex (+8 to dodge) wearing Leather armor (-1 to Dodge, dex-to-dodge cap of 10) has a dodge of +9.
Parry:
Take BaB. Add Strength (*1.5 for 2 H (!)). And weapon threat range (not for shields!).
Magical Weapon Plusses are also added, but "keen" does not make your weapon parry better.
If the player is using weapon finess, use Dex instead of Strength.
Now, depending on the setup:
Shields: +2 buckler, +4 light, +5 heavy, +7 tower
One hand, nothing in offhand: +0
Two handed: -2
One hand, Shield in offhand: -2
One hand, Weapon in offhand: -2
Offhand: -6. +2 if light, +2 if two-weapon defence.
Parry isn't restricted by the armor you wear.
...
The end result is that two equally equipped players end up parrying about 1/2 of each other's blows.
L 1 fighter, 16 strength, 12 dex, longsword, heavy shield, wearing chainmail.
Parry: +4 = +1 +3 +2 -2
Block: +9 = +1 +3 +5
Dodge: -1 = +1 -2
L 20 fighter, 30 strength, 20 dex, longsword+5, Heavy Shield+5, Mithril Full Plate
To-hit: +35 =+20 +10 +5
Parry: +35 =+20 +10 +2 +5 -2
Block: +40 =+20 +10 +5 +5
Dodge: +10 =+6 -3 +7 (capped)
L 20 rogue, 30 dex, weapon finesse, rapier+5 & offhand swordsword+5. Two weapon fighting & defence. No armor.
To-hit: +28 =+15 +10 +5 -2
Parry: +31 =+15 +10 +3 +5 -2
Off Parry: +30 =+15 +10 +2 +5 -2
Dodge: +27 =+12+(10+5)
I'll admit this still needs some work. :)
The goal that inspired this was using armor as a pure-DR, in a low-magic world where you can't get +20 AC from various enchantments.
This can be used in addition to, or instead of, "passive armor". Your flat-footed "passive armor" becomes the roll -- roll worse than your min roll, and the result is ignored, you get the min roll instead.
This variant gives players a set of active skills to defend themselves with. Each time you use an active skill in a round, you get -5 to that skill (or, in the case of Parry, that Parrying with that weapon) if you try using it again.
This gives extra melee defence against a single attacker, and makes multiple attackers more dangerous. It also gives an advantage to TWF --
Dodge:
Your Dodge starts out as your base class Reflex save. Spells and effects that boost your Reflex save don't boost your Dodge.
Heavy armor subtracts 3 from this number, Medium armor subtracts 2, and Light armor subtracts 1.
Your "Dex Bonus to Dodge" is 4 + Dex Bonus.
Armor also caps it. Add 5 to the "Max Dex to AC" for the cap on "Dex Bonus to Dodge".
So a L 20 Rogue (12 base Dodge) with 30 dex (+15 dex to dodge) not wearing armor has a +27 Dodge roll.
A L 1 Rogue (2 base Dodge) with 16 dex (+8 to dodge) wearing Leather armor (-1 to Dodge, dex-to-dodge cap of 10) has a dodge of +9.
Parry:
Take BaB. Add Strength (*1.5 for 2 H (!)). And weapon threat range (not for shields!).
Magical Weapon Plusses are also added, but "keen" does not make your weapon parry better.
If the player is using weapon finess, use Dex instead of Strength.
Now, depending on the setup:
Shields: +2 buckler, +4 light, +5 heavy, +7 tower
One hand, nothing in offhand: +0
Two handed: -2
One hand, Shield in offhand: -2
One hand, Weapon in offhand: -2
Offhand: -6. +2 if light, +2 if two-weapon defence.
Parry isn't restricted by the armor you wear.
...
The end result is that two equally equipped players end up parrying about 1/2 of each other's blows.
L 1 fighter, 16 strength, 12 dex, longsword, heavy shield, wearing chainmail.
Parry: +4 = +1 +3 +2 -2
Block: +9 = +1 +3 +5
Dodge: -1 = +1 -2
L 20 fighter, 30 strength, 20 dex, longsword+5, Heavy Shield+5, Mithril Full Plate
To-hit: +35 =+20 +10 +5
Parry: +35 =+20 +10 +2 +5 -2
Block: +40 =+20 +10 +5 +5
Dodge: +10 =+6 -3 +7 (capped)
L 20 rogue, 30 dex, weapon finesse, rapier+5 & offhand swordsword+5. Two weapon fighting & defence. No armor.
To-hit: +28 =+15 +10 +5 -2
Parry: +31 =+15 +10 +3 +5 -2
Off Parry: +30 =+15 +10 +2 +5 -2
Dodge: +27 =+12+(10+5)
I'll admit this still needs some work. :)
The goal that inspired this was using armor as a pure-DR, in a low-magic world where you can't get +20 AC from various enchantments.