Heavy Armor Master Tweak

[ImproperJustice]

So the feat Heavy Armor Master provide 3 points of damage reduction vs. non-magical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage, along with a half stat increase.

In our current campaign, which is part political, most of our adversaries are humanoid and often armed with magical weapons.

Our GM then ruled that if you are wearing magical armor, the damage reduction applies to magical weapons that inflict the aforementioned damage types.

So far, we really like it as a balance tweak to a feat that seems a little anemic without it, and we thought we would share it with the community.

We have observed that the PC with the feat (A Samurai Fighter) really enjoys it, and finds that coupled with fighting spirit, and second wind, he has some considerable staying power.

[Unoriginal]

How come most of your adversaries have magic weapons? Are they just that common in that setting?

There's really nothing anemic about Heavy Armor Master unless the group is facing the same situation as yours.

[MaxWilson]

So the feat Heavy Armor Master provide 3 points of damage reduction vs. non-magical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage, along with a half stat increase.

In our current campaign, which is part political, most of our adversaries are humanoid and often armed with magical weapons.

Our GM then ruled that if you are wearing magical armor, the damage reduction applies to magical weapons that inflict the aforementioned damage types.

So far, we really like it as a balance tweak to a feat that seems a little anemic without it, and we thought we would share it with the community.

We have observed that the PC with the feat (A Samurai Fighter) really enjoys it, and finds that coupled with fighting spirit, and second wind, he has some considerable staying power.

If the feat as written doesn't fit the context of your campaign, it seems reasonable to tweak the feat to fit your campaign. All you're doing is making it work the way it usually does.

An equivalent tweak would be for the DM to rule that the magical weapons commonly in use by enemies don't count as magical weapons for purposes of damage reduction/etc.

Either way the result is the same: Heavy Armor Master works. Seems fine to me.

[Man_Over_Game]

I'm with Unoriginal.

The game is designed to still allow weaker monsters to be used. But now, instead of fighting swarms of goblins with a hobgoblin leader, you're fighting hordes of hobgoblins with an ogre leader. Or whatever monsters you happen to be fighting. Non-magical creatures are supposed to always be implemented, they might just be a little bit less common as you gain levels.

If I were to add any change to Heavy Armor Master, I'd probably make it so that the Enhancement bonus you get from your armor reduces the damage you take from magical weapons. So a +1 armor reduces the magical weapon damage you take by 1.

Coincidentally, armor goes up to +3. So it works out without it being game-changing (as most parties will never see a +3 Plate).

[Rukelnikov]

Seems good. We ruled resistance to non-mags turns into resitance for almost every creature of CR 5 or above, since it hardly ever comes into play after Tier 1 otherwise, this seems to be the same idea but inverted.

[ImproperJustice]

How come most of your adversaries have magic weapons? Are they just that common in that setting?

There's really nothing anemic about Heavy Armor Master unless the group is facing the same situation as yours.

Yes.
It’s a cabal of wizards, priests, and their various demonic agents/enforcers that we contend with.

Kind of a villain of the week type game, where there is a plot to uncover, which the bad guys likely would have gotten away with if it wasn’t for us darn kids.

One of the enemies tells is that they carry these obsidian demon forged weapons.

[CTurbo]

I've tweaked it to-

When wearing heavy armor, bludgeoning, slashing and piercing damage you take from non-magical weapons is reduced by an amount equal to your proficiency bonus.

This makes it a little less awesome at really low levels like from vhuman, and considerably better at high levels since it sorta ends up being kind of weak at higher levels.

Heavily Armor Master is an EXTREMELY popular pick for vhumans at my table. Last campaign had 2 Clerics with it. I have personally picked it twice at level 1 in the past.


As far as your tweak goes, I like it. It seems reasonable.

[Damon_Tor]

How come most of your adversaries have magic weapons? Are they just that common in that setting?

Speaking for myself, a lot of the lore of the setting at my table was created during 4e, which assumed a high level of magic gear was available at set prices, prices which would have made basic +1 gear would have been widely available. As a logical consequence of this, anyone who relied on weapons and armor for their livelyhood would naturally want them. In this world, taking out a loan to buy magic weapons and armor is as regular as taking a loan to buy a car in ours. Most reputable and affluent cities would equip their guards and soldiers accordingly. So only real crapholes wouldn't have them.

[Kurt Kurageous]

How come most of your adversaries have magic weapons? Are they just that common in that setting?

From MM p. 126 variant, could be any campaign featuring drow. That's the situation that came to mind when I read, "Just that common."

But in general, yeah. Every mook with a +1 weapon?!?

[Sigreid]

It's a fine tweak. Another version of it would be to allow the DR to apply to magic weapon attacks if it's magic armor.

[Zigludo]

It's a fairly common tweak; one I've seen floated as an idea on multiple forums, and a completely unobjectionable one.

Really I wonder why the feat's wording specifies "non-magical damage" in the first place.

[DarkKnightJin]

It's a fairly common tweak; one I've seen floated as an idea on multiple forums, and a completely unobjectionable one.

Really I wonder why the feat's wording specifies "non-magical damage" in the first place.

Same.
Why would a 'master' of Heavy Armor suddenly not be able to use his supposed mastery when a weapon has an enchantment on it?
Unless they're pulling a Drogo trying to be a badass with that sword against the chest, but that seems stupid.

[Arkhios]

Same.
Why would a 'master' of Heavy Armor suddenly not be able to use his supposed mastery when a weapon has an enchantment on it?
Unless they're pulling a Drogo trying to be a badass with that sword against the chest, but that seems stupid.

And just look at where that GoT him. (Pun very much intended)


More on topic, I can't help but wonder how many of the people who complain about Heavy Armor Master have actually played a game at higher levels with the feat as it was written? It seems painfully obvious that most people only theorize it to be anemic, only "because it's just three points of damage." :smallannoyed: