Lycar
2008-11-30, 12:08 PM
I have been wondering about armours lately.
The D&D systemas written is made for fun and easy play, not realism or 'simulationism'.
Still, let's face it, with the current system, the only armours that see use are either chain shirt or full plate, with the occasional mithril breast plate.
Now Unearthed Arcana already offers a slightly more differentiated armour system where your ability to avoid being hit relies on your level and class, rather then the armour you wear. Armour does, instead, offer some damage reduction.
For example, even full plate offers only an AC bonus of +4. Even a first level fighter can get a defense bonus of +6 under the Unearthed Arcana rules. So it's a tradeoff between not getting hit at all or taking less damage from a hit.
Now while this might be impractical for a tabletop game (or not, depending on your personal opinion), for a PbP game a more complex rule wouldn't really slow down the game.
So, taking a heavy dose of inspiration from other RPGs out there, let us introduce hit zones: A normal attack always has to deal with the best damage reduction of the whole set of armour (normally the body armour and excluding helmets). If you aim for a body part that the specific set of armour does not cover, you incur a penalty to your to-hit roll, but you circumnavigate the DR of the armour.
Suddenly it makes a difference to wear a leather armour that covers your whole body, or a chain shirt that only protects chest and abdomen.
Hit zones/location:
There are 7 hit locations.
Head: Protected by helmets. +4 on AC for an attack aimed at the head.
Chest: Protected by usually all armours. +6 on AC for an attack aimed at the chest area (*)
Abdomen: Protected by usually all armours. +4 to AC for an attack aimed at the abdominal area.
Sword arm: Protected by arm armour and/or greaves. +4 to AC for an attack aimed at the sword arm.
Shield arm: Protected by arm armour and/or greaves. +6 to AC for an attack aimed at the shield arm.
Legs: Protected by leg armour and/or greaves. +2 to AC for an attack aimed at the legs. (**)
(*) Important for armours that only cover the front side of the torso/abdomen.
(**) Trip attacks with weapons ought to need to aim for the legs. They are touch attacks anyway, so an extra +2 to the enemies AC won't really hurt. But this gives some love to the people who toke the pain of tripping with an unarmed strike. Or taking the Improved Trip feat for that matter.
Changes to armours:
Listed are the DR for the hit locations head (H),chest (C), abdomen (Ab), right (sword) arm (RA), shield (left) arm (LA) and legs (L).
When pieces of armour get combined (as in, a padded armour worn under a chain shirt or breastplate), ADD the DR but use the higher of ACP and the lower of MDex.
Note that to make armour proficiencies better, Light Armour Proficieny allows you to ignore 1 point of ACP, Medium Armour Proficieny ignores 2 and Heavy Armour Proficiency 3 points of ACP.
Also, if you use mithral armour, the armour still counts as it's original category for the purpose of proficiency requirements. So a mithral full plate still requires heavy armour proficieny to wear!With the damage reduction rules, heavy armour suddenly becomes a lot more valuable. So classes that get Heavy Armour Proficiency actually have an advantage.
So a fighter could wear a chain shirt and have an effective ACP of 0.
The barbarian can still wear mithral breastplate and use his barbarian features, but to wear it proficiently, dip in a class with HAP or get the feat!
Also, since DR values are high, every hit still deals at least 1 point of damage!
Light armours:
Padded Armour: "Padded armour features quilted layers of of cloth an batting." Also, this is what you wear under a suit of maille or plate to prevent chafing. A suit of chainmail, scale mail or any of the heavy armours already includes padded armour as an undergarment.
DR: H: -, C: 1, Ab: 1, RA: 1, LA: 1, L: 1 ACP: 1 , MDex: 8, AC +1
(Alternativly, this could also be DR 1/piercing, seeing that the suit cushions blows and offers some modes protection from cuts but if woefully inadequate versus impaling weapons)
Leather Armour: "The breastplate and shoulder protectors of this armour are made of leather that has been stiffened by boiling in oil. The rest of the armour is made of softer and more flexible leather."
DR: H: -, C: 2, Ab: 2, RA: 1, LA: 1, L: 1 ACP: 1 , MDex: 6, AC +1
(Alternativly consider the DR on arms and legs to be 1/bludgeoning. Leather is tough and thus cut and puncture resistant but doesn't cushion blows very well. Can't be combined with padded armour.)
Leather Greaves: A new armour item. Leather greaves add +1 DR to arms and legs but increase ACP by +1 and lower MDex by 1. Can be added to armours that don't already offer arm/leg protection of 3 or better, or worn on their own. 5 gp, 5 lb.
DR: H: -, C: -, Ab: -, RA: +1, LA: +1, L: +1 ACP: +1 , MDex: -1
Studded Leather Armour: "This armour is made from tough but flexible leather (not hardened leather, as with normal leather armour) reinforced with close-set metal rivets." A step up from leather armour, the metal rivets increase protection value for the body.
DR: H: -, C: 3, Ab: 3, RA: 2, LA: 2, L: 2 ACP: 2 , MDex: 5, AC +2
(Alternativly, since the body armour is flexible, consider the protection vs. bludgeoning attacks to be 1 less for the entire suit.)
Chain Shirt: "A chain shirt protects your torso while leaving your limbs free and mobile. It includes a layer of quilted fabric worn underneath to prevent chafing and to cushion the impact of blows. A chain shirt comes with a steel cap." The main advantage of a chain shirt is the possibility to hide it under normal clothing. You can walk around and look unarmoured.
DR: H: 3, C: 4, Ab: 4, RA: 0, LA: 0, L: 0 ACP: 3 , MDex: 4 AC +2
(You can wear padded armour under the chain shirt instead of the padded vest that comes with the armour. In that case, add the DR of the padded armour to the arms and legs ONLY. You can add greaves instead or on top of that. If you wear just the vest, treat it as padded armour with no arm or leg protection and no ACP or MDex limit.)
Leather Helmet: New armour item. A helmet made from leather and with padding to protect the skull from cuts, stabs and blows. . 2gp, 2 lb.
DR: H: 2, C: -, Ab: -, RA: -, LA: -, L: - ACP: - , MDex: -
Steel Cap: New armour item. A skullcap made from metal. Can be hidden under a hood or cowl. 10 gp 4 lb. Included in a chain shirt.
DR: H: 3, C: -, Ab: -, RA: -, LA: -, L: - ACP: - , MDex: -
Chain Coif: Like a hood made from chain mail, this covers the head and neck. Protects against cuts and stabs, less effective against bludgeoning. 20 gp. 6lb.
DR: H: 4, C: -, Ab: -, RA: -, LA: -, L: - ACP: +1 , MDex: -
(Optionally consider the DR to be 2 vs. bludgeoning.)
Helmet: The standard metal helmet that comes with heavy armours and breastplates. Protects the head and (partially) the face of the wearer. On it's own it costs 15 gp and weights 5 lb.
DR: H: 5, C: -, Ab: -, RA: -, LA: -, L: - ACP: +2 , MDex: -
Visored Helmet: What would a knight be without it? Slightly more heavy then a simple helmet, the visored helmet offers added protection while closed and reduced impairment to visibility and hearing while opened. 20 gp, 6 lb.
DR: H: 5, C: -, Ab: -, RA: -, LA: -, L: - ACP: +2 , MDex: - (open)
DR: H: 7, C: -, Ab: -, RA: -, LA: -, L: - ACP: +4 , MDex: -, AC +1 (closed)
(Opening or closing the helmet counts as a move action. A character with at least 1 point of BAB can close the helmet combined with an actual movement, just like drawing a weapon.)
Medium Armours:
Hide Armour: "This armour is prepared from multiple layers of leather and animal hides. It is stiff and hard to move in. Druids, who wear only nonmetallic armour, favour hide."
DR: H: 0, C: 3, Ab: 3, RA: 2, LA: 2, L: 2 ACP: 4 , MDex: 3, AC +2
(What studded leather does with metal rivets, hide does with extra layers of more leather. Can't be combined with padded armour but you can add greaves.)
Scale Mail: "This armour consists of a coat and leggings (and perhaps a seperate skirt) of leather covered with overlapping pieces of metal, much like the scales of a fish. The suit includes gauntlets." Cheaper and lighter then a full suit of chain, this armour offers only slightly better protection then studded leather.
DR: H: 0, C: 3, Ab: 3, RA: 3, LA: 3, L: 3 ACP: 5 , MDex: 3, AC +2
Chainmail: "This armour is made of interlocking metal rings. It includes a layer of quilted fabric worn underneath to prevent chafing and to cushion the impact of blows. Several layers of mail are hung over vital areas. Most of the armour's weight hangs from the shoulders, making chainmail uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time. The suit includes gauntlets." You can take off the chain part and sleep in the padded armour instead.
DR: H: 0, C: 4, Ab: 4, RA: 3, LA: 3, L: 3 ACP: 6 , MDex: 2, AC +3
(Chainmail is flexible and thus has trouble dealing with crushing blows. Optionally, you can consider the DR to be 1 less vs. bludgeoning attacks.)
Breastplate: "A breastplate covers your front and your back. It comes with a helmet and greaves (plates to cover your lower legs). A light suit or skirt of studded leather beneath the breastplate protects your limbs without restricting movement much."
DR: H: 5, C: 6, Ab: 4, RA: 3, LA: 3, L: 3 ACP: 4 , MDex: 3, AC +3
(For sake of simplicity, this includes leather greaves for the limbs.)
Cuirass: New armour item. A cuirass is just the front torso armour from the breastplate. As a seperate item of armour it can be worn over padded, leather, studded leather, chain shirt, chain mail and scale mail armour (other armours are too bulky to allow the addition of the cuirass or already include a breastplate). This adds +3 to the DR for chest and +1 DR for abdomen only, increases the ACP by 3 and lowers MDex by 2. The combination also counts as a medium armour. 80 gp, 10 lb.
DR: H: -, C: +3, Ab: +1, RA: -, LA: -, L: - ACP: +3 , MDex: -2, AC +1
(Optional rule: Since this armour only covers the front, a flanked character can have his unprotected back attacked with an +6 to AC.)
Heavy Armours
Splint Mail: "This armour is made of narrow vertical strips of metal riveted to a backing of leather that is worn over cloth padding. Flexible chainmail protects the joints. The suit includes gauntlets." And a helmet.
DR: H: 5, C: 5, Ab: 5, RA: 4, LA: 4, L: 4 ACP: 7 , MDex: 0, AC +3
Banded Mail: "This armour made of of overlapping strips of metal sewn to a backing of leather and chainmail. The strips cover vulnerable areas, while the chain and leather protect the joints and provide freedom of movement. Straps and buckles distribute the weight evenly. The suit includes gauntlets." And a helmet.
DR: H: 5, C: 6, Ab: 6, RA: 4, LA: 4, L: 4 ACP: 6 , MDex: 1, AC +3
Half Plate: "This armour is a combination of chainmail with metal plates (breastplate, epaullettes, elbow guards, gauntlets, tasses and greaves) covering vital areas. Buckles and straps hold the whole suit together and distribute the weight, but the armour still hangs more loosely than full plate. The suit includes gauntlets." And a helmet.
DR: H: 5, C: 7, Ab: 5, RA: 5, LA: 5, L: 5 ACP: 7 , MDex: 0, AC +4
Full Plate: "This armour consists of shaped and fitted metal plates, riveted and interlocked to cover the entire body. The suit includes gauntlets, heavy leather boots, a visored helmet, and a thick layer of padding that is worn underneath the armour. ..." etc., as in PHB.
DR: H: 5(7), C: 7, Ab: 6, RA: 5, LA: 5, L: 5 ACP: 6 , MDex: 1, AC +4
Interaction of DR armour and things like sneak attack:
Obviously, the DR armour system only works reasonably as long as the amount of damage any attack inflicts stays within certain limits.
A DR of 2 from leather vs. DR 6 from a breastplate makes a difference if your enemies are inflicting 1d8+1 long sword damage. It is less impressive vs. an ogre doing 2d8+6 or an rogue sneak attacking for 1d4+5d6.
In these cases you'd rather not be hit at all. So being lightly armoured actually is better here as it helps in not being hit.
The UA defense bonus rules make you chose between getting the armour DR and AC bonus OR your defense bonus, but not both. This makes armour totally useless after a certain level. To alleviate this problem, I would suggest you allow to add the defense bonus up to the MDex value of the total armour. That is a 1st level fighter in a chain shirt still gets his +1 from the chain shirt and a defense bonus of +4. Alternativly, same fighter could wear a banded mail, getting an AC bonus of +3 and a defense bonus of +1. Note that the chain shirt fighter has a better touch AC since defense bonus adds to that too, while the banded mail fighter can soak up more damage.
So there are a few ways to make this work. For exmple, include the vitality and wound system from Unearthed Arcana with a few twists:
In the variant, you deduct damage from vitality first before you suffer actual wound points. A critical hit on the other hand inflicts wound points directly and ignores any DR a creature has.
Variant: Criticals don't ignore the DR from your armour. Instead you roll randomly which hit location gets hit: 1d20, 1-6 legs (odd left leg, even right leg) , 7-8 abdomen, 9-14 arms (odd left (shield) arm, even right (sword) arm), 15-18 chest, 19-20 head.
Remember to rule that all successfull attacks inflict at least 1 point of damage.
Now add sneak attacks: They do their normal vitality point damage (representing the sneak attack tiring the character or forcing him into a precarious situation). They do not do increased wound damage though. Instead, a character with sneak attack can ignore 1 point of DR for every die of sneak attack he has for the purpose of causing wound damage only.
If a sneak attack has damage left after reducing a target's vitality to 0, just count this as a normal critical hit without any benefit from sneak attack.
After that, each sneak attack does NORMAL WEAPON damage but ignores 1 point of DR for each die of sneak attack.
Also, it is vitally important to curb power attack: Only 1:1 even for 2-handed weapons! They already are at an advantage due to their higher damage output. Normal two-handed power attacking and jumping and whatnot would render even full plate irrelevant!
Okay. Now we do some wound points. Why bother with hit locations?
Because taking wounds should mean something:
Leg: A successfull wounding attack to a leg gives you a free trip attempt. You can't be tripped back if you fail, you don't get an extra attack from Improved Trip. Foe's DEX is reduced by 2. 3 leg wounds and a bipedal opponent is automatically prone.
Abdomen: A wound to the abdomen causes an additional 1d4 points of damage, reduces the target's STR and DEX by 2. 3 abdominal wounds knock the foe unconscious immediately for 1d20 rounds. Even after regaining consciousness, the foe is considered disabled until all the abdominal wounds have been healed.
Arm: Sword arm: Foe suffers -2 to BAB, a -1 to weapon damage and -1 to AC (can't parry as efficiently any more). 3rd wound disables the arm, foe drops whatever he's holding.
Shield arm: If using a shield, -2 to AC, if wielding off-hand weapon as sword arm, if hands free, no effect. 3rd wound disables arm, foe drops whatever he's holding.
Chest: A wound causes -2 to STR and CON as well as 1d4 extra points of damage. 3 chest wounds knock the foe unconscious immediately for 1d20 rounds. Even after regaining consciousness, the foe is considered disabled until all the chest wounds have been healed.
Head: A head wound causes -2 to INT and WIS and reduces the foe's initiative count by 2d6 points. If this reduces the foes to below 0 initiative, he loses his action for the current round and instead gets a new initiative count of 1 higher then the highest initiative count in the fight. 3 head wounds knock the foe unconscious immediately for 1d20 rounds. Even after regaining consciousness, the foe is considered disabled until all the head wounds have been healed.
How does it play?
Example fight:
3rd. lv fighter with attack bonus +7, a greatsword for 2d6+4 damage. Wears a suit of chain mail + cuirass and a leather helmet. Has Weapon Focus and Power Attack.
Chain mail:
R: H: 0, C: 4, Ab: 4, RA: 3, LA: 3, L: 3 ACP: 6 , MDex: 2, AC +3
Cuirass:
R: H: -, C: +3, Ab: +1, RA: -, LA: -, L: - ACP: +3 , MDex: -2, AC +1
Leather Helmet:
DR: H: 2, C: -, Ab: -, RA: -, LA: -, L: - ACP: - , MDex: -
Total armour DR: H 2, C 7, Ab 5, RA 3, LA 3 , ACP: 6, MDex 0
Wound points 14, Vitality points 28, AC 14 (defense bonus would be +7 but chain + cuirass leave him with a MDex of 0, so no defense bonus for him.
Without the cuirass, he would have MDex 2, raising his AC to 16, plus possibly up to +2 for DEX. Maybe he's clumsy. Maybe he figures that anyone who wants to hit his arms or legs takes a -2 to his to-hit anyway and rather goes with more protection.))
VS
3rd. lv rogue with attack bonus +5, a rapier for 1d6+1 damage. Wears a chain shirt. Has Weapon Finesse and Improved Feint.
Chain Shirt:
DR: H: 3, C: 4, Ab: 4, RA: 0, LA: 0, L: 0 ACP: 3 , MDex: 4 AC +2
Effective ACP 2 thanks to Light Armour Proficiency.
Wound points 12, Vitality points 19, AC 19 (DEX 16 = +3, +2 from chain shirt and his maximum defense bonus of +4)
Round 1: Fgt: Vit: 28,W: 14,AB 7,AC 14/Rog: Vit: 19, W: 12,AB 5, AC 19
Rogue gains initiative, bluffs for sneak attack: 1d20+8 = 27
Fighter rolls Sense Motive: 1d20+2 = 13 (low wisdom hurts folks...)
Rogue rolls attack: 1d20 +5 = 7 / miss. (note that the rogue could possibly ignore the fighters DEX bonus to AC. Except the fighter doesn't have any due to his MDex of 0.)
Fighter rolls attack: 1d20 +7 =8 / miss.
Round 2: Fgt: Vit: 28,W: 14,AB 7,AC 14/Rog: Vit: 19, W: 12,AB 5, AC 19
Rogue bluffs for sneak attack: 1d20+8 = 12
Fighter rolls Sense Motive: 1d20+2 = 5
Rogue rolls attack: 1d20 +5 = 25 / possible crit, confirmation roll: 1d20 +5 = 20 , critical sneak attack hit!
*Right now things get interesting: We mentioned that criticals do wounds but sneak attack doesn't count for wounds. Solution: As long as the foe has vitality left, that gets reduced instead.
Damage: 1d6+1 = 2 rapier, 2d6 = 8 sneak attack damage, location 1d20 = 11 -> Wound the shield arm!
So fighter takes 8 points of vitality damage, which gets not reduced by armour on account of being a critical hit, the wound damage to the arm gets reduced to 1 (minimum damage, remember?) but since he's a two-hand fighter, his left arm is also a sword arm and he takes -2 to BAB, -1 to weapon damage and -1 to AC.
Ouch!
Fighter rolls attack: 1d20 +5 = 21 / damage 2d6+4 = 13
Since this is a mormal hit, chain shirt body armour reduces that by 4 points for a total of 9 points of vitality damage.
Round 3: Fgt: Vit: 20,W: 13,AB 5,AC 13/Rog: Vit: 10,W: 12,AB 5,AC 19
Rogue bluffs for sneak attack: 1d20+8 = 10
Fighter rolls Sense Motive: 1d20+2 = 21 (he's finally catching on :smallwink:)
Rogue rolls attack: 1d20 +5 = 16 / damage 1d6+1 = 3
Fighter rolls attack: 1d20 +5 =11 / miss.
Fighter's combo of chain mail and cuirass gives a DR of 7. So unless the rogue crits or sneak attacks, he can never do more then 1 pt. of damage with a hit.
Round 4: Fgt: Vit: 19,W: 13,AB 5,AC 13/Rog: Vit: 10,W: 12,AB 5,AC 19
Rogue bluffs for sneak attack: 1d20+8 = 14
Fighter rolls Sense Motive: 1d20+2 = 18
Rogue rolls attack, but decides to go for the sword arm (+4 to AC): 1d20 +5 = 17 / damage 1d6+1 = 2
The aimed strike hits but again the damage is reduced to 1. Bad luck.
Fighter rolls attack: 1d20 +5 =21, damage 2d6+3 = 7 (rememnber, -1 to damage because of arm wound).
Since this wasn't an aimed attack, full chain shirt DR applies, reducing this to 3 pts. of damage.
Round 5: Fgt: Vit: 18,W: 13,AB 5,AC 13/Rog: Vit: 7,W: 12,AB 5,AC 19
Rogue bluffs for sneak attack: 1d20+8 = 15
Fighter rolls Sense Motive: 1d20+2 = 14
Rogue rolls attack, goes for the sword arm again (+4 to AC): 1d20 +5 = 19 / damage 1d6+1 = 7, sneak attack 2d6 = 5.
Total damage 12 points and while a normal hit would have to contend with fighters's body armour of 7, this hit to the arm only gets reduced by the chain shirt DR of 3 for a total of 9 points.
Fighter rolls attack: Getting slightly desperate, fighter goes for a leg hit (+2 to AC): 1d20 +5 =25, possible crit, confirm: 1d20+5 = 17, not enough against 19+2 for leg shot. Still, it is a hit. Damage 2d6+3 = 14
That hurts. Rogue is down to 5 wound points, plus this is a leg wound. Not only does this reduce rogue's DEX by 2 (and thus both his AB and AC by 1), fighter also gets a free trip!
Opposed trip check: Fighter: 1d20+3 = 8, Rogue: 1d20+2 = 14 (reduced DEX of 14 is still better then STR 12) At least he can retain his footing.
Round 6: Fgt: Vit: 9,W: 13,AB 5,AC 13/Rog: Vit: 0,W: 5,AB 4,AC 18
Rogue bluffs for sneak attack: 1d20+8 = 15
Fighter rolls Sense Motive: 1d20+2 = 22
Rogue should probably surrender. As a hardened criminal, he goes for fighter's least armoured spot: The head.
Rogue rolls attack, goes for the head (+4 to AC): 1d20 +4 = 10 / miss
Fighter rolls attack, feeling confident that a simple hit will end this fight:
1d20 +5 =11 / miss.
Round 7: Fgt: Vit: 9,W: 13,AB 5,AC 13/Rog: Vit: 0,W: 5,AB 4,AC 18
Rogue bluffs for sneak attack: 1d20+8 = 13
Fighter rolls Sense Motive: 1d20+2 = 13 (close call here...)
Rogue rolls attack, goes for the head (+4 to AC): 1d20 +4 = 15 / miss !
Fighter rolls attack: 1d20 +5 =10 / miss.
Round 8: Fgt: Vit: 9,W: 13,AB 5,AC 13/Rog: Vit: 0,W: 5,AB 4,AC 18
Rogue bluffs for sneak attack: 1d20+8 = 27
Fighter rolls Sense Motive: 1d20+2 = 19 (nice roll but no chance)
Rogue rolls attack, goes for the head (+4 to AC): 1d20 +4 = 20 , damage 1d6+1 = 7.
Finally a good hit. Fighter only has a leather helmet with DR 2, so still 5 points of damage.
Fighter rolls attack: 1d20 +5 =11 / miss. Streak of bad luck here...
Round 9: Fgt: Vit: 4,W: 13,AB 5,AC 13/Rog: Vit: 0,W: 5,AB 4,AC 18
Rogue bluffs for sneak attack: 1d20+8 = 19
Fighter rolls Sense Motive: 1d20+2 = 12
Rogue rolls attack, hopes that the sneak attack will get past the DR:
1d20 +4 = 22, possible rapier crit! Confirm: 1d20 +4 = 24!
Damage 1d6+1 = 4 (no multiplication under vitality point rules, remember?), sneak attack = 7
Okay so again, sneak attack damage doesn't count for wounds. So fighter's vitality just goes to 0. The 4 points of damage again get reduced to minimum 1 damage to wounds by fighter's armour, but he takes a wound to 1d20 = 9
-> Left arm is it again. Another -2 to BAB and -1 to AC and weapon damage !
Fighter rolls attack: It's looking bad. With a mere +3 to hit, fighter needs a 15 or better to score. 1d20 +3 =16 / miss.
Round 10: Fgt: Vit: 0,W: 12,AB 3,AC 12/Rog: Vit: 0,W: 5,AB 4,AC 18
Rogue bluffs for sneak attack: 1d20+8 = 13
Fighter rolls Sense Motive: 1d20+2 = 16
Rogue rolls attack, goes for the shield arm (+6 to AC) figuring that he will inflict another injury on a hit and that that a 3rd wound will disable the fighter's left arm. Bad for someone wielding a greatsword:
1d20 +4 = 13 / miss
Fighter rolls attack: Fighter needs a 15 or better to score. 1d20 +3 =14 / miss.
Round 11: Fgt: Vit: 0,W: 12,AB 3,AC 12/Rog: Vit: 0,W: 4,AB 4,AC 18
Rogue bluffs for sneak attack: 1d20+8 = 18
Fighter rolls Sense Motive: 1d20+2 = 12
Rogue rolls attack, goes for the legs this time (+2 to AC) since they are easier to hit: 1d20 +4 = 22, another possible crit! Confirm: 1d20 +4 =14, it is a critical! Damage 1d6 +1 = 5.
No damage doubling under Vitality Point rules and rogue has already shaved off all of fighter's vitality. So what good is his sneak attack? He gets to deduct his 2 sneak attack dice fom fighter's leg armour of 4. So his 5 point attack, which would normally have been reduced to 1 point now still inflicts 3 points of damage.
Also, fighter takes -2 to DEX (also reducing his AC !) and suffers a trip attack from rogue (oh the humility!). Opposed check: Rogue: 1d20+1 = 11, Fighter: 1d20+3= 18.
Fighter rolls attack: 1d20 +3 =17 / miss. Dice can really be mean...
Round 11: Fgt: Vit: 0,W: 9,AB 3,AC 11/Rog: Vit: 0,W: 5,AB 4,AC 18
Rogue bluffs for sneak attack: 1d20+8 = 16
Fighter rolls Sense Motive: 1d20+2 = 20
Rogue rolls attack: Realizing that every hit will cause a wound now, rogue just stabs away with his rapier: 1d20 +4 = 24, another possible crit! Confirm: 1d20 +4 =8, uhm, no. Damage 1d6 +1 = 5. Hit location: 1d20 = 20. Two 20s so close together... anyway, that is a hit to the head.
Helmet reduces damage to 3 but still fighter takes -2 to INT and WIS and his Initiative drops by 5 points. He's still not below 0 initiative, at least he doesn't lose his action.
Fighter rolls attack: 1d20 +3 =22, possible crit! Confirm: 1d20 +3 = 13. hrmph. Still, that are 2d6 +4 = 11 points of damage. Even with the DR 4 of the chain shirt that finally drops rogue to -2. Yay for greatswords.
###
Fighter is pretty beat up. He is down to 6 wound points. Furthermore he took a 3 point wound to the head (-2 to INT,WIS), a 3 point wound to the leg(s) (-2 to DEX) and two 1 point wounds to his left arm ( a total of -4 to attack, -2 to damage and -2 to AC)
If fighter would be using a shield, the arm wounds would instead lower his AC by 4 points.
Note that the arm wounds don't actually reduce his STR, since this would reduce his carrying capacity and could theoretically result in a heavily encumbered character keeling over from too much weight.
And yes, it is entirely possible that a heavily armoured character will end up effectivly incapaciated from wound effects, long before he runs out of wound points.
Note that the wound effects are not ability damage, they will go away as soon as the wound points associated with these penalties get healed. So relieve is just a cure spell away.
Unless you are playing in a campaign where natural healing happens...
Okay. Just a few ideas. Maybe one or three people actually find this inspiring.
So, do you think this could be more fun then the RAW?
Lycar
The D&D systemas written is made for fun and easy play, not realism or 'simulationism'.
Still, let's face it, with the current system, the only armours that see use are either chain shirt or full plate, with the occasional mithril breast plate.
Now Unearthed Arcana already offers a slightly more differentiated armour system where your ability to avoid being hit relies on your level and class, rather then the armour you wear. Armour does, instead, offer some damage reduction.
For example, even full plate offers only an AC bonus of +4. Even a first level fighter can get a defense bonus of +6 under the Unearthed Arcana rules. So it's a tradeoff between not getting hit at all or taking less damage from a hit.
Now while this might be impractical for a tabletop game (or not, depending on your personal opinion), for a PbP game a more complex rule wouldn't really slow down the game.
So, taking a heavy dose of inspiration from other RPGs out there, let us introduce hit zones: A normal attack always has to deal with the best damage reduction of the whole set of armour (normally the body armour and excluding helmets). If you aim for a body part that the specific set of armour does not cover, you incur a penalty to your to-hit roll, but you circumnavigate the DR of the armour.
Suddenly it makes a difference to wear a leather armour that covers your whole body, or a chain shirt that only protects chest and abdomen.
Hit zones/location:
There are 7 hit locations.
Head: Protected by helmets. +4 on AC for an attack aimed at the head.
Chest: Protected by usually all armours. +6 on AC for an attack aimed at the chest area (*)
Abdomen: Protected by usually all armours. +4 to AC for an attack aimed at the abdominal area.
Sword arm: Protected by arm armour and/or greaves. +4 to AC for an attack aimed at the sword arm.
Shield arm: Protected by arm armour and/or greaves. +6 to AC for an attack aimed at the shield arm.
Legs: Protected by leg armour and/or greaves. +2 to AC for an attack aimed at the legs. (**)
(*) Important for armours that only cover the front side of the torso/abdomen.
(**) Trip attacks with weapons ought to need to aim for the legs. They are touch attacks anyway, so an extra +2 to the enemies AC won't really hurt. But this gives some love to the people who toke the pain of tripping with an unarmed strike. Or taking the Improved Trip feat for that matter.
Changes to armours:
Listed are the DR for the hit locations head (H),chest (C), abdomen (Ab), right (sword) arm (RA), shield (left) arm (LA) and legs (L).
When pieces of armour get combined (as in, a padded armour worn under a chain shirt or breastplate), ADD the DR but use the higher of ACP and the lower of MDex.
Note that to make armour proficiencies better, Light Armour Proficieny allows you to ignore 1 point of ACP, Medium Armour Proficieny ignores 2 and Heavy Armour Proficiency 3 points of ACP.
Also, if you use mithral armour, the armour still counts as it's original category for the purpose of proficiency requirements. So a mithral full plate still requires heavy armour proficieny to wear!With the damage reduction rules, heavy armour suddenly becomes a lot more valuable. So classes that get Heavy Armour Proficiency actually have an advantage.
So a fighter could wear a chain shirt and have an effective ACP of 0.
The barbarian can still wear mithral breastplate and use his barbarian features, but to wear it proficiently, dip in a class with HAP or get the feat!
Also, since DR values are high, every hit still deals at least 1 point of damage!
Light armours:
Padded Armour: "Padded armour features quilted layers of of cloth an batting." Also, this is what you wear under a suit of maille or plate to prevent chafing. A suit of chainmail, scale mail or any of the heavy armours already includes padded armour as an undergarment.
DR: H: -, C: 1, Ab: 1, RA: 1, LA: 1, L: 1 ACP: 1 , MDex: 8, AC +1
(Alternativly, this could also be DR 1/piercing, seeing that the suit cushions blows and offers some modes protection from cuts but if woefully inadequate versus impaling weapons)
Leather Armour: "The breastplate and shoulder protectors of this armour are made of leather that has been stiffened by boiling in oil. The rest of the armour is made of softer and more flexible leather."
DR: H: -, C: 2, Ab: 2, RA: 1, LA: 1, L: 1 ACP: 1 , MDex: 6, AC +1
(Alternativly consider the DR on arms and legs to be 1/bludgeoning. Leather is tough and thus cut and puncture resistant but doesn't cushion blows very well. Can't be combined with padded armour.)
Leather Greaves: A new armour item. Leather greaves add +1 DR to arms and legs but increase ACP by +1 and lower MDex by 1. Can be added to armours that don't already offer arm/leg protection of 3 or better, or worn on their own. 5 gp, 5 lb.
DR: H: -, C: -, Ab: -, RA: +1, LA: +1, L: +1 ACP: +1 , MDex: -1
Studded Leather Armour: "This armour is made from tough but flexible leather (not hardened leather, as with normal leather armour) reinforced with close-set metal rivets." A step up from leather armour, the metal rivets increase protection value for the body.
DR: H: -, C: 3, Ab: 3, RA: 2, LA: 2, L: 2 ACP: 2 , MDex: 5, AC +2
(Alternativly, since the body armour is flexible, consider the protection vs. bludgeoning attacks to be 1 less for the entire suit.)
Chain Shirt: "A chain shirt protects your torso while leaving your limbs free and mobile. It includes a layer of quilted fabric worn underneath to prevent chafing and to cushion the impact of blows. A chain shirt comes with a steel cap." The main advantage of a chain shirt is the possibility to hide it under normal clothing. You can walk around and look unarmoured.
DR: H: 3, C: 4, Ab: 4, RA: 0, LA: 0, L: 0 ACP: 3 , MDex: 4 AC +2
(You can wear padded armour under the chain shirt instead of the padded vest that comes with the armour. In that case, add the DR of the padded armour to the arms and legs ONLY. You can add greaves instead or on top of that. If you wear just the vest, treat it as padded armour with no arm or leg protection and no ACP or MDex limit.)
Leather Helmet: New armour item. A helmet made from leather and with padding to protect the skull from cuts, stabs and blows. . 2gp, 2 lb.
DR: H: 2, C: -, Ab: -, RA: -, LA: -, L: - ACP: - , MDex: -
Steel Cap: New armour item. A skullcap made from metal. Can be hidden under a hood or cowl. 10 gp 4 lb. Included in a chain shirt.
DR: H: 3, C: -, Ab: -, RA: -, LA: -, L: - ACP: - , MDex: -
Chain Coif: Like a hood made from chain mail, this covers the head and neck. Protects against cuts and stabs, less effective against bludgeoning. 20 gp. 6lb.
DR: H: 4, C: -, Ab: -, RA: -, LA: -, L: - ACP: +1 , MDex: -
(Optionally consider the DR to be 2 vs. bludgeoning.)
Helmet: The standard metal helmet that comes with heavy armours and breastplates. Protects the head and (partially) the face of the wearer. On it's own it costs 15 gp and weights 5 lb.
DR: H: 5, C: -, Ab: -, RA: -, LA: -, L: - ACP: +2 , MDex: -
Visored Helmet: What would a knight be without it? Slightly more heavy then a simple helmet, the visored helmet offers added protection while closed and reduced impairment to visibility and hearing while opened. 20 gp, 6 lb.
DR: H: 5, C: -, Ab: -, RA: -, LA: -, L: - ACP: +2 , MDex: - (open)
DR: H: 7, C: -, Ab: -, RA: -, LA: -, L: - ACP: +4 , MDex: -, AC +1 (closed)
(Opening or closing the helmet counts as a move action. A character with at least 1 point of BAB can close the helmet combined with an actual movement, just like drawing a weapon.)
Medium Armours:
Hide Armour: "This armour is prepared from multiple layers of leather and animal hides. It is stiff and hard to move in. Druids, who wear only nonmetallic armour, favour hide."
DR: H: 0, C: 3, Ab: 3, RA: 2, LA: 2, L: 2 ACP: 4 , MDex: 3, AC +2
(What studded leather does with metal rivets, hide does with extra layers of more leather. Can't be combined with padded armour but you can add greaves.)
Scale Mail: "This armour consists of a coat and leggings (and perhaps a seperate skirt) of leather covered with overlapping pieces of metal, much like the scales of a fish. The suit includes gauntlets." Cheaper and lighter then a full suit of chain, this armour offers only slightly better protection then studded leather.
DR: H: 0, C: 3, Ab: 3, RA: 3, LA: 3, L: 3 ACP: 5 , MDex: 3, AC +2
Chainmail: "This armour is made of interlocking metal rings. It includes a layer of quilted fabric worn underneath to prevent chafing and to cushion the impact of blows. Several layers of mail are hung over vital areas. Most of the armour's weight hangs from the shoulders, making chainmail uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time. The suit includes gauntlets." You can take off the chain part and sleep in the padded armour instead.
DR: H: 0, C: 4, Ab: 4, RA: 3, LA: 3, L: 3 ACP: 6 , MDex: 2, AC +3
(Chainmail is flexible and thus has trouble dealing with crushing blows. Optionally, you can consider the DR to be 1 less vs. bludgeoning attacks.)
Breastplate: "A breastplate covers your front and your back. It comes with a helmet and greaves (plates to cover your lower legs). A light suit or skirt of studded leather beneath the breastplate protects your limbs without restricting movement much."
DR: H: 5, C: 6, Ab: 4, RA: 3, LA: 3, L: 3 ACP: 4 , MDex: 3, AC +3
(For sake of simplicity, this includes leather greaves for the limbs.)
Cuirass: New armour item. A cuirass is just the front torso armour from the breastplate. As a seperate item of armour it can be worn over padded, leather, studded leather, chain shirt, chain mail and scale mail armour (other armours are too bulky to allow the addition of the cuirass or already include a breastplate). This adds +3 to the DR for chest and +1 DR for abdomen only, increases the ACP by 3 and lowers MDex by 2. The combination also counts as a medium armour. 80 gp, 10 lb.
DR: H: -, C: +3, Ab: +1, RA: -, LA: -, L: - ACP: +3 , MDex: -2, AC +1
(Optional rule: Since this armour only covers the front, a flanked character can have his unprotected back attacked with an +6 to AC.)
Heavy Armours
Splint Mail: "This armour is made of narrow vertical strips of metal riveted to a backing of leather that is worn over cloth padding. Flexible chainmail protects the joints. The suit includes gauntlets." And a helmet.
DR: H: 5, C: 5, Ab: 5, RA: 4, LA: 4, L: 4 ACP: 7 , MDex: 0, AC +3
Banded Mail: "This armour made of of overlapping strips of metal sewn to a backing of leather and chainmail. The strips cover vulnerable areas, while the chain and leather protect the joints and provide freedom of movement. Straps and buckles distribute the weight evenly. The suit includes gauntlets." And a helmet.
DR: H: 5, C: 6, Ab: 6, RA: 4, LA: 4, L: 4 ACP: 6 , MDex: 1, AC +3
Half Plate: "This armour is a combination of chainmail with metal plates (breastplate, epaullettes, elbow guards, gauntlets, tasses and greaves) covering vital areas. Buckles and straps hold the whole suit together and distribute the weight, but the armour still hangs more loosely than full plate. The suit includes gauntlets." And a helmet.
DR: H: 5, C: 7, Ab: 5, RA: 5, LA: 5, L: 5 ACP: 7 , MDex: 0, AC +4
Full Plate: "This armour consists of shaped and fitted metal plates, riveted and interlocked to cover the entire body. The suit includes gauntlets, heavy leather boots, a visored helmet, and a thick layer of padding that is worn underneath the armour. ..." etc., as in PHB.
DR: H: 5(7), C: 7, Ab: 6, RA: 5, LA: 5, L: 5 ACP: 6 , MDex: 1, AC +4
Interaction of DR armour and things like sneak attack:
Obviously, the DR armour system only works reasonably as long as the amount of damage any attack inflicts stays within certain limits.
A DR of 2 from leather vs. DR 6 from a breastplate makes a difference if your enemies are inflicting 1d8+1 long sword damage. It is less impressive vs. an ogre doing 2d8+6 or an rogue sneak attacking for 1d4+5d6.
In these cases you'd rather not be hit at all. So being lightly armoured actually is better here as it helps in not being hit.
The UA defense bonus rules make you chose between getting the armour DR and AC bonus OR your defense bonus, but not both. This makes armour totally useless after a certain level. To alleviate this problem, I would suggest you allow to add the defense bonus up to the MDex value of the total armour. That is a 1st level fighter in a chain shirt still gets his +1 from the chain shirt and a defense bonus of +4. Alternativly, same fighter could wear a banded mail, getting an AC bonus of +3 and a defense bonus of +1. Note that the chain shirt fighter has a better touch AC since defense bonus adds to that too, while the banded mail fighter can soak up more damage.
So there are a few ways to make this work. For exmple, include the vitality and wound system from Unearthed Arcana with a few twists:
In the variant, you deduct damage from vitality first before you suffer actual wound points. A critical hit on the other hand inflicts wound points directly and ignores any DR a creature has.
Variant: Criticals don't ignore the DR from your armour. Instead you roll randomly which hit location gets hit: 1d20, 1-6 legs (odd left leg, even right leg) , 7-8 abdomen, 9-14 arms (odd left (shield) arm, even right (sword) arm), 15-18 chest, 19-20 head.
Remember to rule that all successfull attacks inflict at least 1 point of damage.
Now add sneak attacks: They do their normal vitality point damage (representing the sneak attack tiring the character or forcing him into a precarious situation). They do not do increased wound damage though. Instead, a character with sneak attack can ignore 1 point of DR for every die of sneak attack he has for the purpose of causing wound damage only.
If a sneak attack has damage left after reducing a target's vitality to 0, just count this as a normal critical hit without any benefit from sneak attack.
After that, each sneak attack does NORMAL WEAPON damage but ignores 1 point of DR for each die of sneak attack.
Also, it is vitally important to curb power attack: Only 1:1 even for 2-handed weapons! They already are at an advantage due to their higher damage output. Normal two-handed power attacking and jumping and whatnot would render even full plate irrelevant!
Okay. Now we do some wound points. Why bother with hit locations?
Because taking wounds should mean something:
Leg: A successfull wounding attack to a leg gives you a free trip attempt. You can't be tripped back if you fail, you don't get an extra attack from Improved Trip. Foe's DEX is reduced by 2. 3 leg wounds and a bipedal opponent is automatically prone.
Abdomen: A wound to the abdomen causes an additional 1d4 points of damage, reduces the target's STR and DEX by 2. 3 abdominal wounds knock the foe unconscious immediately for 1d20 rounds. Even after regaining consciousness, the foe is considered disabled until all the abdominal wounds have been healed.
Arm: Sword arm: Foe suffers -2 to BAB, a -1 to weapon damage and -1 to AC (can't parry as efficiently any more). 3rd wound disables the arm, foe drops whatever he's holding.
Shield arm: If using a shield, -2 to AC, if wielding off-hand weapon as sword arm, if hands free, no effect. 3rd wound disables arm, foe drops whatever he's holding.
Chest: A wound causes -2 to STR and CON as well as 1d4 extra points of damage. 3 chest wounds knock the foe unconscious immediately for 1d20 rounds. Even after regaining consciousness, the foe is considered disabled until all the chest wounds have been healed.
Head: A head wound causes -2 to INT and WIS and reduces the foe's initiative count by 2d6 points. If this reduces the foes to below 0 initiative, he loses his action for the current round and instead gets a new initiative count of 1 higher then the highest initiative count in the fight. 3 head wounds knock the foe unconscious immediately for 1d20 rounds. Even after regaining consciousness, the foe is considered disabled until all the head wounds have been healed.
How does it play?
Example fight:
3rd. lv fighter with attack bonus +7, a greatsword for 2d6+4 damage. Wears a suit of chain mail + cuirass and a leather helmet. Has Weapon Focus and Power Attack.
Chain mail:
R: H: 0, C: 4, Ab: 4, RA: 3, LA: 3, L: 3 ACP: 6 , MDex: 2, AC +3
Cuirass:
R: H: -, C: +3, Ab: +1, RA: -, LA: -, L: - ACP: +3 , MDex: -2, AC +1
Leather Helmet:
DR: H: 2, C: -, Ab: -, RA: -, LA: -, L: - ACP: - , MDex: -
Total armour DR: H 2, C 7, Ab 5, RA 3, LA 3 , ACP: 6, MDex 0
Wound points 14, Vitality points 28, AC 14 (defense bonus would be +7 but chain + cuirass leave him with a MDex of 0, so no defense bonus for him.
Without the cuirass, he would have MDex 2, raising his AC to 16, plus possibly up to +2 for DEX. Maybe he's clumsy. Maybe he figures that anyone who wants to hit his arms or legs takes a -2 to his to-hit anyway and rather goes with more protection.))
VS
3rd. lv rogue with attack bonus +5, a rapier for 1d6+1 damage. Wears a chain shirt. Has Weapon Finesse and Improved Feint.
Chain Shirt:
DR: H: 3, C: 4, Ab: 4, RA: 0, LA: 0, L: 0 ACP: 3 , MDex: 4 AC +2
Effective ACP 2 thanks to Light Armour Proficiency.
Wound points 12, Vitality points 19, AC 19 (DEX 16 = +3, +2 from chain shirt and his maximum defense bonus of +4)
Round 1: Fgt: Vit: 28,W: 14,AB 7,AC 14/Rog: Vit: 19, W: 12,AB 5, AC 19
Rogue gains initiative, bluffs for sneak attack: 1d20+8 = 27
Fighter rolls Sense Motive: 1d20+2 = 13 (low wisdom hurts folks...)
Rogue rolls attack: 1d20 +5 = 7 / miss. (note that the rogue could possibly ignore the fighters DEX bonus to AC. Except the fighter doesn't have any due to his MDex of 0.)
Fighter rolls attack: 1d20 +7 =8 / miss.
Round 2: Fgt: Vit: 28,W: 14,AB 7,AC 14/Rog: Vit: 19, W: 12,AB 5, AC 19
Rogue bluffs for sneak attack: 1d20+8 = 12
Fighter rolls Sense Motive: 1d20+2 = 5
Rogue rolls attack: 1d20 +5 = 25 / possible crit, confirmation roll: 1d20 +5 = 20 , critical sneak attack hit!
*Right now things get interesting: We mentioned that criticals do wounds but sneak attack doesn't count for wounds. Solution: As long as the foe has vitality left, that gets reduced instead.
Damage: 1d6+1 = 2 rapier, 2d6 = 8 sneak attack damage, location 1d20 = 11 -> Wound the shield arm!
So fighter takes 8 points of vitality damage, which gets not reduced by armour on account of being a critical hit, the wound damage to the arm gets reduced to 1 (minimum damage, remember?) but since he's a two-hand fighter, his left arm is also a sword arm and he takes -2 to BAB, -1 to weapon damage and -1 to AC.
Ouch!
Fighter rolls attack: 1d20 +5 = 21 / damage 2d6+4 = 13
Since this is a mormal hit, chain shirt body armour reduces that by 4 points for a total of 9 points of vitality damage.
Round 3: Fgt: Vit: 20,W: 13,AB 5,AC 13/Rog: Vit: 10,W: 12,AB 5,AC 19
Rogue bluffs for sneak attack: 1d20+8 = 10
Fighter rolls Sense Motive: 1d20+2 = 21 (he's finally catching on :smallwink:)
Rogue rolls attack: 1d20 +5 = 16 / damage 1d6+1 = 3
Fighter rolls attack: 1d20 +5 =11 / miss.
Fighter's combo of chain mail and cuirass gives a DR of 7. So unless the rogue crits or sneak attacks, he can never do more then 1 pt. of damage with a hit.
Round 4: Fgt: Vit: 19,W: 13,AB 5,AC 13/Rog: Vit: 10,W: 12,AB 5,AC 19
Rogue bluffs for sneak attack: 1d20+8 = 14
Fighter rolls Sense Motive: 1d20+2 = 18
Rogue rolls attack, but decides to go for the sword arm (+4 to AC): 1d20 +5 = 17 / damage 1d6+1 = 2
The aimed strike hits but again the damage is reduced to 1. Bad luck.
Fighter rolls attack: 1d20 +5 =21, damage 2d6+3 = 7 (rememnber, -1 to damage because of arm wound).
Since this wasn't an aimed attack, full chain shirt DR applies, reducing this to 3 pts. of damage.
Round 5: Fgt: Vit: 18,W: 13,AB 5,AC 13/Rog: Vit: 7,W: 12,AB 5,AC 19
Rogue bluffs for sneak attack: 1d20+8 = 15
Fighter rolls Sense Motive: 1d20+2 = 14
Rogue rolls attack, goes for the sword arm again (+4 to AC): 1d20 +5 = 19 / damage 1d6+1 = 7, sneak attack 2d6 = 5.
Total damage 12 points and while a normal hit would have to contend with fighters's body armour of 7, this hit to the arm only gets reduced by the chain shirt DR of 3 for a total of 9 points.
Fighter rolls attack: Getting slightly desperate, fighter goes for a leg hit (+2 to AC): 1d20 +5 =25, possible crit, confirm: 1d20+5 = 17, not enough against 19+2 for leg shot. Still, it is a hit. Damage 2d6+3 = 14
That hurts. Rogue is down to 5 wound points, plus this is a leg wound. Not only does this reduce rogue's DEX by 2 (and thus both his AB and AC by 1), fighter also gets a free trip!
Opposed trip check: Fighter: 1d20+3 = 8, Rogue: 1d20+2 = 14 (reduced DEX of 14 is still better then STR 12) At least he can retain his footing.
Round 6: Fgt: Vit: 9,W: 13,AB 5,AC 13/Rog: Vit: 0,W: 5,AB 4,AC 18
Rogue bluffs for sneak attack: 1d20+8 = 15
Fighter rolls Sense Motive: 1d20+2 = 22
Rogue should probably surrender. As a hardened criminal, he goes for fighter's least armoured spot: The head.
Rogue rolls attack, goes for the head (+4 to AC): 1d20 +4 = 10 / miss
Fighter rolls attack, feeling confident that a simple hit will end this fight:
1d20 +5 =11 / miss.
Round 7: Fgt: Vit: 9,W: 13,AB 5,AC 13/Rog: Vit: 0,W: 5,AB 4,AC 18
Rogue bluffs for sneak attack: 1d20+8 = 13
Fighter rolls Sense Motive: 1d20+2 = 13 (close call here...)
Rogue rolls attack, goes for the head (+4 to AC): 1d20 +4 = 15 / miss !
Fighter rolls attack: 1d20 +5 =10 / miss.
Round 8: Fgt: Vit: 9,W: 13,AB 5,AC 13/Rog: Vit: 0,W: 5,AB 4,AC 18
Rogue bluffs for sneak attack: 1d20+8 = 27
Fighter rolls Sense Motive: 1d20+2 = 19 (nice roll but no chance)
Rogue rolls attack, goes for the head (+4 to AC): 1d20 +4 = 20 , damage 1d6+1 = 7.
Finally a good hit. Fighter only has a leather helmet with DR 2, so still 5 points of damage.
Fighter rolls attack: 1d20 +5 =11 / miss. Streak of bad luck here...
Round 9: Fgt: Vit: 4,W: 13,AB 5,AC 13/Rog: Vit: 0,W: 5,AB 4,AC 18
Rogue bluffs for sneak attack: 1d20+8 = 19
Fighter rolls Sense Motive: 1d20+2 = 12
Rogue rolls attack, hopes that the sneak attack will get past the DR:
1d20 +4 = 22, possible rapier crit! Confirm: 1d20 +4 = 24!
Damage 1d6+1 = 4 (no multiplication under vitality point rules, remember?), sneak attack = 7
Okay so again, sneak attack damage doesn't count for wounds. So fighter's vitality just goes to 0. The 4 points of damage again get reduced to minimum 1 damage to wounds by fighter's armour, but he takes a wound to 1d20 = 9
-> Left arm is it again. Another -2 to BAB and -1 to AC and weapon damage !
Fighter rolls attack: It's looking bad. With a mere +3 to hit, fighter needs a 15 or better to score. 1d20 +3 =16 / miss.
Round 10: Fgt: Vit: 0,W: 12,AB 3,AC 12/Rog: Vit: 0,W: 5,AB 4,AC 18
Rogue bluffs for sneak attack: 1d20+8 = 13
Fighter rolls Sense Motive: 1d20+2 = 16
Rogue rolls attack, goes for the shield arm (+6 to AC) figuring that he will inflict another injury on a hit and that that a 3rd wound will disable the fighter's left arm. Bad for someone wielding a greatsword:
1d20 +4 = 13 / miss
Fighter rolls attack: Fighter needs a 15 or better to score. 1d20 +3 =14 / miss.
Round 11: Fgt: Vit: 0,W: 12,AB 3,AC 12/Rog: Vit: 0,W: 4,AB 4,AC 18
Rogue bluffs for sneak attack: 1d20+8 = 18
Fighter rolls Sense Motive: 1d20+2 = 12
Rogue rolls attack, goes for the legs this time (+2 to AC) since they are easier to hit: 1d20 +4 = 22, another possible crit! Confirm: 1d20 +4 =14, it is a critical! Damage 1d6 +1 = 5.
No damage doubling under Vitality Point rules and rogue has already shaved off all of fighter's vitality. So what good is his sneak attack? He gets to deduct his 2 sneak attack dice fom fighter's leg armour of 4. So his 5 point attack, which would normally have been reduced to 1 point now still inflicts 3 points of damage.
Also, fighter takes -2 to DEX (also reducing his AC !) and suffers a trip attack from rogue (oh the humility!). Opposed check: Rogue: 1d20+1 = 11, Fighter: 1d20+3= 18.
Fighter rolls attack: 1d20 +3 =17 / miss. Dice can really be mean...
Round 11: Fgt: Vit: 0,W: 9,AB 3,AC 11/Rog: Vit: 0,W: 5,AB 4,AC 18
Rogue bluffs for sneak attack: 1d20+8 = 16
Fighter rolls Sense Motive: 1d20+2 = 20
Rogue rolls attack: Realizing that every hit will cause a wound now, rogue just stabs away with his rapier: 1d20 +4 = 24, another possible crit! Confirm: 1d20 +4 =8, uhm, no. Damage 1d6 +1 = 5. Hit location: 1d20 = 20. Two 20s so close together... anyway, that is a hit to the head.
Helmet reduces damage to 3 but still fighter takes -2 to INT and WIS and his Initiative drops by 5 points. He's still not below 0 initiative, at least he doesn't lose his action.
Fighter rolls attack: 1d20 +3 =22, possible crit! Confirm: 1d20 +3 = 13. hrmph. Still, that are 2d6 +4 = 11 points of damage. Even with the DR 4 of the chain shirt that finally drops rogue to -2. Yay for greatswords.
###
Fighter is pretty beat up. He is down to 6 wound points. Furthermore he took a 3 point wound to the head (-2 to INT,WIS), a 3 point wound to the leg(s) (-2 to DEX) and two 1 point wounds to his left arm ( a total of -4 to attack, -2 to damage and -2 to AC)
If fighter would be using a shield, the arm wounds would instead lower his AC by 4 points.
Note that the arm wounds don't actually reduce his STR, since this would reduce his carrying capacity and could theoretically result in a heavily encumbered character keeling over from too much weight.
And yes, it is entirely possible that a heavily armoured character will end up effectivly incapaciated from wound effects, long before he runs out of wound points.
Note that the wound effects are not ability damage, they will go away as soon as the wound points associated with these penalties get healed. So relieve is just a cure spell away.
Unless you are playing in a campaign where natural healing happens...
Okay. Just a few ideas. Maybe one or three people actually find this inspiring.
So, do you think this could be more fun then the RAW?
Lycar