More defensive options ?


Homebrew and House Rules


I have thought of more defensive option but not yet playtested.
Not sure if it's not overcomplicating things for nothing, but I like the way it could help visualize the scene.

Instead of just AC, you have :
- Armor parry (same as AC but without shield or dodge bonus)
- Shield parry (10+dex+shield)
- Weapon parry (10+dex+str)
- Dodge (10+dex+dodge bonus)

With Armor parry, if hit you take damage normally, if not hit, you take half damage in non lethal damage, as being hit on your armor may still be painful even if it don't make you bleed.

With Shield parry, if hit, your shield lose 1 "hp" (small have 3, large have 5 for example) but you are not hit. Once at 0 "hp", the shield is pulled off and you must use a standard action to take it.

With weapon parry, if hit, your weapon fall and you have to use a standard action to take it but you lose 0hp.

With dodge, if hit, you take half damage (but it's a low AC).

What do you think about ?
Maybe it'll be better with a AC that gain points at each level like in iron heroes, as the AC is globally lower here.

I'm just afraid it'll slow the game too much with player having to decide to risk to lose their weapon or accept taking half damage (dodge being not safe), when low on health and unable to take a full hit.


I tried the active defense option in my games for a while and all it did was slow down play.Fun fact: half the time the player rolls low anyway *shrug*
Armor class just skips to the chase and assumes the character is doing his or her level best to defend at all times and just 'Takes 10'.
I understand the desire for an opposed roll...it alleviates the feeling of helplessness;but in play it can cause PCs to be hit with attacks that would have missed anyway.
Tracking separate HP mechanics on equipment at all times is an accounting nightmare as well.


I'm sorry... but I'm not talking about opposed roll for defense at all...
I talked about 4 different types of "defense scores" instead of "AC", each one representing a way to defend (easier to roleplay and avoiding to just tell "he missed you") to add more strategy.

About HP on equipment, I was just thinking about counting a few hits to a shield during a fight (3 hit on shield and it falls), nothing more, no damage on armor, or anything else... but maybe it's already too much...

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