Unfortunately I'm running into the same problem.
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I'm looking to start up a low-level Pathfinder game (E6, to be exact), but I'm finding the standard expectations about armor aren't thematically appropriate for the game I'm trying to run. I'd like armor to be useful, whether it's light or heavy, but I'd like characters to be capable (even encouraged) to wear relatively little or no armor without being handicapped. All I've been able to think of is something like the level-scaling Defense Bonus seen in some other D20 games like Star Wars, perhaps with a hybrid system where armor uses half its bonus as a Defense/AC bonus and half as damage reduction (Example: a chain shirt is normally +4 to AC, in this system it would be +2 Defense and DR 2/armor). The bonus to Defense/AC from armor would replace the person's class bonus to Defense/AC rather than adding to it, though I would likely add a feat tree that enhanced a character's ability to wear armor (similar to a talent tree of the Soldier in SW Saga Edition). Anyone have any additional thoughts or ideas on the topic of low-armor campaigns?
Sadly, I agree with most of your points. I love the idea of a Gunslinger, I actually played one (kinda) in a 3.5 mishmash game using some stuff from Iron Kingdoms, but the way these guns and this class is designed leaves a lot to be desired.
Yay! Anything about feats or alchemist discoveries (or just high-skill uses) to enhance alchemy? New alchemical items is awesome, but unless some of those items are more powerful than current ones, or unless there's some way to enhance alchemy somehow, I imagine they may get overshadowed along with the rest at mid-to-high levels. Anyway, I'm glad to hear about new alchemical stuff, high-level or not.
I've always thought alchemy didn't get enough love in D&D. At low levels it could be pretty useful, but it was also rather expensive and, if your character isn't particularly strong/doesn't have an extradimensional space, it could be rather heavy to carry around all those flasks/bags/stones. Then at mid-to-high levels alchemy lost most of its usefulness; static save DCs, low damage, generally not worth using. Pathfinder hasn't changed this much so far, and even the alchemist (going just by the playtest, of course) can't really do anything special with alchemy other than make it really quickly. I've thought that there should be ways of enhancing alchemy (not to mention having more variety of alchemy), through the use of feats/high skill/class features (and not counting the worthless Epic-level feat from the EPH... It would have been useful if you could take it at 6th level, not 21st). With the addition of the alchemist core class, it seems like the APG would be the perfect place to include such rules/feats/etc. Anyone know if there are any plans for anything to make alchemy a bit more useful, for a bit longer? Anyone have any thoughts on the subject? |