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The only real issue with the equipment chapter in my opinion is the value of the various armors. In every armor group (light, medium, heavy), there is one armor that is noticably better than all the others, thanks to the combination of max Dex bonus and the armor's own AC boost. The addition of mithral only exacerbates the problem, massively benefiting the metal armors over the non-metal ones (padded, leather, studded leather, and hide).
I would like to see two changes made here.
1) Increase the Dex bonus of the non-metal armors by 2 and lower their ACP to -1 (in the case of studded leather and hide, anyway), so they are not penalized for being non-metal.
2) Fix all the armors in a given group so that the total of their max Dex bonus and armor bonus to AC equals the same number (not counting the +2 Dex for the non-metal armors, as noted above), so you can select the armor best suited to your character. The cost of the "better" armors is not a balancing factor after about 4th level, so it would be better to simply balance the armors themselves.
For example:
Light Armors
---Padded (AC Bonus +1, max Dex bonus +9)
---Leather (AC Bonus +2, max Dex bonus +8)
---Studded Leather (AC bonus +3, max Dex bonus +7)
---Chain Shirt (AC bonus +4, max Dex bonus +4)
Medium Armors
---Hide (AC Bonus +3, max Dex bonus +8)
---Scale Mail (AC bonus +4, max Dex bonus +5)
---Chain Mail (AC bonus +5, max Dex bonus +4)
---Breastplate (AC bonus +6, max Dex bonus +3)
Heavy Armors
---Split Mail (AC bonus +6, max Dex bonus +4)
---Banded Mail (AC bonus +7, max Dex bonus +3)
---Half-Plate (AC bonus +8, max Dex bonus +2)
---Full Plate (AC bonus +9, max Dex bonus +1)
2) Fix all the armors in a given group so that the total of their max Dex bonus and armor bonus to AC equals the same number (not counting the +2 Dex for the non-metal armors, as noted above), so you can select the armor best suited to your character. The cost of the "better" armors is not a balancing factor after about 4th level, so it would be better to simply balance the armors themselves.
I proposed a similar change shortly after you did (not trying to threadjack; were were likely both typing at the same time). I agree: Cost cannot be a balancing factor for armor unless it scales like magical items and that's just not any fun at all.
Some revamping is definitely in order. I like your distinction between metal and non-metal armors. Would it help to have an equivalent to mithral for non-metal armors (Dragonscale or some such similarly suitable fantasy material)?
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Some revamping is definitely in order. I like your distinction between metal and non-metal armors. Would it help to have an equivalent to mithral for non-metal armors (Dragonscale or some such similarly suitable fantasy material)?
I definitely think that there should be some more expensive 'special material' armors for the non-metal set. It wouldn't necessarily have to be dragonhide (cause some DMs might prefer dragons to be a bit more uber than that), but there are plenty of critters out there with scaly hide of toughness all out of proportion to common sense. (Troglodytes and Lizardfolk, for instance, with scales that give them the same or better armor value than a *steel breastplate!*)
Similarly, some of the more 'solid' armors like breastplates could have Darkwood versions (you can make Shields out of Darkwood, so solid armor pieces would be no different, IMO), or alchemically reinforced bone.
The only real issue with the equipment chapter in my opinion is the value of the various armors. In every armor group (light, medium, heavy), there is one armor that is noticably better than all the others, thanks to the combination of max Dex bonus and the armor's own AC boost.
Here's my own take on it. I've been using it for a while.
Armor _______ Cost ____ AC Bonus _ Max DEX _ Check Pen _ Arcane Failure
Light Armors
Leather/Padded armor ____ 5 gp ____ +2 ____ +6 ____ -0 ____ 10%
Studded Leather ________ 15 gp ____ +3 ____ +5 ____ -1 ____ 15%
Chain Shirt/Scale mail ___ 100 gp ____ +4 ____ +4 ____ -2 ____ 20%
Medium Armors
Hide/Leather scale ______ 25 gp ____ +4 ____ +4 ____ -3 ____ 25%
Chainmail/Banded mail __ 200 gp ____ +5 ____ +3 ____ -4 ____ 30%
Breastplate ___________ 400 gp ____ +6 ____ +2 ____ -5 ____ 35%
Heavy Armors
Chain Hauberk ________ 300 gp ____ +6 ____ +2 ____ -6 ____ 40%
Half Plate ____________ 600 gp ____ +7 ____ +1 ____ -7 ____ 45%
Full Plate ___________ 1500 gp ____ +8 ____ +0 ____ -8 ____ 50%
'findel
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The only real issue with the equipment chapter in my opinion is the value of the various armors. In every armor group (light, medium, heavy), there is one armor that is noticably better than all the others, thanks to the combination of max Dex bonus and the armor's own AC boost.Here's my own take on it. I've been using it for a while.
Armor _______ Cost ____ AC Bonus _ Max DEX _ Check Pen _ Arcane Failure
Light Armors
Leather/Padded armor ____ 5 gp ____ +2 ____ +6 ____ -0 ____ 10%
Studded Leather ________ 15 gp ____ +3 ____ +5 ____ -1 ____ 15%
Chain Shirt/Scale mail ___ 100 gp ____ +4 ____ +4 ____ -2 ____ 20%
Medium Armors
Hide/Leather scale ______ 25 gp ____ +4 ____ +4 ____ -3 ____ 25%
Chainmail/Banded mail __ 200 gp ____ +5 ____ +3 ____ -4 ____ 30%
Breastplate ___________ 400 gp ____ +6 ____ +2 ____ -5 ____ 35%
Heavy Armors
Chain Hauberk ________ 300 gp ____ +6 ____ +2 ____ -6 ____ 40%
Half Plate ____________ 600 gp ____ +7 ____ +1 ____ -7 ____ 45%
Full Plate ___________ 1500 gp ____ +8 ____ +0 ____ -8 ____ 50%'findel
The problem with your Half plate/Full plate is with the max dex. Full plate is meant to be perfectly fitted to each character, that is the reason why it had a +1 Max Dex. All Full plate should be masterwork I think.
Field plate, which is in the PCS, should be added to Pathfinder! please.
The problem with your Half plate/Full plate is with the max dex. Full plate is meant to be perfectly fitted to each character, that is the reason why it had a +1 Max Dex. All Full plate should be masterwork I think.Field plate, which is in the PCS, should be added to Pathfinder! please.
I admit that I have a tendency to view the half plate as the field plate: a compromise of protection for enhanced mobility rather than simply a crapier, cheaper version of the full plate.
In that light, I don't see the the max Dex issue as a problem. I like to offer my players a "medium" plate with good mobility (breastplate) a "heavy" plate with low mobility (full plate) and something in between (half plate).
I understand that the sucky unhappy medium should logically exist, but I don't see the pertinence of including it in the game (other than offering a cheaper option). The half plate (as it is in 3.5) is too expensive to make it a cheaper alternative for low level characters, and not expensive enough to really make it a deciding factor when characters start shopping for heavy armors. Once magical enhancements get involved, the difference in price is close to neglectable.
In other words, I think the half-plate should exist for other reasons than the "I'm 700 gp short to buy a worthwhile suit full plate, so I'll settle for the half-plate"
'findel