Replacing AC and Saves with One Number

[Cranefist]

I was thinking of getting rid of saves and AC and replacing them with one number based on level + armor. Spells that allow a saving throw would be replaced with something equivalent to an attack roll, like stat + level. The rational is that magic affects the mind, and sense armor makes you feel safe, you are safe.

This would bleed off some of the spastic paper / scissor / rock in the game and make fights more level and fair.

[Byrdology]

No it wouldn't... Armored tanks would rule the world. There would be no way to balance the difference between high defense characters and squishy casters.

[master_marshmallow]

but squishy casters are already considered so much more powerful than high defense characters anyway that it may balance in a way that actually may be fun and may in fact make the fighter more appealing of a class than the wizard

heaven for bid should we give weaknesses to spellcasting classes

[LazarX]

But... how does that make sense? And it's not only spellcasters you're disadvantaging... it's the low armor and medium armor classes as well.

And quite frankly the only place that the existing fights seem "unfair" is on these messageboards.

[Cranefist]

Heavy armor is only good if it doesn't slow you. I've never once seen a character with a speed less than 30 other than a rogue make 7th level.

[master_marshmallow]

i can see making based off BAB, or even creating a Base Defense Bonus that scales with level just like BAB but is different for different classes

[Cranefist]

Master, that's more in accord with normal PF logic, but if I base it on AC, then you can easily build a defensive wizard with bracers and play him like dr. Strange or something. If it is based on bab, certain class types can't get in any kind of fight.

[master_marshmallow]

hence creating a new base number for each class that would progress with level

[Byrdology]

3.5's unearthed arcana has alot of variant rules like that. Armor as DR, class defense bonuses, and I believe there was a spell casting variant that was more focused on to hit than to save... I'll have to check my notes.