Please Consider Reclassifying Armor Groups and adding Armor Actions.

[The Once and Future Kai]

Let me start by saying...Shield Block is cool. The mechanics need some polishing but the image is fantastic. It definitely evokes the cinematic.

This thread serves two purposes. One is to ask that armor is divided into a different set of proficiency groups and the second that those groups each get a special Armor Action akin to Shield Block. This came out of the Concept: Choosing your proficiencies thread.

The Once and Future Kai wrote:

Like others - I don't like Light Armor proficiency "building" up to Medium Armor and then that "building" up to Heavy Armor. I'd rather that we have five Armor Groups: Simple Armor, Light Armor, Medium Armor, Heavy Armor, and Exotic Armor.

ARMOR GROUPS

Unarmored - Unarmored, Cloth, etc.
Light Armor - Leather, Chain Shirt, etc.
Medium Armor - Chainmail, Breastplate, etc.
Heavy Armor - Platemail, etc.
Exotic Armor - Weapon Groups with one special type of Armor.

Ascalaphus wrote:

Well, paladins get really forced into it, with more heavy armor proficiency than light or medium, and their ability to auto-crit succesful Fort saves while wearing heavy armor. Yay. I have to wear this particular type of armor to get all my class features.

Here's some random brainstorming for Armor Actions based on those Armor Groups.

Unarmored - Burn a Reaction to gain a bonus to AC/Reflex and take a Step.
Light Armor - Burn an Action to gain a AC/Reflex bonus until start of next turn.
Medium Armor - Burn an Action to negate the ACP for one turn.
Heavy Armor - Burn a Reaction to turn a Critical Strike into a normal Strike. Armor gains a Dent.
Exotic Armor - Based on the individual armor.

[Zamfield]

+1 to fixing the way armor proficiency is acquired. Nobody wants to invest in proficiency for a category of armor they don't intend to wear.

I don't know that granting each of these categories a Reaction is the correct path, but I could see them gaining either an Action, Free Action, or Reaction as applicable.

I think of it as more along the lines of how Motorcycle GP riders have hardcore knee pads, and so they can practically lean over until their knee pad touches and be safe. Some more fantasy related ideas could be:

Something like Medium armor wearing character can try a Greave/Vambrace Parry against a slashing weapon by batting away the flat of the blade.

Or a light armor wearing character can use a "Fold Into It" Reaction against a bludgeoning attack to fold around it and lessen the blow.

Or a Heavy armor weapon character can take a Bullrush action to "Shoulder Away" a readied shield and get off their attack ignoring the shield bonus.

Getting these unlocks from just Proficiency would be ideal. In fact I think the game would be much better off with more of these from trained up to legendary. But if that is too unbalancing, then creating Armor Feats and allowing them to be picked using some small amount gained from class or proficiency rank could also work.