I just noticed that among the Pathfinder Heavy Armors, the protection ranges from a +7 armor with a +1 Dex bonus, to +8/+0, to +9/+1. What happened to +8/+1, or +9/+0?
Okay… I know what you’re saying: “Who cares?” – as soon as the heavy-armor-wearer can afford it, he’s going to buy Full Plate, with the +9/+1 characteristics.
Well, true. But shouldn’t there exist some variety in-between?
Heavy Armor
Cost 1100 gp; Weight 45 lbs.
Armor Bonus +8; Max Dex Bonus +1; Armor Check Penalty -6
Arcane Spell Failure Chance 40%; Speed 20 ft./15 ft.
Agile Full Plate sacrifices a bit of protection for a bit more mobility. While not as easy to climb or jump in as Agile Half-Plate, the armor nevertheless allows a bit more mobility for short bursts (such as combat), as well as the amor check penalty for Climb checks and jump checks is reduced by 1 (masterwork and mithral versions of this armor reduce this penalty as well as the normal penalty).
Heavy Armor
Cost 1000 gp; Weight 55 lbs.
Armor Bonus +9; Max Dex Bonus +0; Armor Check Penalty -7
Arcane Spell Failure Chance 40%; Speed 20 ft./15 ft.
Three-Quarter plate adds a bit more armor to Half-Plate, without the perfectly-balanced design of Full Plate. While not as easy to move in as Full Plate, the armor nevertheless packs on a bit more physical protection.
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Zrog (DeZrog)
There's a +7/+3 and a +8/+2 samurai style armor, might as well take those stats and costs and just name them something standard fantasy setting friendly. I think that was from ultimate combat?
In regards of the fullplate to agile fullplate, the ArmorCheckPenalty (ACP) is the same for both full plates (albeit it agile one gets a reduction of 1 when running), yet the Arcane Spell Failure (ASF) increases in the Agile one. Shouldn't the ASF be at least the same amount, if not a little bit lower, in the agile counterpart?
The agile half-plate, IMO, has better stats in regards to its original half-plate. Your agile full-plate is, IMO worse than the agile half-plate. Maybe if you lower the ASF back to the original 35%, and add just a little more than just a -1 on the ACP while running, it might be a good trade for the -1 in AC.