Optional Armor Damage

[Solomoriah]

Probably a blank paragraph floating at the end of the license.

Note that ODT attachments may not format exactly the same on your computer as on the creator's. This is why, when merely using a supplement, it's better to take the PDF... and also why creators should post both formats.

If we aren't too lazy... (and I'm talking about me here.)

[quozl]

I created a PDF and uploaded it to the first post.

[quozl]

I'm thinking of revising this. What do you all think of the following?

Optional Armor Damage
This should speed up combat by making hard to hit monsters easier to hit.
Also, makes armor a depletable resource.

Roll to hit:
Natural 1 to unarmored AC-1 (unarmored AC is 11 with no DEX modifier) is a miss
Unarmored AC to AC-1 is a partial success (if a NPC/monster does not have an unarmored AC, use 11)
AC and higher is as normal - do damage to HP

What does partial success mean?
Lower the armor’s AC bonus by 1, cannot go lower than 0
Shield ACs cannot be lowered
Anyone without armor still has their AC lowered by 1, cannot go lower than 11

Fixing armor while out adventuring:
Roll 1d4-1 to see how much of the AC bonus is restored, that is the armor’s new AC bonus until taken to an armorer
Takes about an hour

Pay to repair armor at an armorer:
Costs 20gp to repair up to 2 of the AC bonus, the armor’s AC bonus cannot ever go any higher
Takes about a day

[UptonGames]

One idea along these lines that I have been considering for a while now.
- Your shield is there to block damage. It is the most important part of your defense;
- Your armour is there to absorb damage so that it doesn't get through to your body.
So your shield is your main defense. Instead of getting a miserable 1 it should be more effective.
- Buckler 3; useful against 1 opponent;
- Shield 4; useful against 2 opponents;
- Tower shield 5; useful against 3 opponents;
Your shield bonus and possibly your dexterity bonus is deducted from your "naked" rating to give you your effective AC *from in front.* (From behind or in flank, no bonuses.)
If your opponent's attack exceeds your armour class then he rolls for damage. The value of your armour is deducted from that and applied to the armour; the rest is applied to you.
So if your opponent hits you for 7 points of damage and your chainmail is rated at 5 then it takes 5 points damage and you take only 2.
Of course your armour can only take so much damage before it is falling off you and useless. At any time it can be repaired back to full value.
The main problem I see with this is that players would have to keep separate track of damage done to their armour and damage done to their character.