Weapon Type vs Armor Type

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mindtech
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Re: Weapon Type vs Armor Type

Post by mindtech »

I know a lot people believe that Variable Weapon Damage > all weapons do 1d6 damage (Holmes).

In my opinion Weapon Type vs Armor Type > Variable Weapon Damage.

If you can believe for a moment that a sword in general does greater damage than a dagger, then why wouldn't certain weapons affect different sized creatures in various ways?

I know the Iron Falcon lists Weapon Type vs Armor Type as an alternate combat rule, however in my weekly game its used in every combat. I find it adds an element of strategy and thought into battles.
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LibraryLass
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Re: Weapon Type vs Armor Type

Post by LibraryLass »

There's always this if you really wanna have a quick reference... And they even had the decency to include natural armor.

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Longman
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Re: Weapon Type vs Armor Type

Post by Longman »

Thanks. That table looks closer to what I want than the complexity of 1st edition. I might adopt it...or adapt it. I think spiking weapons (the pick), entangling weapons (the flail), and maybe even yanking weapons (the hook, et al) also need to be factored in somehow...
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LibraryLass
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Re: Weapon Type vs Armor Type

Post by LibraryLass »

Longman wrote:Thanks. That table looks closer to what I want than the complexity of 1st edition. I might adopt it...or adapt it. I think spiking weapons (the pick), entangling weapons (the flail), and maybe even yanking weapons (the hook, et al) also need to be factored in somehow...
I'd say flails are easy, just let them ignore shields. Other than that I probably wouldn't worry too much, just use my best judgement. I think trying to cover too many edge cases risks messing with the elegance of its simplicity.
PendragonTX
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Re: Weapon Type vs Armor Type

Post by PendragonTX »

Crossbow advantages: longer range ,(about double), better penetration, More damage, can be carried "cocked", less training to use.
Disadvantages: More expensive, (requires a workshop), more liable to moving parts failure, *much* lower rate of fire.

(Long)bow advantages: cheaper (can be made/repaired in the field). Lighter and less awkward to use. Much higher RoF. (I have seen 8 ained or 14 rapid-fire shots in one minute). Crossbow gets, at best, 1 aimed, 2 RF per minute fir a light, half or less for a heavy
Disadvantages. Cannot be carried "cocked". Shorter maximum range 400 yds vs 800. Specialized ammo to get equal penetration. Takes more real-world training.

Six of one, half dozen of the other.
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daryen
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Re: Weapon Type vs Armor Type

Post by daryen »

No.

The reason is because the tables were for weapons against armor class, not armor. So, your weapon had a specific modifier against AC 4 irrespective of why the target was AC 4. That is stupid.

Now, if it had actually been based on the actual type of armor, then we might have considered it. But the way it was presented was just arbitrary and unusable.
PendragonTX
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Re: Weapon Type vs Armor Type

Post by PendragonTX »

You're talking about the chart that listed every single weapon vs *AC* rather than armor *type*?
Even back in Ye Olde Dayes (1e) we went with type over AC. Between Dex, magic, etc " vs AC" didn't make sense. OTOH weapon vs type didn't noticably slow play, and added a lot of flavor.
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daryen
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Re: Weapon Type vs Armor Type

Post by daryen »

Yes, I am referring to the modifiers for each weapon in 1e against AC. Yes, we could have devised our own system to retrofit armor type instead of AC for the modifiers. Or we could have just pitched the modifiers entirely and had fun.

We took option B.
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Solomoriah
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Re: Weapon Type vs Armor Type

Post by Solomoriah »

No, the modifiers were against armor types. The text accompanying the table in 1E was clear on that (though I don't remember now if that was in the PHB or DMG).
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daryen
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Re: Weapon Type vs Armor Type

Post by daryen »

Nope, sorry. In 1e, it was adjustments against AC, not armor type. Maybe they fixed that in 2e (which I don't have), but in 1e it was against AC. And this is not going from memory. I actually checked the PDF I have before commenting. It was against AC.

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(Direct image from the 1e PHB.)
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