Unarmored Warriors

[meinvt]

Armor check penalties are a tough thing to overcome. I put a couple DC 5 climbing and jumping challenges into a low level beta adventure, and sure enough it was the characters in chain mail who ended up dangling by fingertips and needing help back up. So, at least part of the advantage of less armor is already built in.

With that said, I also feel like the check penalties are perhaps too much, cutting chance of success at least by half, or worse. A DC 10 jumping check would be nearly impossible in plate mail. So, if tweaking to get lighter armor in the game, I suggest also adjusting heavy armor a bit.


A simple thought is that first I'd reduce all the check penalties by two (except for shield). Then I'd give warriors get a +CL bonus to AC so long as the armor check penalty of their equipment does not exceed their strength bonus and they are wielding a weapon with which they are proficient.

I wouldn't adjust the fumble die.


So, Scale Mail for a -2 check penalty could be worn by a 3rd level Warrior with 16 Strength would still get her character level as additional AC for the equivalent of wearing half plate. Conan, at 7th level with 18 Strength, 14 Dex would be able to wear Chain Mail and get a total of +13 to AC for a 23 and would be better off without the shield or bulkier armor. This all seems reasonable to me.

[jmucchiello]

I've only ever seen the armor vs agility argument take the agility side when magic was sufficiently available to make an armorless fighter possible. Rings of protection on a fighter were not unusual in our games that were not uptight about magic items. It's just a play style that is not very Appendix N.

The old school way to have an armorless fighter were to play a monk.

[Karaptis]

The supplement I'm working on ("Transylvanian Adventures") addresses this issue and offers a conversion for DCC classes as well -- in case a group wanted to use parts of TA in their DCC game.

Yet even another reason why TA has moved to the top of my list. I am really looking forward to all of the various 3PP material. Kudos to them and Mr Goodman for those!