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Armor - Helms - Shields
Armor - Helms - Shields
Armor: Armor comes in varying sizes, types, and levels of craftsmanship; this makes the utilization of armor hard to understand within the game mechanics. The following tables are used to determine the effectiveness of various types of armor. Superior craftsmanship, which can enhance the statistics listed below, is left to roleplay and will, of course, cost more. Armor comes in three basic flavors: Light, Medium, and Heavy. Though the carts below provide greater detail to the respective armor types, such detail is optional.
Armor Initiative Penalties: As a simple rule, individuals wearing armor suffer in reaction time due to the cumbersome movement and weight of worn armor. Some of these penalties can be overcome with the Armor Use skill; however, the penalty to initiative CANNOT. Helms, shields, and other armor accessories are assumed to be part of the armor worn and do not confer additional initiative penalties. However, encumbrance, due to weight (including shields, helms, etc.), cannot be overcome without the use of magic or psionic ability.
Light Armor Imposes a -10% reduction to initiative
Medium Armor Imposes a -20% reduction to initiative
Heavy Armor Imposes a -30% reduction to initiative.
Donning Armor: # Combat rds. = AC + (PDR) + Category of Armor (light =0, Medium 1, Heavy 2)
Using Armor without the required skill - Individuals that do/use medium or heavy armor without the appropriate skill suffer a -2 to Hit and Damage in combat. Further, their movement is reduced by an additional 25%. These individuals tire quickly (fight half as long), and often suffer minor damage as a result. Prolonged use (several days) can result in actual hit points of damage. Optional Rule - Employing Armor without the necessary skill (Armor Use) downgrades the Dexterity dice by one category (D8 becomes a D6).
Armor Class (AC) – A value comprised of the Deflection Factor of armor and the Dexterity Dice pool used to determine the base difficulty in actually inflicting damage on the individual. Some talents, enhancements, magical spells, and psionic devotions also enhance AC.
Most Helms and Shields also add to AC value, but never to PDR values.
Thus, a character with a D8 dexterity, wearing chain mail armor (2 AC value), medium open-faced helm (1 AC value), and carrying a kite shield (2 AC value) would have an AC value between 6 to 13 (D8+5) depending what he rolled for his dexterity roll. A list of helms and shields that provide additional AC protection can be viewed in the List of Items PDF.
AC is rolled once per combat round and applies to each attack directed against the defender in that round. If the defender is attacked again, another AC roll is required the following round. Optional Rule – to reduce the number of rolls per combat round, a GM can use the initial AC roll for the entire combat encounter. Some GMs use varied computer programs or AI to generate armor class for an entire encounter – these aspects can greatly reduce the time needed to conduct combats.
Physical Damage Reduction (PDR) - Armor offers physical damage reduction, along with limited magical damage reduction vs magical effects that are physical in nature. In the latter case, the GM would have the final say on the types of magical damage armor can protect against. It would be logical to assume that armor damage reduction would apply to magical spells such as Acid Arrow because the acid of the arrow must overcome the armor to damage the flesh underneath. The magical damage reduction would not apply to spells like Cloudkill as the poisonous effects of the spell simply seep through the cracks of the armor without damaging it at all. Plate armor would be more effective than the heat effects of a fireball but would be useless compared to the electrical effect of a lightning bolt. All mundane armor would be useless versus an Arcane Missile spell.
Magical Damage Reduction (MDR) – This type of damage reduction works against all magical attacks that are of a non-physical nature. This type of damage reduction works against pure magical attacks such as Arcane Missiles. Each point of Magical Damage Reduction reduces 1 point of magical damage.
Psionic Damage Reduction (PsiDR) - This type of damage reduction works versus psychic attacks/devotions that are of a non-physical nature. Each point of Damage Reduction reduces 1 point of psionic damage.
Universal Damage Reduction (UDR) – this prized form of damage reduction works equally well versus all types of damage. Each point of Damage Reduction reduces 1 point of damage. Typically, Universal Damage Reduction is reserved for exceptionally powerful or unique creatures. In very rare cases, powerful magical/psionic items (artifacts) can bestow this type of damage reduction.
Specific Damage Reduction – Denoted by the type of damage, such as fire, electrical, frost, acid, etc., this type of damage reduction is perhaps the most common type. It protects against a very specific type of damage rather than a broad group. Animals, magical creatures, and monsters often possess some form of Specific Damage Reduction.
Special Note: Lead Lining – commonly used to safeguard helms versus psionic influence/attack, lead lined helms are uncommon but available for purchase. Helms can only support a limited amount of lead and still retain their serviceability. Light helms can be fitted with fine lead chains woven into the lining that impose a +1 to psionic devotions that read, sense, detect, or manipulate thoughts or emotions. Further, the lead lining grants the wearer a +1 to Mental Resistance rolls versus most psionic attacks. Medium helms (commonly made of metal) confer a +2 bonus to aspects mentioned above, and Heavy Helms confer a +3.
Some cultures have been known to produce and employ helms made entirely of lead. These obscure helms are designed to fit over the head of a psionic and are commonly locked in place. Such a helmet makes the projection of psionic energy outside the body extremely difficult, if not impossible. However, psionics projected internally within the psionic’s body are not necessarily negated. In the latter case, the GM can impose penalties but allow personal psionic effects to function.
Armor Quality and Maintenance - As with all types of equipment, the quality of armor varies. The armor listed in the examples above is considered standard (good quality – new) suits. Used armor (longer than one month of use) becomes average quality with a corresponding reduction in cost (80% of normal). Unkempt armor, improperly maintained or overused, falls into the below-average quality and reduced in value (50% of normal) commonly used for raw materials. Only medium or heavy armor can be of below-average quality; light armors of this category have no reusable materials and are often simply thrown away.
On the other end of the spectrum, superior quality (175% of normal cost) and exceptional quality (300% of normal) armor can be obtained. All magical armor suits must be of superior or exceptional quality to be enchanted. These types of armor often incorporate other special aspects. While not magical in nature, they can often improve performance in various categories. These aspects are discussed in the advanced rules reserved for GMs.
Maintenance – other than shields (which take the brunt of the punishment from combat engagements), PSG does not focus on the actual maintenance of armor because this level of detail becomes cumbersome for both players and the GM. As a general rule, it is assumed that a player with the appropriate armor skills (read as Armor Use or some enhancements/talents) can maintain his armor and repair minor damage.
Deflection Factor – is the armor’s ability to deflect or turn away blows without damage to itself or the wearer. It is commonly the major contributor to a person’s Armor Class. Deflection Factor can also be produced or enhanced by Magic and Psionic abilities.
Standard Magical Armor Bonuses – Typically, magical armor comes in varying degrees of enchantment (+1 to +5). The magical enchantment bonuses also apply with respect to Deflection Bonuses (read as AC) OR Physical Damage Reduction. Only unique magical armors made from unique materials possess magical bonuses for both AC and physical damage reduction. Sometimes, Magical Armor suites focus on increasing resistance values, and bonuses only apply to these categories, not to AC or PDR.
Example 1: A suit of +4 Banded Armor would provide 7 points of deflection factor (AC) or 7 Physical Damage Reduction, not both; three for its heavy armor category and four for its magical enchantment. Whichever is chosen, the other category remains at 3. Thus, there could be 3 types of +4 banded armor. The most common is +4 banded that provides +7 to AC and +3 to PDR. The second type would provide +3 to AC and +7 to PDR. The last type of armor would provide +3 to AC and PDR, but also a +4 to one or more Resistance rolls.
Knockback (Optional)
Knockback (Optional)
Knockback (OPTIONAL): This rarely imposed effect often adds a great deal of flavor to a given combat. Knockback is only caused by creatures that possess superhuman (D12+ Strength) or those larger than 10 ft in size. Larger creatures, often with superior strength, can and should cause knockback with attacks, especially critical hits. In order for knockback to be created, the attacking creature must be able to lift the target creature off the ground using its normal strength. Some strong or large player races, such as minotaurs or half-ogres, MAY be able to resist/reduce knockback attempts at the whim of the GM in a Strength vs Strength contest. GM must consider several factors. The size and strength disparity of the combatants and the amount of force used should be used in such calculations. Magic and Psionic abilities can also cause knockback. Force-based explosions (fireballs) of Tier-3 or higher or major or grand psionic abilities like Telekinesis can also result in knockback.
Knockback is determined by rolling the Strength dice of the defender versus the amount of damage sustained in the blow (before PDR and damage reduction are applied).
Example: A giant (30 ft tall, with a D20 strength) causes 20 points of damage to a warrior. The warrior possesses a D10 Strength and rolls a 7 – not enough to avoid knockback. If, however, the giant only scored 6 points of damage on the strike, the warrior could have avoided the knockback. Ties result in a KnockDOWN, which only knocks the defender to the ground.
Each point disparity in the result, in the above example 20-7 = 13, results in a 3-foot knockback in this case 3x13=39 ft. Every 10 ft of knockback results in 1d6 points of physical damage that can be reduced by PDR AND rolling Physical Resistance. Flying creatures automatically add +10 ft to knockback distance and subsequently to damage in most cases. GMs should be keenly aware of intervening obstructions, walls, or even ledges when knockback exists. Obstructions do not lessen damage but can inevitably stop knockback movement. Falling off a ledge can and probably will cause more damage from falling.
Example: A wizard blasts an area with a tier-4 fireball spell. The creatures in the area, standard orcs, suffer fire damage, and those that survive the 4d6 blast will have to account for knockback. The standard orc has a D8 Strength (let’s assume a maximum roll of an 8 here), and the fireball scores 15 points of damage; each orc will be knocked back 15-8 or 7x3 or 21 feet, suffering an additional 2d6 points of physical damage as a result.
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