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Truly I do.

I keep seeing, armor as damage reduction in the list of possible modules for D&D Next. I've seen many DMs and Homebrewers attempt this baby. It'll a hard one. There are plenty of issues to deal with when you at Miss Chance (which is what AC is) and Damage reduction. Many game don't even try to make them near equal because of the difficulty. The difficulty skyrockets when you attempt to do it in a format that is not computerized like tabletop gaming.

For D&D this is especially true. The Defense system is based off AC (miss chance) and HP (diminishing defenses). Adding a 3rd element into the normal scope of action would be hard to balance. There issues are:

1. The relationship between AC and DR. Whether the modules lower armor values or not.
2. The new roles of light, medium, and heavy armors.  
3. The relationship of how weapons and armors and how they interact.
4. How many, if any, ways there are to bypass DR.

Armor as a combination of AC and DR is a rule many enjoy. I doubt it wont show up in D&D Next. But it is hard to work or and even balance it that is a goal.

Good luck, guys. You'll need it when ya get there.

Sorry no mechs.

In a recent Legends and Lore article, Mike Mearls discussed the the Design Goals of D&D Next.  He stated that the two guiding principles are:

1. Create a version of D&D that embraces the enduring, core elements of the game.
2. Create a set of rules that allows a smooth transition from a simple game to a complex one.

While I wish him and his team good luck on that first goal (they'll need it), it's the second that hooked me. It brought me back to the state I was in during my Playtester Profile Interview last month (props to the interviewer).

The desire to peel away layers. And the best layers to peel are Armor layer, right?

No. Not sending your blood-frenzied barbarian to tackle a stalwart hobgoblin warrior, toss it's face a few knuckles, and rip his chainmail into pieces with just his rage filled hands.

But searching for a small kernel of goodness that is simple enough to use but open enough to expand on with complexity and verisimilitude of your own desire.

Armor is an awesome illustration. Now I know nothing of real armor, its history, effectiveness, or proper usage. I did all my fighting unarmored with all my Dexterity bonus, but deep knowledge is not needed for looking in and swimming out of the core system of armor.

So let me interpret and explain my thoughts of this simple to complex system.

D&D uses armor groups since the beginning. Armors were light, heavy, and every medium in between that granted different AC for each. In many edition, the weight and heaviness of the armor adjust the bonuses to Armor Class gained from a high Dexterity. Sometimes the heaviness also reduces the wearer's land speed. And there are time where the weight affect skill and stealth usage.

To me, armor starts at light with padded cloth. This is the weakest of armors, just heavy cloth. Next is Leather, the stereotypical armor to rogues. Then there is chain shirt. After this is hide and studded leather armor. Scale comes after that. Then you get to the heaver armors: ringmail, chainmail, split, and banded armor. And finally the granddaddy of them all, plate armor.

With just armor class values, armor groups, speed penalties, and stealth adjustments, there is a lot of room for modules to place on top.

There could be simple rules like modules for masterwork armor and nonmagical armor enhancement. Who doesn't like locked gauntlets and armor spikes?

Then there could be rules for special material. Everyone loves mithral plate, dragonscale and wooden armor. Well druid love wooden armor.

Also partial armor could be an option. Half-plates and rules for each layer. People would love it. Especially that guy... the player running a warrior with just armored sleeves and pants and no shirt. Or the person running the fighter-mage in a sleeveless scale battle-dress. A bladed battle-dress.

The possibilities are endless when you start from a simple powerful and reminiscent ingredient and work your way to the tasty recipes of your own RPG playstyle. D&D Next is in the perfect position to make a cookbook role playing game we all desire. And less is more in this case.

Don't forget to peel those layers, my friends.

In my first blogpost, I described how the ranger's favored enemy class feature could be reimaged and altered to be more flavorful and useful. In this one, I will tackle what  the rangers of the past were and how this previous thought process could reimage them.

Let's start with the first ranger.  The first edition rangers were a subtype of the fighters using any weapon and wearing any armor. They were also tough, had surprise bonuses, and deal bonus damage to humaniods and giants. Later in life they got spells, magic-user and druid.

All armor? What kind of ranger uses heavy armor and would accept the stealth penalties... ever? The arctic ranger all bundled up in mail, leather and furs. Think about it. Tough. Focuses on humaniods and giants as there aren't as many dangerous animals to worry about (except bears and they are giants to me). Six aspects of a low level veteran of this type of ranger would be.

Arctic Ranger (Favored Environment: Cold)

• Tough: Tough Rangers have one bonus hit die or +5 HP.
• Manslaying. Manslaying Rangers deal 1 additional damage per ranger level to humanoid enemies.
• Giantslaying. Giantslaying Rangers deal 1 additional damage per ranger level to enemies of the Large size or greater.
• Heavy: Heavy rangers are proficient in heavy armor and gain +1 AC in medium or Heavy armor.
• Icy: Icy Rangers are resistant to cold.
• Observant: Observant Rangers cannot be surprised except on a roll of 1.

So lets move to the next edition. The next group of rangers still have heavy armor access but were benefited much by lighter armor. They also gained animal based abilities and their lethal focus shifted off humaniods and giants to be more versitile. This ranger feels more like a slayer. This ranger feels more like a wilderness warrior training and adventuring to gain the resources and knowledge to rid a forest from some some dangerous monster terrorizing the area. Like a Dragon.

Dragon Slayer Ranger (Favored Enemy: Dragons)

• Dauntless: Dauntless Rangers are immune to magical fear effects and are resistatant to Intimidation.
• Beastcharming: Beast Charming Rangers can calm and make friends with hostile or frigthened beast with a successful Charisma roll againt the beast's Wisdom.
• Giantslaying. Giantslaying Rangers deal 1 additional damage per ranger level to enemies of the Large size or greater.
• Light: Light rangers gain +1 AC in light armor and +2 AC in medium armor.
• Evasive: Evasive Rangers are resistant to breath weapons and dangerous explosions
• Resilient: Resilient Rangers are resistant to poisons, petrification, and death effects.

Onto the next. This one is much like the last but more rogue and less deadly by default. This edition's ranger shifted off the raw offense and became more of a protector through . Heavy armor is removed from the package and they get two ways to attack twice a turn

Forest Ranger (Favored Environment: Forest)

• Beastcharming: Beast Charming Rangers can calm and make friends with hostile or frigthened beast with a successful Charisma check againt the beast's Wisdom check.
• Swift: Swift Rangers in light arnor can make one additional attack each round.
• Evilslaying. Evilslaying Rangers deal 1 additional damage per ranger level to undead and fiendish enemies.
• Light: Light rangers gain +1 AC in light armor and +2 AC in medium armor.
• Hardy: Hardy Rangers have a bonus to Constitution Checks.
• Druidic: Druidic Rangers can cast Druid spells... somehow.

And the lastest edition's ranger. All magic is gone as this ranger is purely martial. No heavy armor like the proceeding ranger. This ranger is more off a killer. This is clearly displayed as the classs's role as a striker. It feels more tailored to an officially hired or trained warrior charged to live in the wild and slay hostile forces like orcs and gnolls. Or maybe more specificaly, undead. This might be a ranger that exists in the gloomy woods, newly haunted or otherwise.

Undead Slayer Ranger (Favored Enemy: Undead)

• Dauntless: Dauntless Rangers are immune to magical fear effects and are resistatant to Intimidation.
• Manslaying. Manslaying Rangers deal 1 additional damage per ranger level to humanoid enemies.
• Swift: Swift Rangers in light arnor can make one additional attack each round.
• Evilslaying. Evilslaying Rangers deal 1 additional damage per ranger level to undead and fiendish enemies.
• Light: Light rangers gain +1 AC in light armor and +2 AC in medium armor.
• Observant: Observant Rangers cannot be surprised except on a roll of 1.

Then there are wishes for a more city ranger. His jungle is urban. The beasts he deals with and guard dogs, pigeons, and housepets. And his magic can take on more arcane aspects due to better assess to people.

Urban Ranger (Favored Enemy: City)

• Insightful: Insightful Rangers are resistant to illusions and attempts to Bluff them with lies and hidden motives.
• Streetsmart: Streetsmart Rangers can track down important people within civilized area and are skilled in Gather Information.
• Manslaying. Manslaying Rangers deal 1 additional damage per ranger level to humanoid enemies.
• Light: Light rangers gain +1 AC in light armor and +2 AC in medium armor.
• Hardy: Hardy Rangers have a bonus to Constitution Checks.
• Arcane: Arcane Rangers can cast Wizard spells... somehow.

So maybe the ranger never changed.

Your thoughts?

"The cleric dragged the wounded fighter back by the armpits. The swordsman was bitten hard by a row of slashing teeth. It was the cleric's duty to prevent him from paying the ultimate price for treasure.