Status: Open for discussion and playtesting feedback
Proposal
The Problem
The current Defense formula has a rounding flaw that makes Light and Medium armor unreliable:
Current formula: Defense = 1 + ⌊(Speed + Armor) ÷ 3⌋
- Heavy armor (+3) always bumps Defense, regardless of Speed
- Medium armor (+2) only bumps Defense ~2/3 of the time (depends on Speed value)
- Light armor (+1) only bumps Defense ~1/3 of the time (depends on Speed value)
This means Light and Medium armor can cost you Talent dice (−1D/−2D penalty) with no guaranteed Defense payoff—a poor deal compared to a shield (flat +1, no penalty).
Also: Armor is worthless against area attacks. The current rules ignore Defense for bursts and zones, so armor provides zero protection in those cases.
The Proposal
Shift Armor from Defense bonus to flat Damage Reduction.
New Formula
| Stat | Formula | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Defense | Speed (minimum 1) | No armor component; cleaner and more intuitive |
| Armor DR | Flat reduction per tier | Light −1, Medium −2, Heavy −3 damage |
Effect: When you take damage, subtract your Armor DR from successes rolled (minimum 1 damage always gets through).
Example
| Scenario | Defense | Armor DR | Attack Hits? | Damage Before DR | Damage After DR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speed 3D, Light armor | 3 | 1 | Threshold 2 ✓ | 3 successes | 2 damage |
| Speed 3D, Heavy armor | 3 | 3 | Threshold 2 ✓ | 3 successes | 1 damage (minimum 1) |
| Speed 2D, Heavy armor | 1 (floor) | 3 | Threshold 2 ✓ | 3 successes | 1 damage (minimum 1) |
Why This Works
✓ No rounding surprises. Every point of Armor always does exactly what it says.
✓ Armor works against area attacks. Damage reduction applies regardless of whether Defense was rolled.
✓ Consistent with other systems. Resistance powers (Hardened, Stone Skin) already work this way.
✓ More legible. Light/Medium/Heavy each have a clear, predictable trade-off.
Playtesting Questions
-
Speed baseline feels too strong. Does Defense 2–3 for most PCs feel right without armor's contribution? Should we adjust (e.g., Speed ÷ 2 instead of flat Speed) to keep meaningful Defense spread?
-
Minimum 1 damage. Should there always be at least 1 damage on a successful hit, or should armor ever reduce damage to 0?
-
Stacking armor. If a character wears Heavy armor AND has a natural Scales perk (also +3 DR), do both apply (total −6) or does only the higher one count?
-
How does this feel at the table? Does the shift from "harder to hit" to "softer when hit" change the tank fantasy in a way your group likes?
What Stays the Same
- Armor Penalty (−1D/−2D/−3D) to Athletics, Acrobatics, Odd Talents stays as-is
- Endurance still offsets Armor Penalty (every 2D Endurance = −1 penalty reduction)
- Shields still grant +1 Defense
- Damage is still successes rolled (no separate damage die)
Next Steps
Playtest and collect feedback on:
- Does combat feel faster/clearer?
- Are tanks still satisfying to play?
- Do low-tier Threats (Minions) become trivial for armored PCs?
- What's the preferred answer to the stacking question above?