I'm confused, because heavy armor almost every time is better option for any class who doesn't use DEX. Pretty much anyone who can use heavy armor will be using it
I agree on shields being better tool of war than big weapons, although 2 AC is already big bonus
I looked at the file. This isn't a "balance" in any fashion, its a "make life harder for everyone but heavy armor users".
He reduced Base AC(ie no armor) to 8 (wizards by default are now even easier to hit). He reduced light armor and medium armor BOTH by 2 points each. He buffed shields.
Neither Light nor Medium Armor received anything to compensate.
If he'd provided a compensation, to give reasons to wear different armor types, THAT would be more of a rebalance, but this is simply "nerf everything but heavy armor and buff shields".
I understand your point. But what reason is there to use heavy armour otherwise? For the slashing damage to be reduced by 1 point? It doesn't make sense at all for medium armour to have the same armour value as heavy armour. The high armour stats are already good, so what is the alternative? To make the AC even higher for heavy armour? Or to lower the AC values of lighter armour? I think the latter is correct, maybe make the AC bonus from dex only +1 instead of no AC bonus. But definitely not on par with heavy.
And for the balance factor, the sole purpose of this IS balance. Making life harder for everyone but heavy armour users is what should happen. Casters have better mobility and utility, more options to get out of dodge if things go sour, plus their innate offensive abilities/spells.
Examples of this are Misty Step, Beast Form, re-castable healing spells, AC bonus spells, knockback spells, charm spells, and stun spells. I know what you're thinking, though: "These other classes need higher AC because they have lower hit dice." Yeah, but not by much at all. How much more can you expect the game to allow for tanks at max level? about 40 points. Not much, right?
Who benefits the most from these points? That's right, the only tank class in the game that doesn't use heavy armour or spells. Barbarians. And depending on what rage you go for, that can change the bonus from 40 to 80 due to resistances.
Other methods of dealing with the AC issue could be Maybe to allow for a Con AC bonus feat for heavy armour proficiency? Maybe to disallow casters from using heavy armour due to more emphasised somatic requirements? Maybe give attackers vs heavy armour users a 1d4 damage reduction. Maybe give fighters a +3 to shields and a +1 to heavy armour, giving a total AC increase of +2 due to shields already giving the +2.
I don't know...just SOMETHING.
I'm going through a playthrough right now with my squad, I have 19 AC. The cleric has me matched on AC using medium armour. The druid has me matched on AC using medium armour. We are all using shields, the only thing I could have on them is the -1 to slashing damage XD which the Barb has me beat on rage. The only thing I have on him is +3 on AC, but he's a BARB, so he doesn't need the AC
I'm not sure what the best direction would be I'm just pitching ideas, but I know one thing, heavy armour should have an edge. From what I can see, even if you're a fighter, there is no reason to go heavy armour. The game even offers a feat that allows for more AC using medium armour, lol.
I'm not using this mod because I don't think the values changed make sense either. But I do think the lighter armours need nerfing. Because they do.
I will try this on a future run. Is there any chance you left Unarmored AC as 10 + [stat] + [stat] ? I feel like that would make it feel like it's better, because usually it's not a better option at all than just... wearing armor and using a shield.
It doesn't modify Monk or Barbarian Unarmored Defense, nor does it modify Draconic Sorcerer Armor. In terms of base AC, it is reduced from 10 to 8. Only two files are altered, data.txt and armor.txt
As to it affecting NPCs, it should affect them the same way. It modifies data.txt (specifically reducing base armor, ie wearing nothing at all) and armor.txt (where it modifies armors and shields). So if their AC is based off of dex+armor+shield, then they would indeed be affected. If other mods alter armor.txt or data.txt it could cause a conflict (depending on what they modify).
8 comments
I agree on shields being better tool of war than big weapons, although 2 AC is already big bonus
He reduced Base AC(ie no armor) to 8 (wizards by default are now even easier to hit). He reduced light armor and medium armor BOTH by 2 points each. He buffed shields.
Neither Light nor Medium Armor received anything to compensate.
If he'd provided a compensation, to give reasons to wear different armor types, THAT would be more of a rebalance, but this is simply "nerf everything but heavy armor and buff shields".
It doesn't make sense at all for medium armour to have the same armour value as heavy armour. The high armour stats are already good, so what is the alternative? To make the AC even higher for heavy armour? Or to lower the AC values of lighter armour? I think the latter is correct, maybe make the AC bonus from dex only +1 instead of no AC bonus. But definitely not on par with heavy.
And for the balance factor, the sole purpose of this IS balance. Making life harder for everyone but heavy armour users is what should happen. Casters have better mobility and utility, more options to get out of dodge if things go sour, plus their innate offensive abilities/spells.
Examples of this are Misty Step, Beast Form, re-castable healing spells, AC bonus spells, knockback spells, charm spells, and stun spells.
I know what you're thinking, though: "These other classes need higher AC because they have lower hit dice." Yeah, but not by much at all. How much more can you expect the game to allow for tanks at max level? about 40 points. Not much, right?
Who benefits the most from these points? That's right, the only tank class in the game that doesn't use heavy armour or spells. Barbarians. And depending on what rage you go for, that can change the bonus from 40 to 80 due to resistances.
Other methods of dealing with the AC issue could be
Maybe to allow for a Con AC bonus feat for heavy armour proficiency?
Maybe to disallow casters from using heavy armour due to more emphasised somatic requirements?
Maybe give attackers vs heavy armour users a 1d4 damage reduction.
Maybe give fighters a +3 to shields and a +1 to heavy armour, giving a total AC increase of +2 due to shields already giving the +2.
I don't know...just SOMETHING.
I'm going through a playthrough right now with my squad, I have 19 AC. The cleric has me matched on AC using medium armour.
The druid has me matched on AC using medium armour.
We are all using shields, the only thing I could have on them is the -1 to slashing damage XD which the Barb has me beat on rage. The only thing I have on him is +3 on AC, but he's a BARB, so he doesn't need the AC
I'm not sure what the best direction would be I'm just pitching ideas, but I know one thing, heavy armour should have an edge. From what I can see, even if you're a fighter, there is no reason to go heavy armour.
The game even offers a feat that allows for more AC using medium armour, lol.
I'm not using this mod because I don't think the values changed make sense either. But I do think the lighter armours need nerfing. Because they do.
Cleric, Paladin and Fighter.