In any Role Playing Game there must be a method of determining how well protected a players character is. This then, is one such method. The main reason I am describing my particular method/rule is so that you will be able to convert my system of ratings and numbers to a range of numbers/values that you can use in your campaign. The game system you are using will more than likely have a different set of rules for determining how well a charcter is protected. Or how likely that character is to resist an attack. (If your game system uses the same method as I have described here then I would like to hear from you. Please send me some e-mail.)
Defensive Rating:
Defensive Rating (DR) is a way of describing several things at once. How good a charcters protection is (including armor, and magical protective devices), How agile that character is in combat, how well trained the character is in the art of melee, How lucky the character is, etc, etc, etc. Several things contribute to this rating. Not all of them are immediately, or visibly evident. A character with a high Defensive Rating (DR) is not only less likely to be struck by any physical attack. He is also less likely to take damage from any attack which hits, and will probably take less damage than others. A character with a high DR may not be unhitable (Is that a real word?), but when he does get hit, it's usually a glancing blow, which causes little or no damage. In my campaign a low DR is bad. A high DR is good. The higher your DR the less likely you are to take damage.
Defensive Rating is an open ended measurement. Where 0 (zero) is the lowest DR, and the high end is not set. Thus an unarmored human with normal abilities has a DR of 0 (zero). Now then, an unarmored human with an exceptionaly high level of agility does not have a DR of 0 (zero). His DR is slighlty higher. Dependent on several factors. His agility, combat skills, luck, intelligence, etc, etc, etc.
The main aspect of Defensive Rating; which I will now describe, is; Protective Rating.
Protective Rating:
Protective Rating is a way of describing a suit (or piece) of armors protectiveness. Any "protective device" worn by a character has a Protective Rating. Some suits of armor have a high PR. Some have a low PR. A suit of armors PR is not just based on how strong it is. But also on how much it weighs, how restrictive it is, how well made it is, whether it's magical or not, etc, etc. As noted earlier, any protective device has a Protective Rating. An inherrant PR. This is described using a plus or minus, along with the appropriate PR value. For example an Anvil has protective value. It's pretty hard to cut, or smash your way through an anvil. However, since it weighs so much, and is very difficult to strap to ones chest, it has an overall negative PR. Any GM would be justified in assigning a -10 PR to an Anvil when used as a protective device. (A negative PR will reduce your characters DR, and that's not good.)
Now then, if that anvil happened to be; "Teshrons" magnificent Anvil of defense; This would be another matter all together. Teshrons Anvil is magically enchanted to weigh virtually nothing when carried. It also levitates, and flys. Automatically interposing itself between its owner and any blows directed at him in combat. (Cool!) Teshrons Anvil of defense has a PR of +5. And it can be used as a sturdy, if not somewhat uncomfortable, chair when not in use. (See I promised there would be some "Magic Items".)
The Protective Rating of any protective device is applied to a characters Defensive Rating. Raising or lowering it accordingly. A protective device with a high positive PR is good for a characters overall DR. A protective device with a negative PR is junk. And should be gotten rid of immediately. Or at least delegated to a more appropriate role. (Paper weight?)
converting this system of Protective/Defensive Ratings to that used in your campaign should be relatively easy now that I have explained exactly what it is I'm doing, and how I'm using these ratings. Of course, you may decide that my method is more logical; easier to understand and use, as well as Free! That's right, you may use my method at no cost to you. Of course; I still retain copyright to this method/rule. Please don't try to steal or sell my ideas. It just wouldn't be right :-(
Please see the "Disclaimer" for some legalize gobledegook.
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Last updated:Thu, Jul 30, 1998 17:08
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