Armor Choices

I'd love to be able to make Armor choices matter in ODnD. Currently as it stands, fighters should hop into plate ASAP and stay there. You might as well just assign AC's by class. While technically they can wear other armors, there is usually little reason to. The benefit of superior AC is just worth too much. Thus, the "choice" to be able to use Leather is really just the Choice To Suck.

Right now I'd like to really focus hard on making a viable system with just three armors: Light (leather), Medium (chain), and heavy (plate).

Here's a few balancing factors for armors that could be used to make the choice meaningful, so that its not .

AC Protection: Right now I'm tied to 15% chunks due to D6 "to hits" and the legacy of THAC0 numbers. Obviously heavier armors provide more protection.

Weight: This is only a limfac if you have an ENC system that (A) is viable and (B) has teeth. In this case, lighter armors give you more offense/utility, because you can carry tools for problem solving or weapons for smacking stuff.

Mobility: Traditionally mobility has meant (A) AC check penalties for some tasks, especially agility tasks and (B) speed. However, mobility is often limited more by "Attacks of Opportunity," "free strikes at the rear of a fleeing opponent," etc. Giving light armors a significant bonus vs. OA's might actually grant some mobility to combatants. This could be combined with a speed penalty (perhaps 1 or 2 hexes) for heavy armor. One must also ask how any penalties tie in with the ENC system.

Damage: I don't like using damage as a balancing factor for armor. Players can already make that choice with Shields vs. Two Handed Weapons. But, it could give barbarian types a reason to stay in light hides.

Gotchas: Gotchas are things like the Rust Monster that comes and eats your plate mail or the knight's tournament where the loser gives up their armor. You can create some arbitrary pain for wearing heavy armor, but that is annoying.

Cost: While it was a major limiting factor in reality, cost is not a balancing factor unless there is some (obnoxious) upkeep factor. It is often seen as one, but all it does it keep the fighter out of heavy armor for a session or two until they get enough coin to buy a suit.

Fatigue: You could impose some sort of Fatigue or Exhaustion penalties on heavy armor wearers. Requiring an Endurance check or something or loss of ability score, etc. However, I think many players will also find this obnoxious.

I think a combination of a strict ENC system and enhancing mobility for Leather and Penalizing it for plate (with Chain being the middle of the road) is the best call. For example, say you go with an ENC system where max normal capacity is 4 +/- STR MOD stones. If plate weighs 3-4 stones, any but the strongest of individuals will surely be encumbered when they put it on, or if not encumbered, it will leave little room for that 10' pole, an extra polearm, or that longbow.

For example (note that this examples use D6 ACs):

NO ARMOR: ENC 0 STONES, AC 3, PROPERTY: BASE AC 4 vs. OA
VULNERABLE TO: Slashing Weapons, Piercing Weapons, Bludgeoning Weapons
STRONG AGAINST: Two Handed Weapons
Well, you're nimble, that's for sure, and you may be able to duck around past some of the larger, slow weapons out there. But still, being in the buff is not a good idea.

LEATHER ARMOR: ENC 1 STONE, AC 3, ENCOUNTER POWER: Disregard all Opportunity Attacks this turn, PROPERTY: BASE AC 5 vs. OA
VULNERABLE TO: Slashing
STRONG AGAINST: Two Handed Weapons
Leather is the worst armor in terms of protection. We need to throw two carrots at it: Low encumbrance, making it widely accessible, and some nice mobility-related powers. This -- and perhaps some bonuses regarding certain weapons as compared to being nekked in the buff -- make it appealing.

GAMBESON: ENC 1 STONE, AC 3
VULNERABLE TO: Slashing Weapons, Piercing Weapons
STRONG AGAINST: Nothing
SPECIAL: May be worn under Chain Mail or Plate Mail. If worn as such, it removes those armor's vulnerabilities to Bludgeoning Weapons. It may also be worn as its own garment although it is generally inferior to leather.
This garmet is dirt cheap, but it is hot, bulky, and restrictive. The padded cloth does cushion the wearer against blows, however.

MAIL ARMOR: ENC 2 STONES, AC 4
Mail is the "baseline" average armor. So, nothing particularly special. Basically, we want everyone with decent strength who might find themselves in melee to be able to feel comfortable in chainmail.
VULNERABLE TO: Nothing
STRONG AGAINST: Nothing

PLATE ARMOR: ENC 3 STONES, AC 5, PROPERTY: -1 SPEED, -1 to MOBILITY CHECKS, -1 to VIGOR CHECKS
VULNERABLE TO: Bludgeoning Weapons, Armor-Piercing Polearms
STRONG AGAINST: Slashing Weapons
Note that bludgeoning weapons and some polearms would get +1 to hit vs. Plate Armor, basically negating its AC advantage over chain. This is somewhat of a "gotcha." Also, giving a penalty to mobility and vigor checks makes it more likely that plate wearers will have trouble with obstacles and with fatigue.

PLATE ARMOR VERSION 2: ENC 4 STONES, AC 5
VULNERABLE TO: Bludgeoning Weapons, Armor-Piercing Polearms
STRONG AGAINST: Slashing Weapons
This version assumes that the ENC system will take care of any sort of mobility penalties. 4 stones is pretty serious weight to carry around for most characters and will significantly effect the rest of their loadout.

So with this system, we get:

SLASHING: Good vs. No Armor, Leather, Gambeson; Weak vs. Plate Mail
PIERCING: Good vs. No Armor
BLUDGEONING: Good vs. No Armor, Chain Mail, Plate Mail