Topic: Armor Talent question

[DavidKlecker]

Someone in my group has the following idea for a talent:

The idea is that the character has training in a weapon to get around certain armor. That is, the armor DB is negated for an attack.

My question is how should I do this? I have a few ideas. Which one do you agree with? Do you have another idea?

1) The talent is bought separately for each armor with a cost for each
2) It's a skill rather than a talent and is built separately for each armor type

Thanks!

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

Personal opinion -- way too powerful. A couple of levels and he will be negating everybody's armor. And basically removing everybody's DB that he is fighting against.

I don't think you should ever allow a talent that lets somebody ignore a foe's DB.

If you are using Martial  Law, you could perhaps have a talent that reduces the armor adjustment by one step. (i.e. if foe is wearing chain, and you adjust crits according to armor worn, then that foe is treated as Rigid Leather for that armor adjustment). Or something along these lines.

And it should also be on a per weapon basis (in addition to any other limitations). This is not something that should be usable with all weapons. If it is special training, then it is training for a specific weapon.

You could make it be something like each time the talent (which costs a minimum of 20 DP) is taken (for a specific weapon, against a specific type of armor), the character gets a +5 OB for that combo. Can be taken multiple times for different combos, but the bonus used in a given attack can never be higher than the DB provided by the armor.

This can be a game-breaking ability. You need to realize that before you go any further with it.

[Defendi]

I agree.  Whole-heartedly.  Scaaaarrrrryyyyyy.

[DavidKlecker]

Sounds pretty bad. Also now that you mention it why can't the skill bonus represent the character's ability to bypass someone's armor. That's in a sense what an attack will try and do every now and then.

Thanks for the feedback!

[Witchking20k]

Don't bypass the armor.....allow the full DB, but perhaps allows Crit mods vs certain amor types increments in of +5 (again as Rasyr pointed out....make it expensive and on an individual armor basis) Perhaps 15 DPs for a +5.

It would be a cool way to simulate a Dragon hunter or such's ability to damage that foe....

[Thom @ ICE]

Here is a twist on how you can handle it.

This can be handled as a Combat Style. The style is specific to a weapon used against one type of armor. The result is the damage result is improved by +10 on a successful hit.   Effectively the character has very specific knowledge as to how to maximize their damage against a foe wearing certain armor types. The bonus for this Combat Style must be equal to or greater than the OB Bonus for the associated weapon.   Attack is executed using the Combat Style bonus for the OB, but only applies against this specific armor type.

ex:

Joe the Axe trains specifically in using his battle axe to battle chain mail armor
Joe's ranks in the battle axe give him an OB of +30
Joe's ranks in the battle axe against chain mail give him an OB of +40

Joe fights Mr. X who is wearing studded leather and fights at +30 OB
Joe fights Mr. Y who is wearing chain mail and fights at +40 OB with an additional +10 for the damage resolution

It forces the player to spend a lot of extra DP to build up the skill against chain while fighting with his battleaxe - but the extra +10 to the damage calculation may make it worthwhile.