Re: (TFT) Minimum ST for armor?

[dwtulloh@zianet.com]

Ty Beard writes:

> One of the really annoying things about TFT for me is that DX is 
> typically far more valuable than ST. To illustrate this, consider 
> a ST11 DX11 IQ10 character who has earned enough ep to add one 
> point. Assume he is primarily a fighter. If he takes 1 point of 
> ST, he will do 1 more point of damage and can take one more hit. 
> If he takes a point of DX, he can add a point of armor and take 
> 1 more hit *every* time he is hit. It seems to me that the latter 
> course is the more intelligent course for fighters.

I think the problem stems from trying to do much with a single
attribute.  If a character earns a point of experience and 
chooses to add that to DX, he really isn't improve his natural
ability.  Rather, he's improving his SKILL with the weapon of
his choice.

I believe that once the attributes are chosen for a character, 
those attributes should only be modified by age and the talents
that character chooses.  For example:  Gymnastics might confer
a DX bonus; Running might confer an Endurance bonus (if you are
using Michael Friend's Endurance attribute); "Strength Training"
might give an ST bonus.

Character EXPERIENCE, however, should go more into improving 
skills.  To illustrate, suppose Character 1 has ST:12, DX:12, 
IQ:8; Character 2 has ST:15, DX:12, IQ:8.  Character 2 obviously
has experience, yet if both characters are using BROADSWORDS,
both strike with the same level of skill.  This just doesn't 
pass the reality check.

What if we did this:
Character 1:  ST:12, DX:12, IQ:8.  He wears Chain(-3MA, -3 hits
per attack) and a small shield (-1 hit per attack).  The Chain
fits well, so there are no dx minuses.  He chooses a broadsword
for his weapon, he's a novice with this weapon, so he has a skill
level of 8.
Character 2:  ST:12, DX:12, IQ:8.  Broadsword:11, Chain and a 
Small Shield.

Character 2 is obviously the more skilled and is going to strike
more often.  You could limit the effectiveness of various weapons
by saying that a character's SKILL with a weapon cannot be higher
than his adjusted DX .. so if Character 2 was an acrobat (which
might confer a DX bonus, he could increase his skill even higher.

> 
> I find this deplorable and would like to consider some ways to 
> correct it. Here are some ideas:
> 
> 1. You could increase the damage done by weapons -- +2 for each 
> point of ST rather than +1. Problems are that this is not enough
> and will make the combat system even more murderous than before.
> 

ugh

> 2. You could reduce the DX penalty for armor. In my TFT d20 
> system, this might work. But in a standard TFT game you'd run 
> into the "everyone hits most of the time" problem even faster 
> than you currently do in TFT.

I dont know if a DX penalty for armor is realistic.  I understand
that a person wearing properly fitted plate can do acrobatics!
What heavy armor DOES do is put an increased level of burden on
the wearer because its heavy -- you get tired out more easily.

> 3. You could introduce a minimum ST requirement for armor and 
> shields. Here are some very rough suggestions:
> 
> a. Cloth, leather and small shields have no minimum ST (thereby 
> allowing thieves and the like to function effectively). Chain 
> is minimum ST 11; Half plate is minimum ST 13 and plate is 
> minimum ST 15.
> 
> b. If you lack the requisite ST for armor, your DX and movement 
> allowance is reduced by 2.

I would suggest that there's no DX adjustment -- but what you lack
is 1 pt MA for each point of ST under the minimum ... AND that you
must REST after so many turns of combat.  Cloth Armor: No rest
period required;  Leather -- you must rest after 20 turns;  Chain
requires you to rest after 15 turns -- plate after 10, etc.  So
if Plate requires me to rest after 10 turns and has a minimum ST 
of 13 ... and I have adjST:10 ... then I have to rest after 7 turns 
of combat.

Dan
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