(TFT) Minimum ST for armor?

["Ty Beard" <tbeard@tyler.net>]

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 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.

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.

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.

c. This would seem to reduce the reliance on DX for fighters somewhat and to
encourage higher ST among fighters.

4. You could reduce armor DX adjustments at a much lower level of ST. For
instance, at ST 12, all armor/shield DX adjustments are one less than
normal. At ST 14, all /shield DX adjustments are two less than normal. At ST
16, all /shield DX adjustments are three less than normal and movement
reductions are 2 less than normal. This will make ST more attractive, but it
will tend to make DX for high ST figures more effective, possibly running
into the "everybody hits all the time" problem.

5. In any case, I'd adopt one of the various revised death systems that make
mortality rolls dependent on ST.

Comments?

-Ty
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