ArmorClass

LordKathen · 10-04-2002, 01:51 PM

Im confused... In BaldursGate the AC was as AD+D, the lower the better. In NWN Im not sure. When I get a better weapon It increases my AC! Is this right? Was I wrong to think that NWN followed AD+D rules like BG did?

Ronn_Bman · 10-04-2002, 01:55 PM

NWN follows AD&D 3rd Edition Rules, and now it is "the higher the better' for AC. I sold two good suits of armor when I first started playing because I didn't realize that...lol.

LordKathen · 10-04-2002, 01:58 PM

Allrighty then... Thanks, I was trippin out there! Why did they change the rules? Its been that way forever! O-well, I guess I need to get the new book.

Ronn_Bman · 10-04-2002, 02:12 PM

It always confused me years ago that a better armor class had a smaller number, but I'd gotten used to it, and now it feels completely weird.

I don't play PnP anymore, but I ordered the Player's Guide last week, so I could read up on it. NWN was so different with skills and feats, I thought it would be worth it.

Now if Amazon would just ship the freaking thing...LOL!

LordKathen · 10-04-2002, 02:16 PM

LOL. Right on man, this is wierd. I will read up on it to.

Nerull · 10-05-2002, 12:59 AM

Yes, it is a little wierd, but within the d20 system (the pnp system that the rules use), it makes perfect sense. Everything is based on rolling a certain number or higher to succeed at something. Instead of having a table of values (the old Thaco stuff), the target's AC is now the number you need to roll to make a hit. You just get bonuses to your attack rolls as you gain levels. The end result, once you do the math, is very close to being the same.

Example: Your 2nd level fighter swings at an average warrior in leather armor (no other AC or attack modifiers).

2nd edition: Your fighter's Thaco is 19 (it started at 20 at 1st level, and will improve by one every level you gain). The opponent's AC is 8 (the leather armor improves AC by lowering it by 2 points from the base 10). To hit the warrior you need a 19 - 8 = 11.

3rd edition: Your opponents AC is 12 (the leather armor improves their AC by 2 as before; it just adds to the AC instead of lowers it). Your fighter thus needs a 12 to hit. However, your fighter's base attack bonus is +1 per level, so you get +2 to the attack roll. Thus, you need at 10 to hit (10 + 2 = 12).

As you can see, very close. It just goes about things in a different way. If you think about it, everything else in the game works this way, too. For example, skills require a d20 roll equal to or higher than the Difficulty Class for the task for the skill to succeed, with your ranks in the skill adding to your roll. Saving throws have a Difficulty Class as well; you have to roll equal to or higher than the Difficulty Class to succeed, and you get bonuses on your save rolls as you go up in levels. In effect, the target's AC is the Difficulty Class that you need to equal or exceed to score a hit on the person, with you getting bonuses to your roll as you go up in levels.

Hope this clarifies things.

Big Bad Bear · 10-05-2002, 04:59 AM

Nerull, wasn't this changing of AC also not done to encourage "new blood" into the society? That's what my game store told me on my D&D "Baptism of Fire"...

It just makes more sense to roll equal to or higher rather than equal or lower...

10-04-2002, 01:51 PM	#1
LordKathen Ma'at - Goddess of Truth & Justice Join Date: September 15, 2002 Location: Kennewick, WA Age: 52 Posts: 3,166	Im confused... In BaldursGate the AC was as AD+D, the lower the better. In NWN Im not sure. When I get a better weapon It increases my AC! Is this right? Was I wrong to think that NWN followed AD+D rules like BG did? __________________

10-04-2002, 01:55 PM	#2
Ronn_Bman Zartan Join Date: March 11, 2001 Location: North Carolina USA Age: 57 Posts: 5,177	NWN follows AD&D 3rd Edition Rules, and now it is "the higher the better' for AC. I sold two good suits of armor when I first started playing because I didn't realize that...lol. __________________ [img]\"http://home.carolina.rr.com/orthanc/pics/Spinning%20Hammer%20Sig%20Pic.gif\" alt=\" - \" />

10-04-2002, 01:58 PM	#3
LordKathen Ma'at - Goddess of Truth & Justice Join Date: September 15, 2002 Location: Kennewick, WA Age: 52 Posts: 3,166	Allrighty then... Thanks, I was trippin out there! Why did they change the rules? Its been that way forever! O-well, I guess I need to get the new book. __________________

10-04-2002, 02:12 PM	#4
Ronn_Bman Zartan Join Date: March 11, 2001 Location: North Carolina USA Age: 57 Posts: 5,177	It always confused me years ago that a better armor class had a smaller number, but I'd gotten used to it, and now it feels completely weird. I don't play PnP anymore, but I ordered the Player's Guide last week, so I could read up on it. NWN was so different with skills and feats, I thought it would be worth it. Now if Amazon would just ship the freaking thing...LOL! __________________ [img]\"http://home.carolina.rr.com/orthanc/pics/Spinning%20Hammer%20Sig%20Pic.gif\" alt=\" - \" />

10-04-2002, 02:16 PM	#5
LordKathen Ma'at - Goddess of Truth & Justice Join Date: September 15, 2002 Location: Kennewick, WA Age: 52 Posts: 3,166	LOL. Right on man, this is wierd. I will read up on it to. __________________

10-05-2002, 12:59 AM	#6
Nerull Lord Ao Join Date: May 17, 2001 Location: San Antonio, Texas, USA Age: 53 Posts: 2,069	Yes, it is a little wierd, but within the d20 system (the pnp system that the rules use), it makes perfect sense. Everything is based on rolling a certain number or higher to succeed at something. Instead of having a table of values (the old Thaco stuff), the target's AC is now the number you need to roll to make a hit. You just get bonuses to your attack rolls as you gain levels. The end result, once you do the math, is very close to being the same. Example: Your 2nd level fighter swings at an average warrior in leather armor (no other AC or attack modifiers). 2nd edition: Your fighter's Thaco is 19 (it started at 20 at 1st level, and will improve by one every level you gain). The opponent's AC is 8 (the leather armor improves AC by lowering it by 2 points from the base 10). To hit the warrior you need a 19 - 8 = 11. 3rd edition: Your opponents AC is 12 (the leather armor improves their AC by 2 as before; it just adds to the AC instead of lowers it). Your fighter thus needs a 12 to hit. However, your fighter's base attack bonus is +1 per level, so you get +2 to the attack roll. Thus, you need at 10 to hit (10 + 2 = 12). As you can see, very close. It just goes about things in a different way. If you think about it, everything else in the game works this way, too. For example, skills require a d20 roll equal to or higher than the Difficulty Class for the task for the skill to succeed, with your ranks in the skill adding to your roll. Saving throws have a Difficulty Class as well; you have to roll equal to or higher than the Difficulty Class to succeed, and you get bonuses on your save rolls as you go up in levels. In effect, the target's AC is the Difficulty Class that you need to equal or exceed to score a hit on the person, with you getting bonuses to your roll as you go up in levels. Hope this clarifies things. __________________ [img]\"ubb/noncgi/smiles/new/ghoul.gif\" alt=\" - \" /><br /><br />\"The middle class pays all of the taxes, does all of the work.<br />The lower class exists just to scare the middle class.\"<br />-George Carlin

10-05-2002, 04:59 AM	#7
Big Bad Bear Elite Waterdeep Guard Join Date: October 1, 2002 Location: Netherlands Age: 45 Posts: 30	Nerull, wasn't this changing of AC also not done to encourage "new blood" into the society? That's what my game store told me on my D&D "Baptism of Fire"... It just makes more sense to roll equal to or higher rather than equal or lower... __________________ <br />Once a Bear, I just happened to be at the wrong end of a Polymorph spell... FEAR THE MOUSE!!!!!

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