Dec 7, 2023 12:02 am
Umerica has its own unique set of armor rules. I will provide them here for reference. There are a lot of words here, but the fundamentals are pretty simple, I think.
NEW ARMOR RULES
In the strange and twisted wastelands of Umerica danger lurks around every corner. Whatever safety or protection that can be found is likely makeshift and temporary at best, made of salvaged and repurposed material. These rules for scavenged piecemeal armor bring these ideas to the forefront, while keeping things light and easy.
Armor Class (AC) is: 10 + Reflex save + shield bonus + racial and magical bonuses.
Worn armor does not (generally) change a person’s AC. Instead, armor soaks damage from successful attacks.
Standard Armor
Armor provides an Armor Die that is used to reduce damage from attacks. Each piece of armor has a rating that adds 0-3 die steps to the total Armor Die. The Armor Die starts at d3 for the first step and continues up the die chain as normal. The wearer’s Fumble Die is equal to their Armor Die -1 die step. The total Armor Check Penalty is equal to the number of Fumble Die die steps -1. Example: An Armor Die of d8 has a d7 Fumble Die and an Armor Check Penalty of -4. A fumble die greater than d20 effectively immobilizes the character.
After a hit, the defender rolls its Armor Die. Reduce the attack’s damage by the number rolled. On a 1, one piece of armor of the defender’s choice is damaged. Reduce its rating (and thus the total Armor Die) by one die step. If a piece of armor has its rating reduced to zero, it is destroyed. A critical hit damages a piece of armor before the Armor Die is rolled. Destructive or corrosive spell effects or hazards can also damage armor.
Ablative Armor Pieces
Some armor pieces do not provide Armor Die steps. These are called Ablatives. They protect other armor pieces. When a piece of armor would have its armor rating reduced by one, the defender can destroy an Ablative instead. Every 2 pieces of Ablative armor increase the Fumble Die by +1 die step.
Shields
Shields increase the wielder’s AC as normal and can also act as an ablative. Using a shield increases the Fumble Die by +1 die step. For beings with more than two arms, up to two shields can be employed at once.
Feeble Materials
Armor that is Feeble is more easily damaged. Feeble armor is damaged on an Armor Die result of 1 or 2. Also, any Feeble armor is always damaged first in combat, unless an ablative is sacrificed.
Impervious Materials
Rare armors are Impervious to damage. Impervious armor never breaks. Non-impervious armor worn with impervious armor is damaged as normal during a fight. Once all of the person’s non-impervious armor has broken, their Impervious armor will remain indefinitely.
Stacking Armor
Mutants, Robots, and others may have Natural armor. Should a person have more than one type of natural armor (such as from two different mutations) or attempt to wear regular armor on top of natural armor, this greatly increases the Fumble die and Check Penalty. Each die step or ablative piece above the best natural armor increases the Fumble die 2 steps instead of 1.
NOTE: Some special armor (magic, high-tech, alien) may break any or all of these rules.
NEW ARMOR RULES
In the strange and twisted wastelands of Umerica danger lurks around every corner. Whatever safety or protection that can be found is likely makeshift and temporary at best, made of salvaged and repurposed material. These rules for scavenged piecemeal armor bring these ideas to the forefront, while keeping things light and easy.
Armor Class (AC) is: 10 + Reflex save + shield bonus + racial and magical bonuses.
Worn armor does not (generally) change a person’s AC. Instead, armor soaks damage from successful attacks.
Standard Armor
Armor provides an Armor Die that is used to reduce damage from attacks. Each piece of armor has a rating that adds 0-3 die steps to the total Armor Die. The Armor Die starts at d3 for the first step and continues up the die chain as normal. The wearer’s Fumble Die is equal to their Armor Die -1 die step. The total Armor Check Penalty is equal to the number of Fumble Die die steps -1. Example: An Armor Die of d8 has a d7 Fumble Die and an Armor Check Penalty of -4. A fumble die greater than d20 effectively immobilizes the character.
After a hit, the defender rolls its Armor Die. Reduce the attack’s damage by the number rolled. On a 1, one piece of armor of the defender’s choice is damaged. Reduce its rating (and thus the total Armor Die) by one die step. If a piece of armor has its rating reduced to zero, it is destroyed. A critical hit damages a piece of armor before the Armor Die is rolled. Destructive or corrosive spell effects or hazards can also damage armor.
Ablative Armor Pieces
Some armor pieces do not provide Armor Die steps. These are called Ablatives. They protect other armor pieces. When a piece of armor would have its armor rating reduced by one, the defender can destroy an Ablative instead. Every 2 pieces of Ablative armor increase the Fumble Die by +1 die step.
Shields
Shields increase the wielder’s AC as normal and can also act as an ablative. Using a shield increases the Fumble Die by +1 die step. For beings with more than two arms, up to two shields can be employed at once.
Feeble Materials
Armor that is Feeble is more easily damaged. Feeble armor is damaged on an Armor Die result of 1 or 2. Also, any Feeble armor is always damaged first in combat, unless an ablative is sacrificed.
Impervious Materials
Rare armors are Impervious to damage. Impervious armor never breaks. Non-impervious armor worn with impervious armor is damaged as normal during a fight. Once all of the person’s non-impervious armor has broken, their Impervious armor will remain indefinitely.
Stacking Armor
Mutants, Robots, and others may have Natural armor. Should a person have more than one type of natural armor (such as from two different mutations) or attempt to wear regular armor on top of natural armor, this greatly increases the Fumble die and Check Penalty. Each die step or ablative piece above the best natural armor increases the Fumble die 2 steps instead of 1.
NOTE: Some special armor (magic, high-tech, alien) may break any or all of these rules.