# Armor Soak Variant ## Protection, not Defense This variant provides a variant perspective, which allows both NPCs and players to be hit more often, but less meaningfully in many cases. Armored targets tend to be easier to hit, but they take less damage, in this model. ## Player Characters ### Calculating Armor Classes * Default 10 base. * Add Dexterity bonus. * Add Shield bonus (+2). * Reduce Armor Class by the Dexterity penalty of your armor, with heavier armor imposing worse penalties. * Alternately: use Alternate Rules (e.g. Monk, Barbarian). * Notes: * Magic that gives Armor Class bonuses still work. * Natural Armor is not applied to Armor Class. ### Calculating Damage Reduction * Light Armor grants Damage Reduction (DR) 1. * Medium Armor grants DR 2 and imposes a 1 Dexterity penalty. * Heavy Armor grants DR 3 and imposes a 2 Dexterity penalty. * Natural Armor gives 1/2 their bonus as DR, rounded down (minimum 1). * Add your Proficiency Bonus. \columnbreak ## Non-Player Characters ### Calculating Armor Classes * Subtract from Armor Class anything except Dexterity modifier. * Add Shield bonus (+2). ### Calculating Damage Reduction * Add half the subtracted Armor Class, rounded down. * Add Proficiency Bonus as if CR was their level. ___ ## Negating Benefits ### How to Ignore Damage Reduction * A magic weapon's bonus damage ignores 2 points of Damage Reduction per bonus. (A +3 sword ignores 6 Damage Reduction). * Magic attacks ignore half Damage Reduction ## Special Notes ### Trickier Situations * Tortles gain +2 DR * Loxodon gain +1 DR * Warforged gain +1 DR * Heavy Armor Master does stack, against non-magical attacks. * Damage Resistance is figured after Damage Reduction. <img src='https://tabledaz.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/74.jpg?w=640' style='position:absolute;bottom:45px;right:30px;width:500px; mix-blend-mode:multiply;' /> <div class='footnote'>Part 1 | Tutorial</div>