Monsters and AC

[captaincrumbcake]

Outside of beings-creatures that are intelligent enough to create armor to protect themselves, there is, really, no need to think of an animal's/creature's natural protection as an AC. As I get older, I want things simpler. So, to me, its a moot point. Forget even thinking in such terms, and you're probably going to be better off. 

"But, then how will I (the DM) know what the # needed by characters to hit it, is?" (I'm assuming will be a gut response)

Really? You can't just think, 'well, its tough, so I'll say fighters need a 18 to hit it, and 20 for anyone else!' You can't do that? Why not? What rule does it break? How does doing such disrupt your system?

Or the obverse:

'Well, its just a rat. You could probably kick it or stomp on it and kill it. So, fighters need a 3 and anyone else a 5 or better!' End of the game-mechanic duplicity!


Just a thought or two about something that's been bugging me of late. 

[robkuntz]

Yep. There are a lot of subjective points to the game mechanics already. Expediency can sometimes be the DM's best friend.

[Deleted]

Yep. And if your first estimate has problems, change it.

"1) Make up some Shoot you think will be fun.
2) If not fun, make up some different Shoot.
3) Repeat until fun."

[Deleted]

Good points. For players who grew up in a saturated market with hundreds of games all pre-playtested and codified, I guess a referee can be forgiven for having to learn that winging it can actually be a useful tool. Rulebooks will often give that advice, but it's usually in terms of 'if you can't remember how something works in the rules, just make an educated guess, roll a die, and write a note down to remind yourself to look it up for next time.'

Far less often does the advice ever go like this: 'When something happens in your game, use common sense. If common sense isn't forthcoming, arbitrate a roll or something. If it works, keep doing whatever it is you did. If it doesn't quite do it for your group, don't worry, you'll figure something out eventually. By the way, here's a rule you can use in case you don't feel like coming up with your own.'

For OD&D I usually use a modified version of the Chainmail weapon tables, and when it's a 'natural' creature I look across the armour types and pick a number for that weapon that seems reasonable, based on the creature's natural armour, size, quickness, etc. Then write it down for next time.