Do you use negative AC in your games?

[bestialwarlust]

I was curious to see how many here use negative AC? I personally like keeping it capped at AC 2. For supernatural creatures such as demons I would add more HD to represent how tough they are instead of negative AC. So what about you do you adapt the negative AC or stick with the cap of 2?

[Vile Traveller]

I do, but I think it only comes in through magic shields and armour. I don't believe I use creatures with AC less than 1 or 0.

[bestialwarlust]

What's the highest "plus" you give armor in your games? So far in mine magic tends to be rare and chain is the only magic armor I've used. I'm undecided on if I'll add magic plate armor to my games.

[captaincrumbcake]

I suppose I look at 'armor' and AC as related in a way others may not.
When I think of Plate Armor (+ shield)...which is equivalent to AC 2, I think of the best manufactured protection that can be worn; there is none better. Then, I look at animals and their natural protection (skin/hide/scales/whotevah) and treat such as an AC equivalent to what man can fashion. I would think the back of a crocodile (or alligator) would be close to AC 2, while their underbelly would be closer to AC 7 (leather).
Bonuses are meant to subtract from the attacker's die roll, if I am recalling the concept properly. I'm thinking that things didn't get into all that negative AC stuff until Greyhawk; which (like everything, actually), is optional.

[bestialwarlust]

May 10, 2016 10:53:50 GMT -5 captaincrumbcake said:

I suppose I look at 'armor' and AC as related in a way others may not.
When I think of Plate Armor (+ shield)...which is equivalent to AC 2, I think of the best manufactured protection that can be worn; there is none better. Then, I look at animals and their natural protection (skin/hide/scales/whotevah) and treat such as an AC equivalent to what man can fashion. I would think the back of a crocodile (or alligator) would be close to AC 2, while their underbelly would be closer to AC 7 (leather).
Bonuses are meant to subtract from the attacker's die roll, if I am recalling the concept properly. I'm thinking that things didn't get into all that negative AC stuff until Greyhawk; which (like everything, actually), is optional.

That is correct the bonus is actually subtracted from the roll. 

[Vile Traveller]

May 10, 2016 10:47:38 GMT -5 bestialwarlust said:

What's the highest "plus" you give armor in your games? So far in mine magic tends to be rare and chain is the only magic armor I've used. I'm undecided on if I'll add magic plate armor to my games.

+2 is probably the highest, but I can't offhand remember when. So normally the best would be +1 plate and +1 shield for AC0. To be honest, though, I prefer special effect armour rather than pluses - a suit of black, silent mail that can be worn by thieves, a shield that paralyses the arm of an attacker, etc.

I know that it's supposed to subtract from the roll, but I don't like that mechanic because it complicates things and comes to the same thing in the end.

[Stormcrow]

It's all just a question of procedure. Do you want to modify the roll and look up the result on a table (the OD&D way), or do you want to expand the table and then modify armor class and look up the result on a table (the AD&D way)? If you're not dealing with repeating 20s, it doesn't matter which one you use.

[Deleted]

Addition is commutative.

It's irrelevant how you do it.

[Stormcrow]

Except the book I got this problem from wants you to do it in base 8...