Armor bought as Damage Resistance Advantage

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Originally Posted by BaHalus

A nuisance effect of -4 would fit the reaction modifier, but I don't know if the standart value of -20% would be adequate, because it only works in certain situations, like outside a battle. maybe a -10% would be fair?

Would you really react at -4 to a guy who showed up at a social gathering wearing a suit of plate? Sure, he's weird, but he'd only get a -3 for eating people. This is worse than that?

[Bruno]

Originally Posted by Gold & Appel Inc

Would you really react at -4 to a guy who showed up at a social gathering wearing a suit of plate? Sure, he's weird, but he'd only get a -3 for eating people. This is worse than that?

No, he gets a -3 for being a guy who eats people. That's actually quite different than showing up at your coctail party and starting to gnaw on a guest's arm. One makes him a potential threat. The other clearly identifies him as a SURE threat RIGHT NOW.

Showing up armed and/or armored is leaning more towards "AIEE he's a problem right now" territory - like the man-eater showing up with a meat fork, a big carving knife, and a "feed the chef" apron on.

[BaHalus]

Originally Posted by Anaraxes

Since the main magical effect seems to be appearance and disappearance, you might consider an alternative build using regular armor (gear) and a Payload ability to have a pocket into which the armor disappears.

Actually, it has other ffects, but I only put the one that is troubing me here.
I put Affects insubstantial too. And I don't think there is a medieval armour with RD 15 either.

[zorg]

Still, with a basic -4, everyone, even peasants who might be respectful to a knight with standard armor, will react very negatively to this guy.

Unless you add an Accessibility to the NE "Only when inappropriate", and that's a bit pointless. I mean, obviously people react negatively to someone who dresses inappropriately. That's not a meaningful limitation, imo.

Unless we're talking hideous demonic chaos armor, of course.

[zorg]

Originally Posted by BaHalus

I put Affects insubstantial too.

What's that supposed to do?

[BaHalus]

Originally Posted by zorg

Still, with a basic -4, everyone, even peasants who might be respectful to a knight with standard armor, will react very negatively to this guy.

Unless you add an Accessibility to the NE "Only when inappropriate", and that's a bit pointless. I mean, obviously people react negatively to someone who dresses inappropriately. That's not a meaningful limitation, imo.

Unless we're talking hideous demonic chaos armor, of course.

Well, the Basic Set at page 286 says at Reaction penalty topic:
plate armor and a full helm would give you -4!

So, I put this limitation in the armour. But, since it is not a always thing penalty reaction, I thought that this shoud be a smaller limitation:

However, there is no reaction penalty if the NPC making the reaction roll recognizes the wearer’s need or right to wear armor in the situation. Examples
of socially acceptable armor include a knight on campaign or at a tourney;

The intention is, as said before, having a reason to take off the armour, but also, to try to reproduce the real armour stats.

[BaHalus]

Originally Posted by zorg

What's that supposed to do?

Protect from ghosts.
But thinking now, it seems just silly.
After all the ghost should have affects substantial to affect me, right?

I think it would only prevent ghosts from passing throught me.

I am not sure what exact effects it would produce now.

[vitruvian]

Originally Posted by zorg

What's that supposed to do?

If it's that the guy can clobber insubstantial people with his mailed fists when the armor is phased in, it shouldn't be an enhancement on the DR, it should either be an enhancement on his punching damage per the rules for Modifying ST-based damage (and I'd allow grappling with those same hands for free), or an Imbuement ability tied to the armor. Either way, it would get an Accessibility at probably -10% of 'only when the armor is phased in'.

I would also limit the Reaction mod from having the armor on to -1, -2 at most. Other limitations such as Cannot Wear Armor (but remember to take the Nonprotective Clothing Perk so you don't need to strip down before activating the armor), Magical -10% (assuming it's a magical ability that won't work in No Mana), and a Nuisance Effect of -10% (since not having it immediately available when you first Ready it is indeed disadvantageous, and -10% balances out the silly +10% for Switchable quite nicely) and maybe a -1 or -2 to Basic Speed and therefore Dodge should limit it quite a bit and make it fairly cheap. Let's see:

DR 15 (Cannot Wear Armor, -40%; Magical, -10%; Nuisance Effect: 5 seconds to fade in after Ready, -10%; Nuisance Effect, -2 to Reaction Rolls, -10%; Switchable, +10%; Temporary Disadvantage: -1 to Basic Speed, -20%) [15]
Perk: Nonprotective Clothing [1]

An alternative might be to take this as an Alternate Form with Absorptive Change so your clothing goes away, Active, one level of Reduced Time, and Magical, but it will end up costing more so I think the Switchable DR is probably the easiest way to go on this.

[Bruno]

Originally Posted by BaHalus

Protect from ghosts.
But thinking now, it seems just silly.
After all the ghost should have affects substantial to affect me, right?

I think it would only prevent ghosts from passing throught me.

I am not sure what exact effects it would produce now.

A ghost with Affects Substantial won't be able to bypass your DR - they just get to punch you/whatever while safely Insubstantial. A ghost might have an Armor Divisor (Only vs physical) - to protect against that you'd want Hardened (Only vs Insubstantial).

Alternately a ghost might use a Malediction attack instead, meaning they bypass your DR entirely and make you take a Resistance roll (usually against HT or Will). For that, you want the advantage Resistant to Ghostly Powers, which would give you a bonus to resist.

[BaHalus]

Originally Posted by Bruno

In retrospect (and while trying to write up my train of thought above), y'all are pretty right - but I'll note that the DR comes with a bunch of Temporary disadvantages, which I was assuming would "phase in" along with the DR.

It allows for things like "OK, we're 30 yards away from them, I'll spend the second to activate my armor NOW, and start running while it's still phasing in, covering way more ground, instead of having to spend an action while I'm already in melee combat with them over there."

Well, It is not always possible to run away.

I think it is sure a limitation, that worth less than the equivalent takes extra time, but more than 0%.

Maybe it could be built with several layers? Like several DR advantages linked or requiring previous level to be activated?