Passive Defense and 4e

[gilbertocarlos]

Originally Posted by muduri

But I wanted a sort of bronze-age heroism, where metal items were rare but gave a significant edge

Low Tech 4e already gives metal this edge, armor is much more resistant, and metal weapons are better than wooden/stone weapons.

Originally Posted by muduri

a Ready turn for axes and two Ready turns for polearms.

All you do using that is making sure no one uses an axe or polearm.

And rock trolls! I guess the 4 and 17 on the critical hit table, plus the Chinks in Armor rule, sort of take care of this, but if the players aren't totally up on hit location you have to admit there's a certain appeal to a creature with say PD10 (I know, I know), DR1, HP15, ha.

Probably, but then the strategy to kill the brute is not through high damage, but through well placed attacks while stealthy.

[muduri]

Originally Posted by gilbertocarlos

Low Tech 4e already gives metal this edge, armor is much more resistant, and metal weapons are better than wooden/stone weapons.
...
All you do using that is making sure no one uses an axe or polearm.

Aha! This is where it gets interesting. Or just Ptolemaically epicyclical, as just a convoluted way to avoid normal 4e, ha. The characters are half commoners ($800 as starting wealth for TL2.5, ha), who end up stuck with axes or polearms (since metal weapons and armor are 50% more expensive than normal), and half nobles (wealthy, $4000 or more), who can afford metal armor, swords etc. But +1 damage for every-second-turn melee weapons (axes), and +2 for every-third-turn (polearms), so not quite so terrible for hoi polloi. There's further down the rabbit hole to go but that's why there are still axe-users in this 3.9e game.

[kirbwarrior]

As for the Cosmic Dodge, remember that Dodges don't accrue penalties for multiple uses. Combined with Lucky Dodger, you can make a character who never actually dodges attacks but is just very much lucky.