ac

concepts
CONCEPT
	armour class

LAST UPDATE
        Analena, 24-Feb-97 21:00 MET

DESCRIPTION
	This document explains restrictions on dealing with armour class
	(AC) of armour in OSB.

	- The Max armour class for the different armour types are:

	AT_MAIL:                AC 5 (depending on material, see material
					chart below)
		Description:    anything from full plate to hide armour
				worn on the body (not appendages)

		Material/type        Max AC
		-----------------------------
		hide                    *
		leather                 2
		studded leather         3
		chain mail              4
		plate mail              4
		full plate              5
		
			* Dependent on which animal the hide came from

	AT_TROUSERS:            AC 2 (depending on material, see material
					chart below)

		Material/type        Max AC
		-----------------------------
		hide                    *
		leather                 1
		studded leather         1
		chain mail              2 (with a -1 defence offset for
						piercing attacks)
		plate mail              2
		full plate              2

	AT_BOOTS:               AC 1
		Description:    anything worn on the feet for protection

	AT_HELMET:              AC 1
		Description:    any armour worn on the head

	AT_CLOAK:               AC 1
		Description:    anything less than armour draped over the
				torso area

	AT_GLOVES:              AC 1
		Description:    anything worn on the hands for protection

	AT_RING:                AC 0
		Description:    anything worn on the fingers

	AT_AMULET:              AC 0
		Description:    anything from a brooch to a necklace

		Rings and amulets may have selected magic defences, but
		should never give protection against conventional damage
		(DT_SLASH, DT_PIERCE, DT_BLUDGEON) unless they are
		highly magical (and extremely hard to get).

	AT_SHIELD:              AC 1 (if one-handed)
				AC 2 (if two-handed)
		Description:    any object held to protect against attack

	- Armours with AC above these rules are possible but should
	be very hard to get and should have serious drawbacks in other
	areas like a low ResetQuality or a low APperQP. These armours
	have to be checked with the defence department before making
	them available to players.

	- To make sure that the AC actually is the property describing
	the protection the armour offers, additional defences (that
	is anything appearing in the defences-array on array index 1
	or above) have to add up to an average of 0 or below. This
	rule goes especially for the three conventional defences
	(DT_PIERCE, DT_SLASH, DT_BLUDGEON).
	For armours staying below the maximum AC as described above,
	as well as for rings and amulets, this rule is negotionable
	for magical defences, but those objects have to be checked
	with the department of defence first.

	- Armours that in any way modify the armour class or the
	protection given by either overloading QueryDefend or Defend,
	setting of DefendObject, resetting the AC at runtime, or
	anything else you might think of still have to follow these
	rules. Above that, they have to make sure that they don't
	offend the guild rules of max AC which usually are only
	checked when wearing the armour

	- Non-magical items should be priced according to the rules
	set with SetStandard. Any addon decorations can also be charged
	for. Rings and amulets should be priced based on their jewelry
	value and any magic.

	- Don't make your armours too light. Especially those of high
	AC should have a considerable weight.

	- Each armour should be initialized by a call to SetStandard
	with armour type, AC and size as parameters. This call may
	be done in the form of SetStandard(type,ac,size) or
	Set(P_STANDARD,({type,ac,size})), thus allowing for
	calling SetStandard in AddItem, too.


	- Armours need to be worn on their appropriate body parts to protect
	the living. Shields also need to be wielded in at least one hand.

	NPC Level vs AC:
	----------------
	Just be realistic.  You wouldn't see a rabbit with plate mail or a
	Giant wearing a gwillytrilly fur so please dont code them; or if you
	code a decent NPC and give them good armour and a helm, then there is
	no reason to give them gloves, rings, gauntlets, boots, or cloaks.  

SEE ALSO:
	armour(S), wc(C), combat(C)