Wizard in armor and two handed sword, what's the drawback?

[wolfing]

so in the update posts and interviews it keeps being mentioned that if you want, you can have your wizard in full armor and wielding a sword. So the question now is, why wouldn't everybody? Is there any sort of drawback for doing this? Call me old fashion but I think there's a reason why fantasy wizards don't go in full plate... it interferes with their casting (if they use somatic/material components, how can they manipulate them wearing gauntlets, or if they manipulate the energies around them, the metal may interfere, etc), but that doesn't seem to be the case here.

So will everybody in my party wear full plate armor since it gives the best protection? or will armor just be completely cosmetic (i.e. like 'city clothes' skin) and there will the vendor sell +20 AC boxers and +20 AC full plate armor?

Edited October 3, 2012 by wolfing

[Monte Carlo]

Most games allow for 'melee wizard' and 'arcane howitzer'

 

One uses combat magic to allow him to go toe to toe, the other stays at a distance and unleashes hell. The drawback for melee wizard is usually that (a) he has to develop combat skills that might be used to get more magic (b) he's never really as good an all-rounder as a pure fighter.... i.e. his strength is situational (maybe configured for crowd control over powerful single monsters for example).

 

Of course, this system is new, but I'd imagine I'm not that far off the mark.

[LordCrash]

I would really appreciate it if would be possible that every party member can wear a heavy armor. There never was a reasonable arguement why mages shouldn't be able to wear armor, it was more a pure decision of the developers (you're arguement with the interference is quite artificial in my opinion and there already were fighting sorcerers before). And even if everybody is allowed to wear armor there is no need for everyone to become a mage. Fighters are still far more effective in melee fighting, rangers are still better in range fighting and so on.

[Badmojo]

Most games allow for 'melee wizard' and 'arcane howitzer'

 

One uses combat magic to allow him to go toe to toe, the other stays at a distance and unleashes hell. The drawback for melee wizard is usually that (a) he has to develop combat skills that might be used to get more magic (b) he's never really as good an all-rounder as a pure fighter.... i.e. his strength is situational (maybe configured for crowd control over powerful single monsters for example).

 

Of course, this system is new, but I'd imagine I'm not that far off the mark.

 

Pretty much this, he not as powerful as a full mage and nowhere as strong as a fighter. Still, I am not against it and like the option to multiclass. Having rouges learn magic spells that fit her character like invisibility make sense to me.

[rjshae]

As long as armor and weapons have realistic weight effects and assuming that strength is not a priority for Wizards, I think things will work themselves out. Especially if they make the Wizard haul around that humongous tome as well.

[Cthulchulain]

JE has said that he wants items to have drawbacks at all levels -- leather is better for some things than plate etc. So "everyone wears plate" is viable but not automatically ideal.

[DocDoomII]

Drawback? You loose one skimpy clothed class slot!

[Hypevosa]

Inability to unequip armor during combat could mean going into battle either planning to cast or not.

 

Limiting certain spells that have somatic components (the more powerful arcane spells) because you cannot move in the armor could work too.

 

There are ways of making a wizard using armor not as uber, while still leaving the potential for them to be uber.

[Gorth]

I can't wait for my full plate wearing rogue to sneak up behind the enemy and backstab them with my claymore..

 

Edit to add: I've never seen a D&D crpg that allowed you to cast "Silence" on a rogue so he could sneak around without being heard, regardless of how much noise he makes within his bubble.

[NerdBoner]

i imagine the drawback is that he can't take 5 steps without having to stop and catch his breath.

[Hypevosa]

i imagine the drawback is that he can't take 5 steps without having to stop and catch his breath.

 

They said mages, as they are used to being targeted, are physically fit often enough in this game.

[teknoman2]

well i imagine they will have something to balance it out... it's nor oblivion after all

[Hypevosa]

I suppose while you may get armor, that doesn't mean your health is on par with the guy used to being bled on a regular basis - and that you aren't going to be doing anywhere near the amount of damage, etc. Just because you can use the sword doesn't mean you excel with it.

[DocDoomII]

i imagine the drawback is that he can't take 5 steps without having to stop and catch his breath.

Or that by having weapons in their hands gives penality to spellcasting.

[Jarmo]

If they went with casting causes fatigue and wearing heavy armor would also add to that...

[Volourn]

I'm sure they'll have lower hit points (as mentioned in the article), lesser attack bonus, and less combat/melee oriented feats as well. I believe the goal is to have it so they can hold their own in battle but they won't be near the equal of a warrior in a fight (without buffs obviously but that's true in D&D as well).

[Jarmo]

I don't think the OP is seeking if there's a drawback in being a wizard instead of fighter,

but if there's a drawback in wizard wearing armor vs wizard wearing the usual pajamas.

[Akratus]

Make magic use up stamina (AND soulpower or w/e replaces mana), heavy armor reduces stamina regeneration. BING BANG BOOM done.

[DCParry]

Well, they could got a DAO route. You can wear anything you want, as long as you meet the base attribute requirements. If your wizard wants to wear plate, then if he or she has the strength and/or proficiencies (not actual 2nd edition things, just a generic name for skills that could determine armor type equip-able) then boom, go for it. However, the downside will be that having spent attributes and/or skill slots on using said armor, his or her spell damage/spell choice/mana reserve/spell pool or whatever will be less than someone who concentrated solely on the arcane abilities.

 

For those who think artificial stat requirements are not desirable, how about an optimum use stat? Say to use a chain shirt, you need a strength (or other random attribute) of 13. You can put on a chain shirt with less, lets say a 10 strength, but there will be penalties to actions (attack, maybe some spells cost more soul, or whatever). Conversely, this could reward high strength who choose to wear less than the heaviest armor possible with some minor boni to physical activities like running or climbing.

[TrashMan]

I hate the idea of HP determined by class. That stupid idea needs to die in a fire.

Edited October 4, 2012 by TrashMan

[DCParry]

I ahte he ide aof HP determined by class. That stupid idea needs to die in a fire.

 

See, here is something we can agree about. HPs should be standard modified by stats, in my opinion. Spend more on endurance/constitution or whatever, more health. I suppose they could have a health stat, where you could invest directly into your health pool. I am not such a fan of that particular approach thought.

[Hypevosa]

I hate the idea of HP determined by class. That stupid idea needs to die in a fire.

 

It's an abstract. Your body has its basic ability to take damage (constitution) and the HP gain per class level is meant to be representative of the kind of training or experience you likely had. If you're a fighter and you level, chances are you've been getting hit alot more often than the wizard who leveled and was mainly just looking at books the whole time.

[DCParry]

I hate the idea of HP determined by class. That stupid idea needs to die in a fire.

 

It's an abstract. Your body has its basic ability to take damage (constitution) and the HP gain per class level is meant to be representative of the kind of training or experience you likely had. If you're a fighter and you level, chances are you've been getting hit alot more often than the wizard who leveled and was mainly just looking at books the whole time.

 

I see what you are saying, but then can't that just be accomplished by concentrating on increasing said physical stats as opposed to something intrinsic? Maybe at first warriors can have a HP bonus, or there could be a background choice that gives a bonus to HP (local militia training) or some such.

 

As an aside, it cracks me up how many names I keep seeing from the Bioware boards over here now, my tag was Rylor Tormtor over there and I didn't post much in general, but it is nice to see the same names and people give good input over here.

[novander]

Assuming stats are generated using a point-buy system or something similar, rather than the infuriating Random Roll (just keep going 'til you get what you want. We are patiient mofos over here) I'd like to see penalities for wearing armour and carrying weapons the character is not physically strong enough for, so the penalty for having the strength to wear plate and carry a claymore would be less natural ability with magic. Great for some types of mage, maybe, but not for my arcane overlord.

[teknoman2]

I hate the idea of HP determined by class. That stupid idea needs to die in a fire.

i dont see the problem... a warrior is obviously more resistant to blows than a thief or a mage since he is trained to be in the thick of it