I think the current mechanics for how the DEX modifier is applied to AC for medium and heavy armor is flawed. At present, light armor receives the full bonus, medium armor is capped at +2 and heavy armor receives no bonus. This means that a character with 14 DEX (+2) in medium armor has the same AC as a character with 20 DEX (+5) in the same armor and a character with 20 DEX (+5) has a higher AC in studded leather than in chain mail. It also means that a character with 8 DEX (-1) in heavy armor has the same AC as a character with 20 DEX (+5). Another thing to consider is that a character in plate mail is treated the same as a character in common clothes with respect to attack rolls and DEX based ability checks (except for Stealth).
I think a better mechanic would be to assign a penalty to the DEX modifier based on armor type, i.e. -1 for medium armor, -2 for heavy armor.
What do you all think?
(I do realized this is a DDB forum not WOTC, that they are separate companies and DDB doesn't decide game mechanics, etc.)
Public Mod Note
(Timer):
Moved from Rules & Game Mechanics
I think the current mechanics for how the DEX modifier is applied to AC for medium and heavy armor is flawed. At present, light armor receives the full bonus, medium armor is capped at +2 and heavy armor receives no bonus. This means that a character with 14 DEX (+2) in medium armor has the same AC as a character with 20 DEX (+5) in the same armor and a character with 20 DEX (+5) has a higher AC in studded leather than in chain mail. It also means that a character with 8 DEX (-1) in heavy armor has the same AC as a character with 20 DEX (+5). Another thing to consider is that a character in plate mail is treated the same as a character in common clothes with respect to attack rolls and DEX based ability checks (except for Stealth).
I think a better mechanic would be to assign a penalty to the DEX modifier based on armor type, i.e. -1 for medium armor, -2 for heavy armor.
What do you all think?
(I do realized this is a DDB forum not WOTC, that they are separate companies and DDB doesn't decide game mechanics, etc.)
5e was trying to do away with penalties for simplicity, that is why they invented the advantage system. The armor weight system is for game balancing.
Your house rule is interesting though.