THAT'S how you can explain regenerating soak points that come off before any other soak points!
Rather then 'Hardened Skin', the ability could be a 'Protective Aura'. It can't be healed or repaired, but will gradually replenish itself over time. It can also be bypassed, just like armor, by Vorpal damage. Or it could soak Vorpal - whatever you GM-type people decide.
You can RP it as a visible aura, an invisible aura, or just a 'luck pool' that the character has. The character's armor isn't damaged until either the aura is destroyed or the characters luck has run out.
Learn the past. Observe the present. Guide the future.
Hardened Skin
The Harden skin ability grants 2 points of "Hardened Skin". This is in addition to any normal armor that might be worn or any life points the character may have. "Hardened Skin" points function exactly like life points but may not be spent to initialize skills or abilities. Harden skin points are depleated after armour points but before life points.
Then the warrior ability should be:
Utilize armor
A warrior knows how to take blows better than others, thus making him/herself tougher to take down. This gives the warrior one point of Harden Skin. Additionally, if the warrior is wearing medium armor, he or she gains 1 extra armor point. If the warrior is wearing heavy armor, he or she gains 2 extra armor points. The warrior can regain any armour points gained through Utilize armour in five minutes of rest. In addition, during the five minute rest, the warrior can regain ANY hardened skin points he may have lost. Note: The extra armor points do not stack with one another (so max per level is 1 harden skin plus 2 armor points).
And then players are granted Hardened Skin points instead of costume points.
Wayne O
The Game Master Lite
Frag the weak, Hurdle the dead!
Theres one moe crazy idea floating around that is yet to be explored that would reduce everything to 2 types of saok, (Ug, I hate the word Saok too). It came to Mike in a fever dream. More once I've looked it over again.
Armor Points – Granted from wearing armor fisreps to gain any protection. Must be repaired by a craftsman, etc. Protects from stun strike, nerve pinch, disease, and poison
Repopable Armor Points – Grants armor points that protect against poison and disease attacks. After 5 minutes of rest the armor repops.
Type 1: Utilize armor bonus: You are granted extra armor points from the better use of armor. Must be wearing armor to get the bonuses.
Type 2: Combat reflex’s / Harden skin. You are granted extra armor points to represent ones skill in battle to be able to take damage and roll with blows. You are granted the bonus in and out of armor.
Costume grants 1 life point or 2 armor points from combat reflexes
The reason I like this system it because it only gives you 2 types of soak to keep track of instead of the current 4. Life, armor, costume, harden skin. You burn life for skills, and armor protects you from diseases and poison and comes off first. Simple and easy to keep track of. I believe the problem is semantics. Harden skin can be explained any way you want to, but the benefit would be the same
Life - A character's basic health status. No maximum or minimum limits. Restored through healing. If Life is reduced to zero, the character falls unconcious. If Life drops into negative numbers, the character is dying.
Costume - Points awarded to players who make an effort to appear in RP appropriate clothes. Maximum of two points, minimum of zero. Can be restored by craftsmen. Damaged after all Armor points are lost, but before Life points. Protects against Poison and Disease. Vorpal damage ignores Costume to directly affect Life.
Armor - Points awarded to players wearing armor physreps. The number of points awarded depends upon type and coverage of the physreps. Maximum of ???. Minimum of zero. Restored by craftsmen. Damaged after Hardened Skin, but before Costume. Protects against Nerve Pinch, Stun Strike, Poison, and Disease. Vorpal damage ignores Armor to directly affect Life.
Hardened Skin - Points awarded to players with the appropriate ability(s). Maximum of ???. Minimum of zero. Repops after five minutes of rest. Can also be restored by ???. Damaged before Armor. Protects against ???.
Learn the past. Observe the present. Guide the future.
As posted in another thread in refference to the CURRENT(2004 rulebook) rules on how to restore hardened skin:
Level 2: Harden skin
Harden skin gives the Barbarian 2 points of base armor. This is in addition to any normal armor that might be worn. Since harden skin adds to your base armor you can add any percent increases you have because of race/path/discipline. Harden skin, unlike armor, must be healed as if they are life points.
just wanted to clarify how things are...then again I may have missed a posted change.
Grand High Chancellor of ROBUST UNPLEASANTNESS
...and the 11th commandment is:
