DR is probably "damage reduction". Like, getting X% damage less. Or flat amount of damage prevented, like Armour / Warding in Wildermyth (and countless other games, too).
I think it should be very easy to implement. For example, depending on the attack roll that missed:
- If an enemy rolls 10 or below on the die, no defensive animation is necessary - blade is barely swung, arrow flies in a completely wrong direction, etc. (Of course, if they roll 10- and still hit, that would be very unfortunate, but it's not a miss anymore, so doesn't relate to the topic). If anything, the attack itself should have a "clumsy" animation.
- If the roll, including modifiers, is between your AC-5 and AC-1 (so that it still misses, but it's close!) the animation of the attacked character should depend on the armour type. Dodge for light, blocking with shield (if equipped) and weapon for heavy armour. Medium can go either way, for example, depending on the character's STR / armour weight ratio. I can easily picture Laezel dodging attacks in her half-plate, but definitely not in anything heavier than that.
Apart from just looking livelier, this will give players a very realistic and immersive cue about the battle they find themselves in. If you see that your tank almost always blocks, you might be in trouble!
