Larian Studios Forums Divine Divinity (English) Help/Tips/Tricks How does armor work?

How exactly does armor work? I know it reduces the damage it takes, but what is the difference between 50 and 150 armor for example?
I ask this because I often have to choose between a piece of armor with a better armor value or one with a lower value but with better bonusses.

First, welcome! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wave.gif" alt="" />

Hmm... Good question. I wouldn't mind finding the answer yet I finished the game without knowing it so it's not that important. Just grab the armor with highest armor class and all.

Armour value is important for the warrior who uses melee, because it is inevitable to get struck back. On the other hand, if you were playing as a mage-ranger-female, for example, then a bonus of intelligence and/ or manna coupled with lower armour would be a better choice for a run and hit Parthian tactic. Yet the spell of reflect ranged trajectories would be also needed to minimise the damage inflicted on your hero. Head and breast armour are most effective against ranged weapons and it shows in their durability later. Boots, helmets and gauntlets with poison resistance seem to be best at work with spiders, bees, and snakes. Fire resistance on shields are best for defence against dragon riders. Therefore armour value is particularly important only against physical melee and arrows.
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mage.gif" alt="" />

To resume his post, "armor is good" <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />.
He asked how the armor class works, not why to wear armor :0).

Where have you been, DAD? I really missed you and your sarcasm! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/evilgrin1.gif" alt="" />

Simply put, a higher armor class means your defense is higher, and therefore an enemy's chance to hit you is lower. If you're a melee figher this is very important. If you're a mage or archer who doesn't get hit a lot, you may be better off keeping the lighter armor for the bonuses.

Good to see DAD is still around!

It's not that simple, mate.
In Baldur's Gate, there was D&D 2nd ed. armor class. It was based on THAC0:
To Hit Armor Class 0. If you had a THAC0 of 2, it means that you needed to roll AT LEAST 2 to your hits to sucessfully hit someone with armor class 0. So if you had a THAC0 of -2 and the enemy had an armor class of -8 (I had -25 once), you had to roll at least 6 to hit him. 1 is always critical failure and 20 is always critical hit. This was easy to understand but the question is: if you have an armor class of 100, what does it block? A percent of the attack? If yes, what percent?

I don't think any of that applies to Divinity.

Anyway, now we've got 3rd edition rules, and THAC0 is out, correct?

Correct in both points.
But the question is: WHAT applies to DD.

I just came back yesterday DATD. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
I tell you the truth and I do not lie
I went to a swamp and saw a dragon fly. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />





I think I did rather answer his deeper inquiry. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devil.gif" alt="" />

It has to do with Percentages. Every piece of armor is worth a percent toward your armor rating. For example Shields are 30 pecent of your rating. So if you had a shield with an armor of 100 it would be worth 30 toward your armor rating.

At least that is how I understand it anyhow. Shields, Body Armor and Helms mean the most to your Armor rating.

Each blow you receive has a chance of striking a certain part of your body. I think the ratios are that your body receives 30% of the hits, legs 10%, head 15%, hands 5%, feet 5%, and shield 35%. Each section has an individual armour rating based on what you're wearing. If you do not have a piece of armour, it counts as zero. The average armour rating displayed in the Character panel is the statistical average armour rating of your body (body*30% + legs*10% + ...).

Mathmatically, I don't know what the armour rating does. I think it absorbs an amount of damage. But higher is better!

Ah, the mad elven poet is back ;0).
Really, it's awesome to see you back. I had to argue with n00bs while you were away <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

That's a long time to go just for a swamp and a dragon fly!

it was the getting there and back that took a week! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

I didn't know you were a werewolf, HandEFood...

I'm a Werewolf Angel!

(Dog Gammit! I was trying to get FTP to work at work so I could upload an Angel Kitty smiley. Stupid firewalls.)

Indeed; It takes 13 hours in the Ferry on each of the two trips.
From Osaka to Miazaki and from Miazaki to Osaka.
The dragonfly swamp species conservatory was just one site.
We also visited a winery, climbed a mountain and enjoyed a waterfall 72 meters high at 1300 meters high.
We made a barbeque and spent 17$-worth (Hanabi) fireworks.
We went to the seashore but it was not convenient to swim.
We were able to watch a public firework evening that was certainly fabulous.
We stayed in Takanabe and I had a lot of shuttle driving every day to Tsuno and Miazaki.
The most tiring experience was watching the aggressive festival of the golden battering rams in Tsuno, which is my wife’s hometown.
Tens of drunken young men compete by carrying powerful wooden rams decorated with golden middle chambers in which young women beet the Tyco drums. Each ram is carried by an average of forty men and they seek to topple each other’s ram to disable the Tyco drummers of the foe and win. It is an extremely exciting festival. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

Nah. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

it sounds as if you had lots of fun anyway,
no matter how long it took <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />
and,
will there be "visual references" to go along with the narrative of your trek! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

I'm gald you did a bit more than just see a dragon fly in a swamp! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Welcome back.

I've decided. I'm going to look forward to holidays too.