Armor vs. Damage Resistance

[Greatwyrm]

Okay, time for a stupid newbie question. Can someone explain the following to me:

 

1. What is the difference between Armor and Damage Resistance?

 

2. Under what circumstances would you want one instead of the other?

 

I know the answer is probably right in front of me, but I'm just not making the connections.

[SleepyDrug]

Damage Resistance makes PD/ED usable vs. killing attacks. It will not increase your total defenses.

 

Armor is resistant PD/ED; It increases your total defenses.

 

Joe has 10 PD and 10 ED. He gets 10 PD/10 ED Damage Resistance. He now has 10 PD and 10 ED usable vs. normal or killing attacks.

 

Jim has 10 PD and 10 ED. He gets 10 PD/10 ED Armor. He now has 20 PD and 20 ED vs. normal attacks but 10 PD and 10 ED vs. killing attacks (just the armor)

[Monolith]

The main difference is that Damage Resistance make the defenses you already have Resistant. Armor gives you more Resistant defenses. In all other regards they are one in the same.

 

The main reason to choose Armor is for ease of use, especially when adding Advantages and Limitations. For example, it is easier to purchase 10 PD 10 ED Armor Hardened OIF then it is to purchase +10 PD, +10 ED Hardened OIF, plus 10 PD 10 ED Damage Resistance Hardened OIF.

[Lord Liaden]

At its most basic, Damage Resistance is a Power you can buy to make your normal Physical and Energy Defense Resistant, so that it can protect from Killing Attacks. Armor is already fully Resistant; cost-wise Armor is identical to an equal amount of PD and ED with Damage Resistance.

 

Armor is often the Power chosen to model, well, armor, since all of it can be given the Focus Limitation without having to account for the character's base Defenses. Armor can also be defined as a separate type of Defense from normal PD and ED against NND and/or AVLD attacks. Other than these, the main benefit to buying DR rather than Armor is cost-effectiveness if your character has a high Strength or Constitution, so that you already have significant figured PD and ED that you can buy Damage Resistance for.

 

Was that clear? If not feel free to post followup questions.

[KA.]

Re: Armor vs. Damage Resistance

 

Originally posted by Greatwyrm

Okay, time for a stupid newbie question. Can someone explain the following to me:

 

1. What is the difference between Armor and Damage Resistance?

 

2. Under what circumstances would you want one instead of the other?

 

I know the answer is probably right in front of me, but I'm just not making the connections.

 

Welcome, Greatwyrm!

 

Hope I can make this clear and simple.

 

There are two kinds of basic attacks in Hero, Normal and Killing.

 

Regular Defenses, like PD and ED, work against Normal Attacks, but only Resistant Defenses work against Killing Attacks.

 

If someone Punches you (Normal Attack), you would soak up some of the damage, just because you have fat and muscle to pad the blow. So you would get to subtract your PD.

 

But if someone Stabs you with a Knife, or Shoots you (Killing Attacks), it would go right through your "padding".

 

It is possible for a Superhero to have skin that is so tough that a knife or bullet will not cut through it

(think: Superman), that is because he has bought Damage Resistance to make his Normal PD and ED, Resistant, so it works against Killing Attacks.

 

So Damage Resistance makes the PD and ED that you already have become Resistant to Killing Attacks.

 

What if you want to buy more Defenses than just the PD and ED that you get from your Strength and Constitution?

 

That is what Armor is for.

 

Armor is extra points of Defense, that are also Resistant, so they work against Killing Attacks without having to add anything to them.

 

Hope that helps,

 

KA.

[Greatwyrm]

Thanks all. I figured this was probably a simple issue. I think I'm cleared up on this now.