Editing Opend20: Combat (section)

==Abstract Defense==

Because of Elegant Simplicity, defense is left as abstract as possible in combat.  In some games, such as the tri-stat system, every single attack becomes a multi-phase opposed check as there is armour to consider, a defense roll... In OpenD20, Players decide what elements consitute their defenses thematically, and the mechanic incorporates everything into a single score.

This does mean that the GM might grant circumstance modifiers to defense based on the situation:  for example, if characters expresses their defense as being dodge-based, and they're probably not going to be able to 'dodge' a fireball of immense proportions, then the GM might weaken their defense by 3 or 4 points.  This is entirely situational, however, and not always neccessary.  There is a point where realism gets in the way of fun gaming, so be careful not to cross the line.