tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post4783644263372854490..comments2023-10-14T03:58:59.333-06:00Comments on The Tao of D&D: Stun Based CombatAlexis Smolenskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-34219093585246721232015-01-23T23:00:08.208-07:002015-01-23T23:00:08.208-07:00Don't worry about that! I only added the addi...Don't worry about that! I only added the additional stunning rules LAST WEEK.<br /><br />I'm so glad I did, it made it very easy to answer your question.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-63739355348202871312015-01-23T22:22:23.350-07:002015-01-23T22:22:23.350-07:00Yep, that is what I was hoping to learn. Sorry to...Yep, that is what I was hoping to learn. Sorry to trouble you when you already had the info out there to find. It seems I failed my research roll.<br /><br />Stacktracehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05778633676064958982noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-61597809402677684662015-01-23T21:55:48.512-07:002015-01-23T21:55:48.512-07:00I think I did give this one a try, Harvicus. Tell...I think I did give this one a try, Harvicus. Tell me if <a href="http://tao-of-dnd.wikispaces.com/Stunning" rel="nofollow">this account of the stunning rule on the wiki</a> is helpful.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-79316285018117417962015-01-23T21:40:49.329-07:002015-01-23T21:40:49.329-07:00Alexis, I was hoping you could expand a bit on you...Alexis, I was hoping you could expand a bit on your knock back rule. Especially regarding what happens if a knocked back combatant has a wall, an enemy, or an ally in the the space into which they are being knocked back into.<br /><br />Do you allow the person doing the knock back to automatically advance into the now vacated space? And is this movement free or must a move point be expended?<br /><br />Lets see if I can explain this last question correctly. Imagine 2 fighters standing side by side fighting 2 enemy fighters who are also side by side. Using x's and o'x to look something like this:<br /><br /> xo<br /> xo<br /><br />If the bottom x gets a knock back on his o, and then advances into the vacated spot to now have:<br /><br /> xo<br /> xo<br /><br />Do you allow the bottom x to attack the upper o with a flanking bonus? Or do you consider the fact that there is someone else there to square off against in negating a flank attack?<br /><br />I love the idea of 2 enemy lines pushing back and forth, and hoping to get full insight into the different tactical advantages that result.<br /><br />Thanks for your time.Stacktracehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05778633676064958982noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-6281702790658946782014-07-24T14:29:39.420-06:002014-07-24T14:29:39.420-06:00Aradoth,
Been a long time since I ran parties wit...Aradoth,<br /><br />Been a long time since I ran parties without the stun rule, but I don't think their aggressiveness suffers. I'd say it probably increases, since they know if they only have to do a quarter of the enemy's hit points to put it back on it's heels, that seems doable.<br /><br />Very, very rarely, an individual will roll a result on the character background table that they're able to ignore being stunned one time per day. The chance of getting it comes with a high constitution and luck. There are no other exceptions for players.<br /><br />Some monsters can't be stunned. Undead do not feel pain, while some non-corporeal creatures cannot feel the force of a weapon they're killed by. Some creatures, like a black pudding or a hydra, are multi-structural and can't be stunned, or one head is stunned while other heads continue to attack. Chimera are particularly nasty this way.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-58953884920378012952014-07-24T14:19:01.399-06:002014-07-24T14:19:01.399-06:00Alexis, In your experience, does a party's mod...Alexis, In your experience, does a party's modus operandi change with the stun rule? <br>For example, do parties rest earlier to recover hit points, because 1/4 of their hit point total is now vunerable to a single attack.<br> Also, can stuns be shaken off, or removed with potions, spells, smelling salts, etc?Aradothhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00973432648267759150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-60868807981176668722014-07-18T07:54:46.109-06:002014-07-18T07:54:46.109-06:00One of my favourite rules. Always keeps my on the ...One of my favourite rules. Always keeps my on the edge of my seat when reading the online party adventures. It becomes a fun little exercise to figure out more or less what the remaining hp of opponents is when a stun happens.Kylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13890397263351615168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-77799154722639931482014-07-17T12:55:53.532-06:002014-07-17T12:55:53.532-06:00Discord,
There are no additional penalties. As i...Discord,<br /><br />There are no additional penalties. As is, the rule balances very nicely all around.<br /><br />Any damage from any source that causes 1/4th of your present hit points stuns.<br /><br />If the fireball were 14 hp, and you saved and it only caused 7, then that would not stun you; but the 8 hp you proposed would.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-70602591967510227012014-07-17T12:46:42.842-06:002014-07-17T12:46:42.842-06:00Alexis, are there any penalties associated with be...Alexis, are there any penalties associated with being stunned, other than the loss of turn? I'm thinking of something like 3.5 named conditions that give penalties to AC, or attack.<br /><br />How does this interact with spells like Fireball? Does that stun as well? If a Fireball does 16 damage, but I save for half damage, would I still be stunned if have less than 32 HP?Discordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08043118219587453293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-35737546371458220472014-07-17T12:16:49.618-06:002014-07-17T12:16:49.618-06:00Thank you, I was guessing it was a single attack. ...Thank you, I was guessing it was a single attack. The old system seems a bit too abusable on both sides.<br /><br />Interestingly enough, it actually goes (partially) towards solving one of 4E's biggest balance problems: several smaller attacks is significantly better than one large attack. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-51610719744497774242014-07-17T11:59:07.366-06:002014-07-17T11:59:07.366-06:00James,
I began with total aggragate damage added ...James,<br /><br />I began with total aggragate damage added together done to one creature in the space of one round, but I have since moved to where a single attack must do 1/4th damage, no matter how much others have done.<br /><br />Old system:<br /><br />Against a giant lizard with 32 hit points, James does 4 damage, Issara does 3 damage and Alexis does 1 = lizard stunned.<br /><br />New system:<br /><br />Same damage - James lowers the creature to 28 hp without stunning; Issara lowers it to 25 hp without stunning; and I lower it to 24 hp without stunning. Lizard attacks.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-40194121292399868082014-07-17T11:10:49.811-06:002014-07-17T11:10:49.811-06:00I play exclusively 4E, and I wonder how adding a r...I play exclusively 4E, and I wonder how adding a rule like this would change the game? I think it would make combat much deadlier, but I don't think it actually favors one side over the other. <br /><br />Though a quick question: is it if 1/4th of current hp is lost in a single attack, in a single turn or in a single round?<br /><br />I think when I start my next campaign up, I'll suggest this new rule. <br /><br />I also wish rolling initiative wasn't so time-consuming, because the idea of initiative changing at the start of every round sounds excellent. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-83183305463213312142014-07-17T10:27:39.030-06:002014-07-17T10:27:39.030-06:00Having used stun rules for a while, having first h...Having used stun rules for a while, having first heard of them through Hackmaster, they're amazing.<br /><br />Seriously amazing.<br /><br />The post above does an excellent job describing just why: it shakes up some established notions of the game.<br /><br />Fighters can't just "tank and spank", mages get recognized for the total party threats that they are, and parties have meaningful choice even in otherwise "mundane" combats.<br /><br />Congratulations on the book being out at last, Alexis. Looking forward to tomorrow's math.Pandredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03917809464727878157noreply@blogger.com