tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post613826321014936855..comments2023-10-14T03:58:59.333-06:00Comments on The Tao of D&D: The Origin of PointsAlexis Smolenskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-32049704512651476682014-07-11T16:05:27.708-06:002014-07-11T16:05:27.708-06:00Potentially, yes. At -4 hit points and less they ...Potentially, yes. At -4 hit points and less they have to make a wisdom check (which is reduced 10% per point below zero) to stay conscious. So if their wisdom is normally 10, and they're at -5, they have to roll 5 or less on a d20 not to pass out. All their stats are reduced this way, so that at -7 their 14 strength is reduced to 4.2, meaning they're going to miss a lot.<br /><br />It had slipped my mind, though, I'll admit. The 'number of hit points' is therefore always going to be 'higher' for a leveled character. Thanks for giving me a poke, Eric.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-49982461803264450102014-07-11T15:29:31.989-06:002014-07-11T15:29:31.989-06:00The 1st level orc fighter is going to be a lot mor...The 1st level orc fighter is going to be a lot more survivable than the unleveled orc, aren't they? Per your negative hit point rules, can't they keep fighting (or start running) until they hit -10 hit hit points, while their unleveled orc buddy is dead at 0?Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07649420272387984400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-75523656534726057292014-07-11T12:10:11.892-06:002014-07-11T12:10:11.892-06:00In fact, I could quite easily write a post basing ...In fact, I could quite easily write a post basing the 'effects of damage' on what number the weapon produced. '1 damage' has these possible results, '2 damage' has these possible results and so on.<br /><br />But I do compensate for this somewhat by my stunning system.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-49666207936257126712014-07-11T12:08:38.406-06:002014-07-11T12:08:38.406-06:00I agree with JB's suggestion also. I only see...I agree with JB's suggestion also. I only seek better tactical means of implementing the suggestion at the table without any reduction in speed of play.<br /><br />Hah. I have weapon breaking and weapon drops. A druid in my world, Pikel by name (shown on the dedication page on my How to Play book), standing next to a toxic river in hell, dropped his +2 spear. The roll indicated that it fell five feet to his left, and since that was the river, the spear sank beneath the surface. He declined to go get it (would have killed him).<br /><br />That spear gets mentioned now and then. Took him four levels before finding a comparable weapon, a shillelagh that's only +1 but restores hit points when it crits.<br /><br />Fellow who runs Pikel, by the way, suggested the image for the upcoming book's cover.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-73801444062383251792014-07-11T11:53:02.411-06:002014-07-11T11:53:02.411-06:00Actually, I find JB's suggestion interesting. ...Actually, I find JB's suggestion interesting. It stands to reason that someone using a particular weapon would eventually become more skilled with that particular weapon. Using Excel or some other means of digital rolling we could easily have a sword do 2-8 or 3-8 points of damage.<br /><br />If you still track attacks in Excel to award XP for damage done and received then you could probably rig a counter of attacks made. Compare that with how often a person would have to use a particular weapon to become acclimated to it (I have no idea where I would start researching this)<br /><br />Add in weapons damage, and weapon breakage, and you have a system that rewards sticking with a family's heirloom sword rather than buying a new one, and makes a player actually take care of that sword. It also makes dropping that sword for an enchanted one something you may have to think about.<br /><br />My players do just shy of physically revolt when I bring up weapon breakage though. Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17939309042792833333noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-43579985438995337352014-07-11T10:10:18.389-06:002014-07-11T10:10:18.389-06:00JB,
The 'mass' is random because a pound ...JB,<br /><br />The 'mass' is random because a pound of flesh isn't universal. Two different 180 pound humanoids can have considerably different measures of health; the construction of their bodies will be different. The 260 lb. boxer with a 'glass jaw' for instance. Thus, while weight gives an approximate variable (d8 vs d6) the random element includes the possibility of not having been structured as compactly or healthily.<br /><br />Your point with the weapon damage is fair, but since hit points are determined ONCE and upgraded every three to ten sessions, it is very little bookkeeping. Combat damage caused by weapons is accomplished up to hundreds of times per session. The ratio of the work compared to the gain is so low it isn't an effective enough mechanic to improve the game in any meaningful way, while the memory work/application drags the campaign's movement, producing boredom. Thus, while I am free to mess with hit points, because they do not affect the playability of the game, there are things I can't mess with.<br /><br />IF we ever build a proper application that will players to input their stats, their weapon, their level and so on, which then instantly 3D prints a <i>loaded</i> die specifically designed for THAT weapon, used as long as the player is THAT level, then I promise you I will jump on board enthusiastically. Of course, it would also mean that as the die hit the table, the table would read the die and produce a flash of detail describing how much damage was done and what part of the body suffered, removing the player's need to record the actual change. I am very fond of that ideal.<br /><br />In the meantime, let's change what we can change without damaging the speed at which the game plays. That would be the 'line' you speak of. Does it make the whole game - not just the realism, but the entire experience - better?Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-22960221225460992762014-07-11T09:58:04.995-06:002014-07-11T09:58:04.995-06:00@ Alexis:
It always seemed to me that in your cam...@ Alexis:<br /><br />It always seemed to me that in your campaign (where things were so grounded in fact, reality, math) the MASS would be the set number and the HPs given for class would be the variable one...to reflect the vagaries of how well a character's training "took."<br /><br />[I don't remember your justification for 1st level PCs having full HPs or whether or not NPC 1st levelers had random rolled HPs to reflect laziness or ineptitude or whatever in non-PCs]<br /><br />The part where this doesn't jibe for me is when it comes to the random weapon damage. If you're not going to do random vagaries of fate or whatnot in terms of HPs, why should weapon damage not follow suit? Why shouldn't a better attack roll (not just a "20") indicate a larger amount of damage being dished out? Or would a higher level adventurer, with more combat "know-how" have a better chance of striking a telling blow then just minor lacerations and bruises (low damage rolls)?<br /><br />The original game, as written, ascribes a lot to random chance, and I can see that while you acknowledge chance you also look to cut down on absurdities by tightening up probabilities to make things more consistent with reality. I guess my question is where (and why) draw the line?<br /><br />I'll be interested to see if this whole line of thought leads you to changing what you've done for the last 2-3 decades.JBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08532311924539491087noreply@blogger.com