I am talking about fatigue of the sort that you mentioned. The fatigue from the effect is a different sort. That other sort is out of context.
Pathfinder 1E Escalation die for Pathfinder
Liquidsabre
Explorer
My apologies, but it does sound like you are simply making distinctions where none exist. I'm sure others would agree.
Edit - Btw I read up on this mechanic and the escalation bonus seems to only apply to PCs and that certain monsters (I'm guessing the more powerful ones?) have abilities that trigger based on the escalation die number. Interesting.
Edit - Btw I read up on this mechanic and the escalation bonus seems to only apply to PCs and that certain monsters (I'm guessing the more powerful ones?) have abilities that trigger based on the escalation die number. Interesting.
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prosfilaes
Adventurer
You do not recall correctly; it is specifically PC-only, and designed to implement a particular sway of battle with the bad guys having the advantage at start and losing that as it goes on. (They mention dragons as an exception in 13th Age, but don't think that's a good idea in 3.5/FF given 3.5/PF dragons.)
mach1.9pants
Hero
This would be good for 4E to speed up the combat and reduce grind, very interesting indeed. But as has been mentioned, how to stop cheesy play?
As the mechanic in question applies to PC's only, your mechanic applying to everyone and simulating fatigue would be different anyway. It would also need to deal with spells and effects that reduce or eliminate fatigue, such as Endurance-type feats and undead and constructs which never tire.
Ebony Dragon
First Post
I actually think this idea would be more interesting if it worked like this and NPC's also gained the bonuses. Then both parties would have the same increase in lethality as combat went on and it would be harder to cheese by one side just playing overly defensive at the start of every fight (isn't escalation supposed to speed combat up, not slow it down?).
Even so, in most of the 3.5/pathfinder games I have played our combats tend to be over in just a few rounds anyways. The D&D system is already very lethal I think.
Liquidsabre
Explorer
Aye this is how I made sense of it when I first read the mechanic. It would certainly balance the encounter to prevent PCs from taking advantage by turtling the first few rounds. Seems like the solution to using this in D&D or PF.
Not sure how monster abilities being unlocked by the progression of the escalation die will balance things out, but that does seem to be the purpose of it in 13th Age. Color me intrigued. In the meantime I may recommend using an escalation die that applies to all for our D&D 4e game to help speed up combat.
Lord Mhoram
Hero
Personally I like it, and am going to incorporate it into my games. That mechanic alone has me looking at 13th age for other possible idea - thinking about pre-ordering it.
I like it as PCs only - I like the cinematic feel of not doing well then turning the tide. It's simple, it emulates a style I like, and it can speed up fights.
I don't know the full rules, but I would turn the die every 2 rounds or something for obvious turtling - the idea is that the PC are fighting the enemy and finding weaknesses in their style - if they aren't fighting all out they don't get that kind of bonus because they are not pressing the targets strong enough to see the weaknesses.
Something like the fight on the Cliff of insanity could be modeled by this mechanic pretty easily.
I like it as PCs only - I like the cinematic feel of not doing well then turning the tide. It's simple, it emulates a style I like, and it can speed up fights.
I don't know the full rules, but I would turn the die every 2 rounds or something for obvious turtling - the idea is that the PC are fighting the enemy and finding weaknesses in their style - if they aren't fighting all out they don't get that kind of bonus because they are not pressing the targets strong enough to see the weaknesses.
Something like the fight on the Cliff of insanity could be modeled by this mechanic pretty easily.
Mark Chance
Boingy! Boingy!
Don't start to begin with.
Nikosandros
Golden Procrastinator
In 13th Age, the escalation die does not advance if the characters are delaying or avoiding conflict.
