Damage Threshold in D&D

Kobold Avenger · Aug 20, 2003

I want to use something like D20 Modern's damage threshold, which is if someone takes more damage than their constitution score they must make a fort save DC 15 or be reduced to -1 hp. D&D's massive damage at a fixed value of 50 points of damage is like that but too high for what I want, D20 Modern is too low.

I've been thinking that my damage threshold should be one of the following...
Con x 2
Con x 3
Level + Con x 2
Level x 2 + Con

I want the threshold being breached more often than D&D, but less often than D20 Modern, taking into consideration sneak attacks, power-attack with 2-handed weapons, spells which do caster level x 1d6 damage and the most powerful medium weapon being the military rifle which does 2d8 damage. I know in some cases the threshold could exceed 50 for characters with really high constitution scores.

As a result of falling into dying more often, characters only die when they reach 10+(character level) hp below 0.

If anyone has any better ideas as well, I'd like to hear it.

Cheiromancer · Aug 20, 2003

I think it would be easier to have a fixed threshold rather than one based on level and Constitution. After all, those are already factored into the Fort save. And that way you don't have to calculate it separately for every monster and NPC.

For typical scores and levels, it looks like 40 hit points would be close to what you want.

Have you thought about changing the Fort save, too? Maybe increase it to DC 20 or be reduced to -1 hp.

ichabod · Aug 20, 2003

I would also recommend going with a set value. Frex, I use half massive damage for clobbered. This was after trying the take half your hits and you're clobbered rule. But everytime you took damage you had to think, did I take half my current hits? It got to be a pain. 25 straight up is easy to remember and easy to figure out.

AeroDm · Aug 20, 2003

I'd consider using your Constitution score as a threshold and then use Clobbered. IIRC, clobbered was you may only take a standard action the following round, right? So that wouldn't be so severe that Con is too low, nor would it be so high that it wouldn't come into play a lot.

Good idea.

kreynolds · Aug 20, 2003

I just started using a real simple variant...

If you take damage greater than or equal to half your maximum hit points in a single hit, make a Fort save or die (DC 15).

I also use the clobbered variant from the DMG.

Xorial · Aug 20, 2003

I like the damage threshold too. Fixed based on Con is fine. Also use the feat Increased Damage Threshold, +3 to Dmg Threshold.

Kobold Avenger · Aug 20, 2003

In regards to increasing damage threshold through feats, I would actually just have toughness increase it by that ammount.

haiiro · Aug 21, 2003

One thing to keep in mind is that tying the massive damage threshold to CON makes an already-important stat even more so.

This is why I haven't implemented Monte's system for going in to negative HP from AU -- it ties one more important thing to CON, and I'm not sure what effect that would have on the game.

AeroDm · Aug 21, 2003

Actaully I haven't really found Con to be _that_ important of a stat. I mean everyone accepts the fact that more HP = higher survival, but the other stats offer more if munched. After all, I've seen it happen where high con characters have lower HP than lower con characters just because of their die rolls.

I think putting more stress on Con isn't such a bad thing, and could even be good.