D&D 5E Calculating fall damage in special situations

[randrak]

Hey!

I was wandering how you all calculate fall damage in special situations. For example:

Last session my players ended surrounded by enemies on all sides while on a bridge (yes, a cliffhanger). Now thanks to their talk I know that they are planning to jump next session. When the barbarian jumps, he'll take 10d6 damage (100 foot drop) and he'll likely be raging so that's halved...that one is easy.
However, say that the druid turns into a cat or another small animal and falls while in the barbarian's arms. Would the druid take any damage?
What if they take bodies of fallen enemies to cushion the fall? How would that affect the damage?
Should a 100 foot drop have some other drawback? Like damage+lingering injury? Or system shock?

These guys are level 5 so surviving a fall like that with their hp is possible.

Thoughts?

 

[jaelis]

I don't think I would reduce the damage for the druid in cat form. Its not small enough for there to be a big difference in air drag (like if it was a flea). And holding the cat or cushioning it with your body I don't think would make a difference for such a big fall. Nor would using bodies as a cushion... bodies are not very cushiony I'd say.

If you are playing a gritty game you could roll for injuries like broken bones, but if you don't normally do that kind of thing I wouldn't here.

I would however let a player try to fashion an improvised parachute with a cloak or sheet. I might knock of a couple d6 if they do that and make a decent check of some kind.

And of course the druid can wild shape into a beast with a lot of hp and get a "cushion" that way

 

[randrak]

It is a bit annoying that players can jump from 100 feet and be alright though. A barbarian raging will almost always still remain conscious and I know some players jump even if they will be unconscious afterward just because they know there's healing and it would likely never outright kill them.

I think the druid believes that being in cat form will prevent them from being damaged. Wouldn't it at least shave off a couple of d6s?

 

[pemerton]

Last session my players ended surrounded by enemies on all sides while on a bridge (yes, a cliffhanger). Now thanks to their talk I know that they are planning to jump next session. When the barbarian jumps, he'll take 10d6 damage (100 foot drop) and he'll likely be raging so that's halved...that one is easy.
However, say that the druid turns into a cat or another small animal and falls while in the barbarian's arms. Would the druid take any damage?
What if they take bodies of fallen enemies to cushion the fall? How would that affect the damage?
Should a 100 foot drop have some other drawback? Like damage+lingering injury? Or system shock?

These guys are level 5 so surviving a fall like that with their hp is possible.

It is a bit annoying that players can jump from 100 feet and be alright though.

I'm not sure why it's annoying. It reminds me of Tintin, and seems kind-of cool (is there water beneath the bridge?).

And I think the image of the druid turning into a cat so the barbarian can safely nurse him/her down the fall is funny - it also reminds me of Tintin (jumping carrying Snowy). I think it's worth some sort of damage reduction (maybe half, like the barbarian).

 

[Ath-kethin]

It is a bit annoying that players can jump from 100 feet and be alright though.

It's too bad they don't have a wizard that could cast a spell and slow down their fall so it would be more realistic.

 

[Xeviat]

I'd definitely have smaller creatures take less falling damage. Cats have been known to fall from very high buildings and be fine. Sure, they fall at about the same speed as you or I, but if we're talking about a housecat, like a 10 pound cat instead of a 150-200 pound human, has a lot less mass and thus less energy when it lands.

If the Druid in kitty form is in the barbarian's arms, I'd probably have the cat take just a bit less damage than they would if they jumped themselves. They're still falling and stopping the same, they just have a barbarian between them and the ground.


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[Oofta]

I think their ideas are actually creative. Creativity should be rewarded! The goal of the game is to have fun, to reward creativity and to let people do stupid action-adventure movie stunts without dying.

If they cushion their fall, I'd reduce damage by 1d6 (it's going to help, but not a lot) unless they have something else to cushion their fall with other than a body or two.

Cats are quite good at surviving falls, and take significantly less damage than a person would. I'd cut falling damage in half. I'd probably reduce the damage by a couple of d6 if the barbarian catches the cat.

Besides, I think it sets up a great scene of the barbarian shouting "You never catch Grog alive!" followed up by a mighty "Meow!" from the druid.

 

[jaelis]

I'd definitely have smaller creatures take less falling damage. Cats have been known to fall from very high buildings and be fine. Sure, they fall at about the same speed as you or I, but if we're talking about a housecat, like a 10 pound cat instead of a 150-200 pound human, has a lot less mass and thus less energy when it lands.

If the Druid in kitty form is in the barbarian's arms, I'd probably have the cat take just a bit less damage than they would if they jumped themselves. They're still falling and stopping the same, they just have a barbarian between them and the ground.


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OK, research agrees with you: http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-17492802
So I'm convinced. Probably I would just add a special ability to cats that they take half damage from falls.

 

[jasper]

It is a bit annoying that players can jump from 100 feet and be alright though. A barbarian raging will almost always still remain conscious and I know some players jump even if they will be unconscious afterward just because they know there's healing and it would likely never outright kill them.

I think the druid believes that being in cat form will prevent them from being damaged. Wouldn't it at least shave off a couple of d6s?

Hey I seen a school teacher with a whip survive an atom bomb.

 

[Jim Wayne]

We are toying with increasing the damage die for longer falls starting with a d4 for 10 feet. So, 10 is d4, 20 is a d4 and a d6, 30 adds a d8, 40 add d10, 50, add d12, d20 at 60 feet and then it's d20s for the rest of the damage. Falls from a serious height should make ANYONE think twice.