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Yeah not disputing those. The antagonist’s in most S&S literature don’t die at all. This is where gamest elements come into play, IMO you need a threat of failure to game it. Besides with the predictable damage of 5e, low level mooks are very unlikely to cause instant death anyway, unless they...

I disagreed, it’d be odd to agree with your reasoning if that wasn’t also my belief. If you’re looking for validation, I think you and S’mon have made good points on the Conan stories, and I haven’t disputed those. What I have disputed is your opinion of Xoths approach and design of his...

Yes I don’t think that’s what he’s done. Wfrp is far more dangerous. On the scale of grit, Xoths suggestion is far from wfrp levels. Yes it may not emphasis the Conan stories as you’d like it, but it does shift presumption about the world into a more dangerous unpredictable place, but it’s a...

There’s clearly a spectrum of different approaches possible which emphasis different aspects of S&S, as evidenced by our discussions here. Yours and Simons suggestions are valid, but so are approaches that emphasis a bit more grit, danger, and unpredictability. As it stands both approaches are...

Ah ok. Crossed streams. The instant death rule in the players guide is something that is already part of 5e. The difference with the (optional) rule, is that it unties the chances of dying instantly from a direct correlation with the amount of hp’s you have. This has the effect of actually...

I think that’s an over simplification. I don’t see it as black and white, there are shades in between. You can have a bit of grit and heroic at the same time, and be more heroic for it. As has been mentioned before death saves are a pretty large heroic safety net built into 5e. The ruling...

Yes IMO Xoth is showcasing S&S specific rules. There are different opinions on how to create the S&S atmosphere in a D&D game. Excellent that he’s acknowledged this with an optional rule.

5e death saves don’t allow instant kill. In my experience it’s a very big safety net.

Yes I like that too, I agree it’s very easy to boost monsters like that, but for me there’s certainly room for Xoths optional rule as well. It still has a function and a place for a certain approach. Don’t use it if you don’t want to, but I for one am thankful to have that suggestion as an...

That’s cool as well. But no harm in giving an optional tool for gamers who have differing aims in their S&S games. Sometimes people want to game it, sometimes you want that element of unpredictability. An assassins knife to the throat isn’t much of a threat if you know the target has the hp’s...

Exactly I agree 100%. That’s why for me it’s a game. There’s a chance you may not win. I need that bit of a danger edge in my S&S games, it feeds my imagination and puts me in the right frame of mind, changing gears slightly from standard clean high heroics of 5e. I need my games to remain...

Pretty sure this is a no go as already stated by Xoth. 5e players looking for a 5e game expect some certainties in their 5e games. Some aspects are crucial to the perception of playing 5e, I think Hp progression is one of them, even if many agree that it’s an abstraction that can get in the way...

Yes agreed. It’s that possibility that helps change the atmosphere of the game. By in large the standard DnD attritional battle remains, but there is that risk. For me that’s the right balance.

Another thought for rolling a deadly critical as Xoth has proposed. You could allow the proficiency bonus to be used on the second critical attempt to increase the critical range. So a level 1 character with a proficiency bonus of +2 would have a deadly critical range of 18-20 instead of 20...

Taking Xoths excellent suggestion of rolling a second d20 after getting a critical hit, you could additionally allow the player to choose a number on the d20 (call it fated or something), if that number, or their critical chance comes up, then the target drops to zero hit-points. This could be...

One other 5e book using the OGL I admire is Into The Unknown a 5e take on b/x. What I like most about that book is the advice on playing an open game, playing what’s in front of you, rather then just playing the rules. Advice that’s applicable to any 5e game. It’s on drivethru and consists of 5...

By the way I should mention that I really like the classes in this game. It’s not simply a rehash of 5e classes. Cultist, slaver, conquerer, and courtesan are inspired. Think the magic, and game advice is really good. Warlock works for me, but I’d also like an option with some form of...

Regarding Inspiration: After reading the excellent Beowulf age of hero’s for 5e there’s brilliant use of the inspiration mechanic which draws out the theme of the game. There’s a few more ways to acquire Inspiration. 1. At the beginning of the game through the portents a pool of inspiration...

I think this is the right approach, but just to exhaust other avenues using a second roll, here’s a few alternative approaches for a Deadly Critical: 1. On a critical hit, the attacking player makes a Str or Dex roll (players choice), with the DC being the targets Constitution score. If...

Think the extra die roll (like advantage) is more in line with 5e. It’s more straight forward, and is easy to add into the existing structure of your standard 5e game. If you want to increase the probability, maybe feats, or class abilities could do that? Assassin already gets a critical in some...