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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Guest User" data-source="post: 9466793" data-attributes="member: 7046455">Hi Soloist,Thank you for your reply. I loved reading your recollection of Halfdan's solo adventure. From both the combat session you described as well as Kadir's spell casting, it was clear that this was doubtless a DragonQuest adventure. Good note taking.I must admit, roughly one in three role-players whom I introduce to DQ don't find it to their taste. One of the more recent departures said, "I didn't come here to do math!" and I can see his point (and yours). The ones that tend to stay are of the crowd who prefer more logical, less arbitrary TTRPG systems (e.g. DQ armor directly negates physical damage). Basic 1st Edition D&D was my first-ever TTRPG (hence my username), so I never really minded arbitrary rules, so long as the DM kept the player-generated chaos to a manageable level. Another turn-off for some folks is the deadlier aspects of the DQ combat system.When it comes to the seeming myriad of calculations one must perform in the execution of an attack, skill, or spell attempt in DragonQuest, I have most of the core variables committed to memory. Back in 1986, however, I kept a spiral notebook with all those subtractions and additions. I think I kept referring to it until about a year after TSR's 3rd Edition came out (1990).I sympathize that you had to perform all those calculations, since it so obviously detracted from the fantasy atmosphere of the game; it's hard to solo when you have to bother with all that. That's particularly why, when I run a DQ game, I perform most of the calculations for my players unless they prefer to do it themselves. That way, they can keep their attention focused on the story and their character instead of continually running in CPU mode.I have in place a home-spun rule that minimizes the impact a Grievous Injury or even damage directly affecting Endurance has on a player-character. Whether the character in question is unconscious or not, if they sustain a Grievous Injury or DDAE, I will allow the player the chance to roll 3 x Endurance or less on % dice. If the roll is successful, the character suffers only half of the Endurance loss (round up). If unsuccessful, the character takes it all. In any case, the character does suffer whatever physical malady - outside the EN damage - described in the Grievous Injury result (if any).I daresay that anybody who has ever been through even one session of DragonQuest combat would grant that I'm not coddling the characters in this - especially since the same rule applies to monsters and hostile NPCs. Instead, I'm putting in place a cushion, as it were, between the last moment that the player was having fun and the realization that their first character is about to die. Many a good role-player have left my gaming table, never to return, once they discovered how deadly DQ combat can be; this is simply my attempt to stem this tendency.Appreciate you sharing your recollection.Pat HoughPflugerville, Texas (USA)----------------------------------------"Your opponent’s weapon has come crashing down on your head and fractured your skull. You fall prone, are unconscious, and take 8 Damage Points to Endurance. If you survive, you lose 2 from Agility, 2 from Manual Dexterity, and 2 from Perception. It will take a year in bed to recover."</blockquote>

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