Ok I just started running a Traveller T20 game (set in Firefly verse') and fell in love with the vitality systme they use so I propose converting it to D20.
Stamina = Hit points heck you can even call them them hit points still if you want.
Vitality = Con
Every hit does both Stamina and Vitality in the amount rolled.
Armor stops an amount of damage to Vitality equal to its AC (this is in addition to increasing AC as normal).
Critical hits do stamina damage like normal but Vitality is not multiplied it just ignores armors damage reduction.
Healing you recover an amount of stamina equal to your level per hour of rest or two hours of light activity. Vitality comes back at a point per day no matter level.
Extra dice, of damage from sneak attack or energy whatever it comes from does stamina damage as normal but only 1 point of vitality. This is not resisted by armor.
Spells do regular damage to stamina and 1 point of vitality per die of damage.
Armor offers no reduction to spell damage.
Energy resistance stops 1 point of Vitality per 5 points.
Magical healing heals stamina like normal and 1 point of vitality per die.
Natural Armor still adds full bonus to AC but is 1/3 effective in stopping vitality. So Natural AC of +6 stops 2 points of Vitality.
Advanced Technology, apply only half the AC bonus as DR vs attacks from adamantine weapons and guns. Adamantine armor counts as advanced armor so is fully effective.
Other types of DR work as normal and are counted after Armor DR is applied to vitality.
Power attack should be changed to penalty on off handed weapon adds *0.5 extra damage and penalty with two-handed weapons adds *1.5 damage. Bad at math make players take penalties 2 at time 2 for 2 with main hand 2 for 1 for off hand and 2 for 3 two-handed.
Attacks to Subdue only do Stamina Damage.
Condition Summary:
0 Stamina = any more stamina damage is directly converted to vitality damage and make a DC 15 will save every round to remain concious.
0 Vitality = as per 0 hit points are now, DC 15 will save to remain concious every round.
-1 to -9 Vitality = Dying you are bleeding and losing one vitality per round if concious and doing actions to cause further bleeding (similar to being at 0 ) loose an extra point. To stabalize and stop bleeding to need to reamain motionless either not doing anything or be unconsious make a DC 15+(negative vitality) to stop bleeding, further activity will make you start bleeding again. Once stabalized no need to check for loss of consiousness.
-10 Vitality = Dead.
I would have armor enhancement bonus increase the DR to vitality it provides.
Sheilds do not help with stopping Vitality except by making you harder to hit.
Example a hit from a flaming sword on a sneak attack would do the following assuming a +2 str bonus. 1d8+2 (this is applied to both stamina and vitality and armor helps reduce the vitality damage done) +1d6 stamina (from flaming) +1 vitality (from flaming) +1d6 stamina (from sneak attack) +1 vitality (from sneak attack) The extra vitality from flaming and sneak attack is not reduced by armor. Same situation with a crit would be 1d8+2 vitality and stamina( and the armor would not reduce this amount) and an extra 1d8+2 to stamina.
Note on creatures immune to crits, they stop functioning at 0 stamina and are destroyed at 0 vitality they do not have a negative threashold.
Stamina = Hit points heck you can even call them them hit points still if you want.
Vitality = Con
Every hit does both Stamina and Vitality in the amount rolled.
Armor stops an amount of damage to Vitality equal to its AC (this is in addition to increasing AC as normal).
Critical hits do stamina damage like normal but Vitality is not multiplied it just ignores armors damage reduction.
Healing you recover an amount of stamina equal to your level per hour of rest or two hours of light activity. Vitality comes back at a point per day no matter level.
Extra dice, of damage from sneak attack or energy whatever it comes from does stamina damage as normal but only 1 point of vitality. This is not resisted by armor.
Spells do regular damage to stamina and 1 point of vitality per die of damage.
Armor offers no reduction to spell damage.
Energy resistance stops 1 point of Vitality per 5 points.
Magical healing heals stamina like normal and 1 point of vitality per die.
Natural Armor still adds full bonus to AC but is 1/3 effective in stopping vitality. So Natural AC of +6 stops 2 points of Vitality.
Advanced Technology, apply only half the AC bonus as DR vs attacks from adamantine weapons and guns. Adamantine armor counts as advanced armor so is fully effective.
Other types of DR work as normal and are counted after Armor DR is applied to vitality.
Power attack should be changed to penalty on off handed weapon adds *0.5 extra damage and penalty with two-handed weapons adds *1.5 damage. Bad at math make players take penalties 2 at time 2 for 2 with main hand 2 for 1 for off hand and 2 for 3 two-handed.
Attacks to Subdue only do Stamina Damage.
Condition Summary:
0 Stamina = any more stamina damage is directly converted to vitality damage and make a DC 15 will save every round to remain concious.
0 Vitality = as per 0 hit points are now, DC 15 will save to remain concious every round.
-1 to -9 Vitality = Dying you are bleeding and losing one vitality per round if concious and doing actions to cause further bleeding (similar to being at 0 ) loose an extra point. To stabalize and stop bleeding to need to reamain motionless either not doing anything or be unconsious make a DC 15+(negative vitality) to stop bleeding, further activity will make you start bleeding again. Once stabalized no need to check for loss of consiousness.
-10 Vitality = Dead.
I would have armor enhancement bonus increase the DR to vitality it provides.
Sheilds do not help with stopping Vitality except by making you harder to hit.
Example a hit from a flaming sword on a sneak attack would do the following assuming a +2 str bonus. 1d8+2 (this is applied to both stamina and vitality and armor helps reduce the vitality damage done) +1d6 stamina (from flaming) +1 vitality (from flaming) +1d6 stamina (from sneak attack) +1 vitality (from sneak attack) The extra vitality from flaming and sneak attack is not reduced by armor. Same situation with a crit would be 1d8+2 vitality and stamina( and the armor would not reduce this amount) and an extra 1d8+2 to stamina.
Note on creatures immune to crits, they stop functioning at 0 stamina and are destroyed at 0 vitality they do not have a negative threashold.
Last edited:
