Characters never fall down -OR- Uncinematic combat

[silentspace]

For the examples of being knocked down or knocked back, sounds like a variation on the massive damage rules would make sense. Like if you do over 25 pts damage you make a Fort DC 15 save or be knocked back or knocked down.

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

For the examples of being knocked down or knocked back, sounds like a variation on the massive damage rules would make sense. Like if you do over 25 pts damage you make a Fort DC 15 save or be knocked back or knocked down.

In high level campaigns, that would mean adding something like 20-30 dice rolls in each and every combat round.

 

[silentspace]

In high level campaigns, that would mean adding something like 20-30 dice rolls in each and every combat round.

True, but if you want to include a mechanic for 'cinematic' falling down, its bound to take some extra work. And massive damage should scale anyway.

 

[SylverFlame]

Th eway the system works is not based on attack, but on damage. For instance, in the pixie-giant example, if the pixie takes one damage, then it is likely only a glancing blow. However, if the pixie takes full damage from the attack, then the giant just beamed it upside the head in a MASSIVE way.

The point of this is that based off damage caused, in relation to total possible or compared to the character's HP, then you could have secondary effects. Just as massive damage can kill a person, why can't a little less knock the wind out of them? That's how I'd do it at least, and I'd have a tiered list of occurences. So the highest would be knocked prone and next turn you have one action (stand up likely); then the previous would be knocked prone with full action next turn; then, knocked back five feet and only have one action; knocked back with full action.

I don't know what the damage requirements for these would be. Also, I wouldn't make them too low or else you'll have at least one PC on their back or what have you every turn.

EDIT: It looks as if someone has already suggested this whilst I was typing. As such, kudos to them for beating me to the punch.

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

True, but if you want to include a mechanic for 'cinematic' falling down, its bound to take some extra work. And massive damage should scale anyway.

Not necessarily. If you take advantage of crit rolls, like I suggested, you're not adding any dice roll to the combat round, but you're adding some extra flexibility to the system.

 

[Hardhead]

It's one issue that doesn't quite add up in DnD. Because if it works like that, then surely magical healing doesn't make much sense? Cleric can fully heal a normal person with a spell, but the very same spell only 'heals' a small amount of 'near miss' on a heroic fighter? Perhaps their god hates people with lots of hit points.

I prefer not to think about it.

LOL

 

[silentspace]

Not necessarily. If you take advantage of crit rolls, like I suggested, you're not adding any dice roll to the combat round, but you're adding some extra flexibility to the system.

Well, it's an abstract system. I see it like SylverFlame does, that it should be based off of damage. But if you want to be able to 'trade' critical damage for stunts, then go for it!

 

[Pelenor]

I've got to agree with Trilobyte on this one. If it seems appropriate that the player should be knocked down then have them be knocked down. That's part of why D&D has a DM, to make rulings on situations that aren't covered by the rules. There is no need to add to the system to cover this situation. If we added a rule in every case like this one we'd all be toting around fifty pounds of books, or a laptop just for gaming. If you feel bad about arbitrarily saying the character is knocked down then give them a reflax save to avoid it.

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

I've got to agree with Trilobyte on this one. If it seems appropriate that the player should be knocked down then have them be knocked down.

The problem is that D&D combat system is very detailed and complex, and of course it already has a mechanism for knocking down opponents (Bull Rush). Either you get rid of most combat rules, and replace them with common sense (if it seems appropriate that the player should have an extra attack, then have him get an extra attack, and to hell with attacks of opportunity), or your stick with most of the rules, and, I'm very sorry to say, common sense gets in the way more often than not.

 

[Wicht]

DMs should remember that they are free to describe any combat strike cinematically in any way they like, so long as the DM also remembers that the described effect does not necessarilly affect game play. You can say a player reels from the punch but that does not mean in game the player suffers a penalty.to his next attack. This in itself makes the PCs seem more heroic as the recover instantly from deadly punches and give as good as they got.