Combat is Abstract -- I have some add on...

[Ran]

Yeah, everyone know the combat system in the 3rd edition is abstract, for me it doesn't have to, so we make some arrows stick on the target, armor can rust, players catch disease, weapons and armor need repair, clothes are destroyed, scars are left...

Anyway, we could discuss it somewhere deeper, to start with:

1. Do you have your characters get to the city after a great battle with a dragon, their armors shining and perfect, while they have about 1/4 or less hp left?

 

[BiggusGeekus@Work]

FYI- On a similar topic, Monte Cook commented on his message boards that he kicked around the idea of placing a -1 circumstance penalty on equipment after it had been used in 10 battles. But he found that led to a great deal of un-fun bookkeeping. Of course, your milage may vary.

 

[Sagan Darkside]

1. Do you have your characters get to the city after a great battle with a dragon, their armors shining and perfect, while they have about 1/4 or less hp left?

haha- no. One of the great identifiers of adventurers is they are usually an ugly lot covered with scars.

When I knock someone down to negatives with a critical or particularly savage attack, then I normally note permanent scars caused by the wound.

It occasionally will come up when they try to be deceptive or even just sociable.

SD

 

[Ran]

I don't mean lots of house rules to make the game boring and realistic, just that the situation would be ridiculous, so we say that in such a situation, your armor is quite bent, smashed, scarred, so that it seems the dragon really have tried to eaten you... no game effect, just role-playing effects

 

[nHammer]

I don't make it a game terms thing....I just have people shy away from the adventurers when they get into towns...and as long as my players occasionaly mention upkeep on equipment I don't worry about it.

 

[ced1106]

FYI- On a similar topic, Monte Cook commented on his message boards that he kicked around the idea of placing a -1 circumstance penalty on equipment after it had been used in 10 battles. But he found that led to a great deal of un-fun bookkeeping. Of course, your milage may vary.

D&D has its variant upkeep rules, so that's where I'd put armor and weapon maintenance. Personally, I'd make upkeep a percentage of the PC's level (as in AD&D) and add a minor Cha modifier for different upkeep levels (gotta impress the rubes, y'know


Cedric.
aka. Washu! ^O^