Condition track - wishful thinking, rumor or confirmed?

[Doug McCrae]

I'm very much against condition tracks as I feel they add unnecessary complexity. Constantly changing penalties are worse than buff spells (which to a large degree are being removed in 4e) as your stats change more often. I found them really annoying in Earthdawn.

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

If they are adding a bloodied condition tracker, it better be more than just an indication of when the creature reaches half hp. We don't need any kind of tracking mechanism to simply say a monster is at half...

 

[Nyeshet]

I suspect it will do more than just state that a creature has reached half hp.

I suspect becoming 'bloodied' will both turn on and turn off some abilities. Perhaps some creatures cannot use certain abilities until they are bloodied - and or lose the use of other abilities once bloodied. Perhaps it is the same for PC classes - some class options opening for use only after the PC has become bloodied, while others becoming no longer available once the PC is bloodied. If talent trees exist, then which talents one chooses may be reflected in the type of game the PC plays - one where they are moderately strong at both high and low hp, one in which they are somewhat weak at high hp but very strong once bloodied (ie: less than half hp), or one in which they are quite potent at high hp but become glass-jaw weak once bloodied.

The possibility for the above is almost a given if some talents / feats turn on when bloodied and others turn off when bloodied. Which are chosen could make a notable difference to the final form of the PC character.

I suspect some monsters might end up similarly complex - some being weak until PUSHED TOO FAR!! (ie: once bloodied their powers / options open up noticeably), while others being strong to present a challenge from the start - until they take too much damage, lose most of their abilities, and are (surprisingly) quickly and easily mopped up (considering how long and hard the fight was up to that point). And some will remain more or less similarly in strength whether high or low in hp - bloodied making little difference to their abilities and vulnerabilities in most respects.

Of course, all the above presumes the bloodied or non-bloodied nature of the creature in question. It could also alter how the creature / PC interacts with others. Perhaps a creature has a special ability that only functions if their foe is bloodied. And no doubt some talents will allow better damage when the foe is bloodied. I could easily see a ranger gaining increased damage against a bloodied favored foe, for example.

 

[coyote6]

I don't think any WotC designers have really hinted at a condition track; they've mentioned Bloodied, but that's it, as far as I can tell. I'm kind of doubting it.

OTOH, they haven't gotten much into actual mechanics at all, so who can tell?

 

[KingCrab]

And I believe WotC already confirmed death is at -10, so it's a non-issue anyway.

Link please.

Also, death should be at -x% of hit points for some x.

 

[Magus Coeruleus]

My impression so far is that Bloodied is the full extent of a "condition track" and that it will not carry generic penalties but, as mentioned, enable/disable abilities. Not only for the individual bloodied/unbloodied, but for others. For instance, I'd bet money that some if not all rogues will be able to take advantage of opponents being bloodied with some opportunistic 'kick em while they're down' strike. Other possibilities include wolverines becoming enraged when bloodied and certain spells being more effective (or usable exclusively) against bloodied individuals. So there will be up to 8 relevant conditions (I don't mean in the sense of condition track, but rather situations):

What you can do when you are un/bloodied
What your opponent can do when un/bloodied
What you can do to an opponent who is un/bloodied
What an opponent can do to you when you are un/bloodied

Just based on what I've read and would speculate so far.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

My impression so far is that Bloodied is the full extent of a "condition track" and that it will not carry generic penalties but, as mentioned, enable/disable abilities. Not only for the individual bloodied/unbloodied, but for others. For instance, I'd bet money that some if not all rogues will be able to take advantage of opponents being bloodied with some opportunistic 'kick em while they're down' strike. Other possibilities include wolverines becoming enraged when bloodied and certain spells being more effective (or usable exclusively) against bloodied individuals. So there will be up to 8 relevant conditions (I don't mean in the sense of condition track, but rather situations):

What you can do when you are un/bloodied
What your opponent can do when un/bloodied
What you can do to an opponent who is un/bloodied
What an opponent can do to you when you are un/bloodied

Just based on what I've read and would speculate so far.

That sounds pretty likely. What one tiny thing - like adding a condition - can give you in new options is sometimes amazing...

 

[Scholar & Brutalman]

I would say rumor, edging towards wishful thinking.

The main reason to believe it might be there is SW Saga, but it's never been mentioned in any of the 4e previews I can recall. Also, the 4e stats for the Spined Devil don't show a condition track, while they do show "bloodied".

 

[Frostmarrow]

No condition track! Hit points BABY!!

Yeah, BABY yeah!

 

[Exen Trik]

Depends on how many conditions were talking about here, and how much trouble it is to keep straight. Bloodied at 1/2 HP is fine, is easy to remember and quickly dividing one half hit points in your head is an easy thing. Dealing with 1/3 or 2/3? Not so much.

At most I would like to see a condition for 1/10th or below, in addition to bloodied, unconscious and dead. Call it 'critical' or somesuch. Maybe fully healed or 90%+ could be a named condition as well? Of course, no point having a condition if mechanics won't be based on it, and I don't see them really needing anything besides bloodied.