Critical Effects: Critiques Wanted

[Lord Vangarel]

Just to let you know . . .

I worked out the changes to on your system that I spoke about and ran them through some sample playtests last night. Basically the changes made are:

Standard size modifiers affect hit locations
Critical effects are determined as a percentage of the damage inflicted to the current hit points rather than a d20 roll (categories <50%, 51-70%, 71-85%, 86-95%, 96%+)
Purely for descriptive purposes targets who drop below zero suffer critical effects as follows -1 to 5 minor, 6-7 light, 8 moderate, 9 serious, 10 critical.

What tended to happen in the tests were targets who had decent hit points sufferred light or minor wounds, once the characters started dropping to lower hit points death became a real possibility. This meshed with my view of how criticals should effect higher level characters. I feel they should add flavour and added danger but not necessarily threaten instant death. As the battles got longer the critical effects began to stack up and really add a sense of terror without the thought of a very lucky shot, a bad save roll and death to a much loved long developed character.

 

[DnDChick]

True, but how much did it slow things down as you had to re-calculate the critical effects percentages every time a character took damage?

And, with the percentage of hit points system, combat at lower levels is even more deadly than normal, which would make it practically impossible to survive without having the party cleric max out all his spells on cures. And a low-level cleric wont have access to the higher cure spells. Tough luck huh? One good dungeon could wipe out a party after the first few rooms.

Your system has merits for its realism, Ill grant you, but I dont think its fair or balanced, especially at lower levels. Thats just my opinion though and youre free to disagree.

And I think it should be possible for even a high level character to take serious damage from weapons. If youre stabbed in the heart, youre going to die: I dont care what your level is!

 

[DnDChick]

BUMP! Updated the crit effects page to account for other types of healing spells, paladins laying on of hands, fast healing, and regeneration.

 

[Steven McRownt]

hit location

I was thinking that in your hit location table, differences in size of opponents is not considered at all. The problem cuold be solved, in my opinion, with 2 little corrections: the first one is to say that for each size of difference (i.e. medium to large), there will be a +2/-2 (if u're bigger or smaller respectively), and then not divide the table for left and right (arms or legs) but simply leave arms and legs... then throw a second dice to see which one...

I hope to have been clear enough

StevenMcRownt

 

[DnDChick]

I have made adjustment for size in the to hit table. Its under "optional" right under the location table.

And I divided the location table into right and left to speed things up. There are quite a few rolls in the Crit Effects already, and I was trying to pare them down as much as possible.

 

[Steven McRownt]

I have made adjustment for size in the to hit table. Its under "optional" right under the location table.

And I divided the location table into right and left to speed things up. There are quite a few rolls in the Crit Effects already, and I was trying to pare them down as much as possible.

uhm. Ok, you won initiative. But where this "optional" is? I've found only the old crits.htm page (link in the first page) and no more...

Thanks in advance

Steven McRownt

p.s. Do u know why we haven't anymore the signatures shown?

 

[DnDChick]

Here it is from http://members.aol.com/CountryGrrlHere/crits.html

Hit Location
It is important to know what part of the body suffers a critical effect. Blows to the head or chest are potentially more lethal than to the arm or leg simply because of the number of vital organs in those areas, and a severed leg will have different consequences than a severed arm. Once it has been determined that a victim will suffer a critical effect, roll 1d20 to determine the location of the critical effect.



Roll
Location

<2
left leg

3-4
right leg

5-8
left arm

9-12
right arm

13-18
chest/abdomen

19-20+
head/neck




Option: To take into account size differences between opponents, thus making it harder if not impossible for a goblin to deal a head wound to a giant, modify the location roll by subtracting 1 for every level of size difference if the attacker is smaller. If the attacker is larger, add 1 per level of size difference. This modification to the location roll does not apply to ranged attacks of any kind.



And, as to why the signatures are gone...Morrus put some restrictions on the forums so they will load faster and be less of a strain on the server. He promises that this will only be temporary. The thread regarding this is over in the Meta forum.

 

[Lord Vangarel]

DnDChick,

If the criticals only occur on a natural 20 and the critical effect requires a further critical than you're much more likely to die of the hit point loss than the critical effect.

As for the criticals becoming more deadly the less hit points you have then yes I agree with you, but as the systems are equal until the determination of the critical effect the d20 roll can incapacitate even a high level character (ok if that's what you want). But the d20 roll is just as likely to do the same to a low level character, admitedly the percentage system is deadlier the lower your hit points (so lower level characters need to fear it more) but if you have a 1st level fighter with say 13 hit points and he takes a critical then he's in trouble anyway regardless of the effect.

My disagreement with the random roll is a high level characters hit points are there so he can't be stabbed through the heart unless you firstly remove the majority of the hit points.

Anyway I like the idea of the system and will present it to my regular group tonight and let you know the results.

 

[DnDChick]

DnDChick,

If the criticals only occur on a natural 20 and the critical effect requires a further critical than you're much more likely to die of the hit point loss than the critical effect.

But the critical effect doesnt require a further critical, though.

Once it is determined that a character has recieved a critical and they suffer the hit point damage from that, they suffer the critical effect with no further hit point damage--only the chance for becoming disabled or dying, etc.

 

[Steven McRownt]

the problems with the hit location table are, in my opinion 2:

1. If u add or subtract 1 to that table it will possible to let more easy to hit -for example- the right leg instead of the left one.

2.It doesn't consider the idea that u can face an ettin (two heads) or a tree-kreen (4 arms and even if i remember well 4 legs)

The solution is a table with 4 possible location

<2 - 5 Legs
6 - 12 Arms
7 - 15 Torso
16+ Head

and a +/- 2 (or 1) of size difference. Then if there are multiple of that part simply roll another dice to know the exact body part


Steven McRownt