Does VP/WP fit the Orental Adventures 'feel' better than HP?
- Thread starter Jeph
- Start date
If we're going Rokugen, I'd say it depends on the clan that the campaign revolves around. For Crane, Scorpion, and maybe Pheonix, VP/WP. For most of the others, probably HP.
By the way, has anyone picked up the new edition of the L5R RPG? I thumbed through it, and it looks pretty cool.
By the way, has anyone picked up the new edition of the L5R RPG? I thumbed through it, and it looks pretty cool.
Bendris Noulg
First Post
Honestly, it's a question if big, horrible monsters and high-level spells, both of which lay on massive amounts of damage.
If your playing style downplays or leaves out these elements, W/V (or a derivitive) is suitable. If, however, you have the "standard" amounts of such things, than there's only one way I know of that is quicker at killing your characters: Quit playing.
Jeph: I've not seen, but I picked up Way of the Samurai today just for the hell of it... Seems rather kewl, and while I don't know the Lot5R rules, the mechanics seem simple enough looking at them in this book.
If your playing style downplays or leaves out these elements, W/V (or a derivitive) is suitable. If, however, you have the "standard" amounts of such things, than there's only one way I know of that is quicker at killing your characters: Quit playing.
Jeph: I've not seen, but I picked up Way of the Samurai today just for the hell of it... Seems rather kewl, and while I don't know the Lot5R rules, the mechanics seem simple enough looking at them in this book.
Ranger REG
Explorer
The d20 Modern version of the Hit Point System is appropriate for Chanbara-type adventures (Samurai genre).
VP/WP Health System is appropriate for Wuxia-type adventures (Chinese Kung Fu, including Wire Fu).
VP/WP Health System is appropriate for Wuxia-type adventures (Chinese Kung Fu, including Wire Fu).
For cinematic action where people bash on each other with seeming disregard for life and limb, like in many wuxia or chop-socky movies, hit points are better than stock VP/WP.
Why? The direct-to-body crits in VP/WP are a great way to put the fear of death into your PCs. One crit from the lowliest mook can ruin even a high-level character's day. This is _not_ something you want, if you're looking for a "damn the torpedoes" approach.
On the other hand, if you take _away_ this misfeature of VP/WP, then it's great. Everyone heals damage in one day, and they're ready to do even more violence to each other the next day. In fact, I would say that VP/WP without direct-to-body crits is the best system for standard D&D, if you want to achieve that swashbuckling atmosphere.
Why? The direct-to-body crits in VP/WP are a great way to put the fear of death into your PCs. One crit from the lowliest mook can ruin even a high-level character's day. This is _not_ something you want, if you're looking for a "damn the torpedoes" approach.
On the other hand, if you take _away_ this misfeature of VP/WP, then it's great. Everyone heals damage in one day, and they're ready to do even more violence to each other the next day. In fact, I would say that VP/WP without direct-to-body crits is the best system for standard D&D, if you want to achieve that swashbuckling atmosphere.
One reason VP/WP seems appropriate to a fast-paced game is that they recharge 24 times as fast as HP. Now Hong is right; If I simply took out the crit=Wp damage mechanic and used the normal Crit=*x damage thingy, it would be more suited to wuxia.
I don't know L5R mechanics either, just flipped through the pages. It seems simple and smooth, I'm considering getting it.
I don't know L5R mechanics either, just flipped through the pages. It seems simple and smooth, I'm considering getting it.
Geoff Watson
First Post
The VP/WP rules don't really fit the L5R style setting. Fast recover of Vitality doesn't fit the deadliness of the weapons.
I suggest using Hit Points, but have a low 'Death by Massive Damage rule', about 10 hit points, like in Call of Cthulu. Give penalties to the save for large amounts of damage. Increasing Iaijutsu Focus damage would help too (maybe +d6 per 3 rather than +d6 per 5).
Hong's idea is good for a wuxia style game.
Geoff.
I suggest using Hit Points, but have a low 'Death by Massive Damage rule', about 10 hit points, like in Call of Cthulu. Give penalties to the save for large amounts of damage. Increasing Iaijutsu Focus damage would help too (maybe +d6 per 3 rather than +d6 per 5).
Hong's idea is good for a wuxia style game.
Geoff.
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