Dragonbane Post-Mortem

[Staffan]

I'm familiar with BRP-family games setting hit points to (CON+SIZ)/2. I know there were early versions where it was just CON, but I'm not aware of it ever being CON+SIZ without dividing the sum by 2.

Another Swedish BRP-derived game, Mutant (which is the spiritual if not mechanical predecessor of Mutant Year Zero) used SIZ+CON for hit points. Of course, it had weapon damage scaled differently (although not doubled).

 

[Wolfpack48]

It'd be interesting if that were the only change made, letting some characters start with potentially 30+ HP.

But it would also put a bigger strain on Healing skill and magical healing. A stretch rest would also give you pack a smaller percentage of your overall HPs. Not saying any of those are bad things, just interesting.

And there’s something to be said for faster combats.

You could do something less drastic and give bonus starting HP like CON:

17-18 = +4
15-16 = +3
13-14 = +2
11-12 = +1

You can also give an extra Heroic Ability at start to help survivability.

 

[Starfox]

I'm familiar with BRP-family games setting hit points to (CON+SIZ)/2. I know there were early versions where it was just CON, but I'm not aware of it ever being CON+SIZ without dividing the sum by 2.

Reminds me how Pendragon 1E had Hp = Siz + Con and damage scaled appropriately to match. Pendragon was such a step up from BRP IMHO.

 

[Starfox]

And there’s something to be said for faster combats.

You could do something less drastic and give bonus starting HP like CON:

17-18 = +4
15-16 = +3
13-14 = +2
11-12 = +1

You can also give an extra Heroic Ability at start to help survivability.

Some BRP-derived gaes like Stormbringer had Hp = Con, but then gave bonuses for size. In effect this was Con + Siz -12 (as long as your Siz was 12 or higher).

 

[Wolfpack48]

Some BRP-derived gaes like Stormbringer had Hp = Con, but then gave bonuses for size. In effect this was Con + Siz -12 (as long as your Siz was 12 or higher).

Yeah, I liked that system, but since Dragonbane doesn't use the SIZ stat, it may require a houserule. You could do CON + (CON - 12 when CON > 12) for something similar.

 

[Starfox]

I played Dragonbane at a con (Well, I played Drakar & Demoner, in the original Swedish) and didn't even notice they removed Siz.