First impressions of D20 Call of Cthulu

[Cthulhu]

Well, the HP problem as I see it is that you have 6 hp at 1st, and potentially 6 at each level, meaning you're twice as resistance to damage at 2nd, thrice at 3rd, etc.

Enhancing your skills through learning is a lot different than increasing your ability to withstand damage on such a level.

An increase in hit points does not equate an increased ability to withstand damage. A character who advances to 2nd level doesn't somehow become knife and bullet and talon resistant all of the sudden. In fact, the D20 system, a reduction in hit points due to an attack does not represent actually being seriously wounded at all. It represents near misses and exhaustion and perhaps (at worse) bruising and minor cuts and abrasions.

In effect, an increase in hit points represents an increased ability to avoid taking damage in the first place--which goes nicely with the concept of enhancing skills through learning (with level advancement). In effect, the skill being enhanced is damage avoidance.

This is a common enough misunderstanding, however, so I won't eat you....

This time.

 

[uv23]

Everyone seems to be forgetting that massive damage kills require only 10hp in CoC. One missed fort save and pretty much any wound can be lethal, regardless of whether you had 10 or 100hp to start with.

 

[rounser]

In effect, an increase in hit points represents an increased ability to avoid taking damage in the first place--which goes nicely with the concept of enhancing skills through learning (with level advancement). In effect, the skill being enhanced is damage avoidance.

When it comes to hit points, only the Chewbacca Defense will do. Hit points do not make sense. But if Chewbacca lives on Endor, then you must acquit.

This logic you've put forward works okay until you start thinking about Cure spells and fast healing and stuff, and how they must be restoring "damage avoidance". Then you start thinking about how healing spells don't really heal, and how trolls must regenerate luck rather than tissue, and...

Here, look at the monkey. Look at the silly monkey. Isn't it a silly monkey? What a silly monkey!

 

[Cthulhu]

When it comes to hit points, only the Chewbacca Defense will do. If hit points do not make sense you must acquit.

Problem is, I ate Chewbacca.

*coughs up a hairball*

Seriously, this is why I've adopted the VP/WP system for all the D20 games I play. Cure spells cure WP, and VP can only be healed by time.

*spits out a mangled bowcaster*

 

[The Traveler]

Everyone seems to be forgetting that massive damage kills require only 10hp in CoC. One missed fort save and pretty much any wound can be lethal, regardless of whether you had 10 or 100hp to start with.

Ayep, and Cthulhu can cause 10hp of damage just by looking at something crosseyed.

 

[PenguinKing]

In terms of not buying d20 Cthulhu beause it's stupid, people have to realize that d20 isn't everyone's cup of tea, regardless of how cool something is or isn't.

No matter how good the book actually is or isn't, this isn't the point. Rather it's the individual's dislike of the book.

Ah, but that's not what he said. "I'm not going to buy the book because I don't like the d20 system" is a perfectly legitimate gripe. "Cthulhu d20 is silly and useless" requires a bit of justification, especially if the speaker apparently hasn't even seen the book yet.

- Sir Bob.

P.S. Nih!

 

[Morrus]

Moved to d20 System Games.

 

[Victim]

When it comes to hit points, only the Chewbacca Defense will do. Hit points do not make sense. But if Chewbacca lives on Endor, then you must acquit.

This logic you've put forward works okay until you start thinking about Cure spells and fast healing and stuff, and how they must be restoring "damage avoidance". Then you start thinking about how healing spells don't really heal, and how trolls must regenerate luck rather than tissue, and...

Here, look at the monkey. Look at the silly monkey. Isn't it a silly monkey? What a silly monkey!

Actually, I think it does make sense, even with fast healing and regen.

Characters will probably block or dodge many attacks. Some attacks that "hit" won't be completely dodged and so will inflict a minor wound. However, with all the extra dodging and blocking, a character's ability to defend against additional attacks is reduced. He gets tired and eventually get move fast enough, he loses position so his sword will be knocked wide and thus the enemy's killing stroke slips inside his guard, those minor wounds are adding up and slowing him down, etc. Sometimes I can see characters taking massive damage, and then ignoring it.

Creatures with fast healing or regen won't become tired, or if they do, they need just wait a few minutes and they'll feel fresh. Also, if a creature heals faster, those minor wounds will go away in a bit as well. Since these creatures are operating with the expectation of getting healing, they'll be willing to trade out those minor wounds to avoid a bad position. Same thing with characters expecting healing magic. If Redgar knows that Jozan is about to him Heal him when he becomes badly injured, then he might just decide that the fight will go faster if he lets enemy stab him through the gut so he won't be defending against his greatsword.

 

[Horacio]

Sorry, but I find the whole idea of a d20 Cthulhu quite silly and useless.Definitely I´m not gonna buy it.

Idea tonta? Por que? A mi me parece una buena manera de presentar a los jugadores de D&D un gran juego como es CoC

Sorry about the Spanish... IMHO CoC d20 is a great way to introduce CoC to D&D player, so I dn't see it as a silly idea...

 

[Geron Raveneye]

I know it´s not the original topic...

...but as it´s about HP and how they´re interpreted...

I always saw HP as the capacity of how much wound-inflicted pain a character can take before going down and happily bleeding to death. As the character advances in levels (and, through his adventures, gets used to more pain than he thought he could ), the pain from the sword strike that sent him to the ground on 1st level doesn´t phaze him much on higher levels... *shrugs*
In that light, CoC D20 characters simply aren´t used to the same amount of pain that fantasy characters are...and if you compare a reporter or scientist with Krusk the Barbarian...I guess that holds true, even