Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="toucanbuzz" data-source="post: 8157735" data-attributes="member: 19270">I use a VP system, and while it can add a layer of strategy, I found too many rules could make it unwieldy, and some of my commentary is from actual play.If VP represents actual damage the body can take, you're suggesting a 10th level character can get impaled by an orc's spear multiple times. When the UA discussed VP, it was heavily discouraged to have them scale like Hit Points. They'll get out of control and essentially operate as a second pool of hit points, doubling the hits one can take.If I am at 0 HP and get hit by Thor's Hammer for 1000 damage, I take 2 VP damage? At level 1, I can take it multiple times? Weapon damage is being proportionately skewed, leading players facing hard-hitting monsters better off being "staggered" when they get hit (to absorb that 20 damage hit by only losing 2 VP), then getting a minor heal wherein the next hit is again soaked (due to all extra HP damage being discarded at 0 HP, barring an outright kill, which is very rare past 2nd level).For example:Under base rules, an orc might take 4 hits to outright kill a 1st level PC. That's 2 hits to drop him to 0hp, then 2 hits while dying to kill him off, assuming no healing.Under this VP system, an orc now would need 7 hits to kill that 1st level PC. That's 2 hits to drop him to 0hp, then 5 more hits (assuming 11 VP) to actually kill him.It only gets worse as you increase VPs, and the system can be abused. Because the damage doesn't matter, I'm better off taking that 20+ damage hit while Staggered, then getting a minor 1 point heal to get to positive HP, then soak up another 20+ damage hit (because at 0 HP, the excess damage is discarded, barring an outright kill, which is super rare past 2nd level).Harsh if you have a large pool. If I'm a 20th level barbarian with 20 CON, I could be sidelined for 36 weeks or so? I could get that if there's a major surgery + rehab that keeps me limited, but since I can regain my HP in a day, I'm actually walking around just fine. What about Regeneration, or a Heal spell? Is there a way to speed this up? I would avoid monsters having VP. This should be a player-only rule. If you want recurrent bad guys, simply have another reason (a contingency spell, a rescue force, escape route, potion of gaseous form, etc.)But they're not on death's door, as above. One hit and I'm fine. Two hits and I'm fine. If I'm 10th level with 28 VP, 10 hits and I'm still fine. If you want this urgency, keep the pool unchanging. At low levels, 2 hits from most monsters, or a lucky crit, might end it, and at higher levels, one swipe of a giant's morning star will end it. Do enemies control whether to knock a PC unconscious at 0 HP?If so, they're better off taking a PC out of the battle by knocking them unconscious. If not, is this reserved for when they whittle VP down to 0?I recommend making the condition suck. Everything the PC rolls could have disadvantage and enemies have advantage against all non-item abilities. Normally a PC is knocked out of a battle at 0 HP, and they should be operating at far less than optimal. However, your spellcasters or archers are still lobbing spells and arrows with unerring accuracy despite "stumbling in and out of consciousness."Conclusion: The VP damage system doesn't make much sense. As recently posted, a 1 damage dagger hit counts the same as a 40 point bite of a T-Rex. Having it scale only makes the problem worse. I'd work on that.</blockquote>

Verification