Hits, misses and hit point loss in REH's Conan

[P1NBACK]

If hit points represent near miss, I wonder if applying Dex mods to HP would be just as applicable as adding Con mods?

Con representing stamina and toughness of course, and Dex representing the ability to "roll with the punch".

 

[Andor]

If hit points represent near miss, I wonder if applying Dex mods to HP would be just as applicable as adding Con mods?

Con representing stamina and toughness of course, and Dex representing the ability to "roll with the punch".

You could, but only if you stripped out dex mods to AC. Otherwise it would double-dip your defenses and become even more valuable, and it's usually one of the most valuable stats as it is.

 

[Minigiant]

If hit points represent near miss, I wonder if applying Dex mods to HP would be just as applicable as adding Con mods?

Con representing stamina and toughness of course, and Dex representing the ability to "roll with the punch".

One of my house rules for D&D is that a character picks three abiltiess, one for basic melee or ranged attack, one for HP, and one for Armor Class.

 

[P1NBACK]

Yeah, definitely drop Dex from AC (since it's kind of weird that it goes into it anyways...) and just use it for HPs.

Interesting idea. Thanks for the thread, [MENTION=42582]pemerton[/MENTION].

 

[UngeheuerLich]

A miss is a miss. If Conan had scratched him, it would have been a hit. Not a fatal, but one that had cost HP. Or in 4e terms, one that did not bloody him. I.e. he could deflect most of the blow... Or when jumping away he took some bruises from hitting the ground more unfavourable than expected.

But i guess what was going on here, was an immediate interrupt, that turned a solid hit into a miss.

 

[JRRNeiklot]

A miss is a miss.

 

[bouncyhead]

HP have always required the exercise of doublethink.

If a 'hit' is a 'miss' as per the suggestion, then why does a 'miss' with a greatsword cause more story/morale/life force/mojo damage than a 'miss' with a hat pin?

 

[P1NBACK]

HP have always required the exercise of doublethink.

If a 'hit' is a 'miss' as per the suggestion, then why does a 'miss' with a greatsword cause more story/morale/life force/mojo damage than a 'miss' with a hat pin?

Because a greatsword is more dangerous and requires more story/morale/life force/mojo to avoid it killing you?

Maybe.

Or, maybe the greatsword shouldn't deal more "damage".

 

[bouncyhead]

Because a greatsword is more dangerous and requires more story/morale/life force/mojo to avoid it killing you?

Maybe.

Or, maybe the greatsword shouldn't deal more "damage".[/]

Well, quite. It's all a total fudge and I find it best not to think about it too much, or alternatively post rationalise through the fiction (as, if I understand it correctly, Pemerton suggests).

For 5E I suspect that the doublethink will continue.

 

[Izumi]

It really depends on how the dice fell. The narrative is an effective outcome in both cases. However, under the OD&D combat system from CM, Conan missed those strikes.