How hard would it be to use Damage Save in a normal d20 game?

[Denaes]

After working out how to use damage dice in True20 (pending testing) I thought to myself "hey, if I changed to damage save for NPCs/monsters I doubt anyone would ever know"

And it got me thinking... so long as you kept the damage from getting too high (or converting it down at a scale if it was high damage) there really isn't a reason you couldn't use Damage Saves.

Seems interesting, but really only playtesting would prove that it works.

 

[malladin]

What I wouldn't do is use fortitude. You need to have a separate damage save.

The main trouble with doing this is that you have 4 dice classes used by monsters (d6-d12) for hp, but only 2 (or 3 if you include D20 Modern) saving throw progressions.

Another method is via the massive damage save. That way you can have death of 1000 cuts as well as the single lethal blow.

Unearthed Arcana has many different options for alternatives to HP systems. They're not all givent to a fully workable level, but they should be easily tweaked for what you want. Also watch out for Etherscope, as we've got a new system that manipulates the massive damage threshold system to make combat both deadlier and more heroic at the same time.

Cheerio,

Ben

 

[Denaes]

What I wouldn't do is use fortitude. You need to have a separate damage save.

The main trouble with doing this is that you have 4 dice classes used by monsters (d6-d12) for hp, but only 2 (or 3 if you include D20 Modern) saving throw progressions.

Another method is via the massive damage save. That way you can have death of 1000 cuts as well as the single lethal blow.

Unearthed Arcana has many different options for alternatives to HP systems. They're not all givent to a fully workable level, but they should be easily tweaked for what you want. Also watch out for Etherscope, as we've got a new system that manipulates the massive damage threshold system to make combat both deadlier and more heroic at the same time.

Cheerio,

Ben

Could just use Con+Armour + a bonus for hit dice. Seems the easiest way.

 

[Skywalker]

Be warned, the main reason the Damage Save works well in True 20, Blue Rose and M&M is Hero Points/Conviction. Being able to reroll that Damage Save allows a player to avoid untimely injuries. A Damage Save without these points is quite different in feel.

 

[Denaes]

Be warned, the main reason the Damage Save works well in True 20, Blue Rose and M&M is Hero Points/Conviction. Being able to reroll that Damage Save allows a player to avoid untimely injuries. A Damage Save without these points is quite different in feel.

Good point on the overall - but right now the only side effect would be that monsters would die easier. That might be a benefit in comparison to having 100 hp and taking 12 rounds at full damage to kill.

I don't have True20 in front of me, but from what I recall not all monsters have Conviction anyway so it's not even so far different.

I (so far) havn't mentioned using it for PCs. I wouldn't even let the PC's know I'm using damage saves and keep them on HPs. In fact I'm running a game tonite - I'll see how it goes.

I plan on bringing something akin to Conviction to my BESM d20 game anywho

 

[Skywalker]

I (so far) havn't mentioned using it for PCs. I wouldn't even let the PC's know I'm using damage saves and keep them on HPs. In fact I'm running a game tonite - I'll see how it goes.

If you switch it so PCs roll both Damage and Toughness then it should work fine.

However, if you also roll Damage for NPCs (the PCs not rolling Toughness), you will need to modify the Conviction Point system or suffer a bunch of untimely PC injuries IMO