Magical Sneak Attack Q

[IceBear]

I just did away with rolling for hit points altogether. It makes calculating these things so much easier.

(I generally use the RPGA Living City method: 32 point buy, Max hit points for the first 2 levels, 75% of your HD for every level after that. D4 =3, D6 = 4, D8 =6, D10 =7, D12=9)

That's a cool idea, but I like the idea of random amounts of hitpoints keeps the two fighters of the same level from being able to take the same amount of damage. Just my personal preferance. Your way is simplier and perhaps fairer, I guess 20+ years of rolling is ingrained in me

IceBear

 

[kreynolds]

I guess 20+ years of rolling is ingrained in me

20+ years!?! Am I the youngin' around here?

 

[IceBear]

Hehehehe - I started playing Basic D&D back in 1980. Man, time flies

IceBear

 

[Caliban]

Does that seem to work well for you? I've been thinking of using point buy from and static hit points from now on but I haven't talked to anyone that uses those methods. That, and I've never even looked at the point buy system before.

So far it has. It makes it much easier to match the opponents to the PC's, as its easy to calculate the power level of the PC's, and how much damage I can expect them to survive.

I also use point buy for the villains, based on their importance to the plotline: 14 points for common mooks or monsters, 25 points for minor villains or minions, 28 points for moderately important NPC's or mid-power villains, and 32 points for figures of major importance and the major villains.

 

[IceBear]

So far it has. It makes it much easier to match the opponents to the PC's, as its easy to calculate the power level of the PC's, and how much damage I can expect them to survive.

That's a good point. Don't think I could sell it to a couple of my players though. Despite the risks of rolling low they just live for the moment when they roll maximum hitpoints Go figure.

I think I'll keep this in the back of my head should I play with a different group though.

IceBear

 

[Artoomis]

Here's why losing 5 hp per negative level most definately does not work.

Let's say you are a 15th level wizard with an average 39 hit points (and no damage).

Now let's say you get 10 negative levels (most unusual, but possible).

-50 hp = you are -11 and are dead. Whoops. That shouldn't happen - even if you missed your saving throws the next day, you STILL be 5th level with an average of 13 hit points. Most definiately NOT dead - the level loss wouldn't kill you, but the negative levels would do it outright.

See the problem?

 

[kreynolds]

So far it has. It makes it much easier to match the opponents to the PC's, as its easy to calculate the power level of the PC's, and how much damage I can expect them to survive.

Damn good idea. I'd love to try it out, but I won't be running a game for a while. I'm running the most I can handle right now, so I need to finish a few up first. I've definately hit my limit, but my I'd like to start a new game with everyone in our group (most of my games are small ones).

 

[kreynolds]

Let's say you are a 15th level wizard with an average 39 hit points (and no damage).

That's a good point, but here's the problem I see with that. Any 15th level Wizard worth his salt would have more hit points than that, having used magic. But I get your point.

 

[IceBear]

Here's why losing 5 hp per negative level most definately does not work.

Let's say you are a 15th level wizard with an average 39 hit points (and no damage).

Now let's say you get 10 negative levels (most unusual, but possible).

-50 hp = you are -11 and are dead. Whoops. That shouldn't happen - even if you missed your saving throws the next day, you STILL be 5th level with an average of 13 hit points. Most definiately NOT dead - the level loss wouldn't kill you, but the negative levels would do it outright.

See teh problem?

Yup...I always knew about that, but I considered that a feature of energy drain and that was why I rarely used it unless I really wanted to scare the crap out of someone. When someone isn't injured yeah, it's not right. But if said wizard had 1hp left I could see a negative level (which I always saw as stealing some of your life force) killing you.

I guess it's easier to swallow a fighter with 200hp fighting as a 1st level character and to do away with some of my preconceptions that have nothing to do with the actual rules.

IceBear

 

[gamecat]

That's just the problem. The DMG says you don't. The SRD says you do. But I think we've agreed that the DMG and MM Errata overrides the SRD on this one.

Do I feel sheepish... Ack...

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