Li Shenron said:
Are you giving this (a) only to the PC or (b) also to NPC and monsters?
I am wavering. I am inclined to make it just the PCs and
select monster and NPCS. I don't use the normal XP system (I award a level when I feel like it, basically) so I am not too worried about that.
Li Shenron said:
- in case (a) characters are stronger than monsters, you may want to either increase the amount of encounters in a day or the monsters' number or CR
- in case (b) you simply get longer combats
I am okay with either of these consequences. I guess, I've never had a problem challenging the PCs, that isn't a problem. And honestly, it isn't to give the players a boost that I am thinking about this change. It really is to prevent the dice from overly hurting a character in general.
Ex. I play a front line fighter in a game, and fear going up levels sometimes, because I could roll a 1 on HPS and then I am stuck. Our GM gives the option of choosing the low average, but 4 or 5, while fine, isn't really all that impressive, especially since my guy has only a +1 Con Bonus.
Imagine if the BAB system were similar, every level you roll a die and if you rolled low your BAB didn't improve, if your rolled high it it. I think people who have nothing but combat abilities (fighters) would be pretty irked.
Li Shenron said:
- healing stuff (potions, spells, overnight rest) is slightly less valuable, because they proportionally heal less than before
I am of two minds on this. Either (a) make healing cheaper and more accessible, or (b) make healing a less common thing.
(a) I actually had a system in 1E that changed the cure spells to proportional healing 10%, 20% etc.. It worked pretty good, especially at mid-levels. I would be fine with returning to something like that.
(b) If healing is TOO useful, clerics become little more than healers, and that sucks. If they don't feel compelled to blow all their spells on healing, we might see them become more interesting spell casters (or I might get rid of them all together).
Li Shenron said:
- save-or-die or incapacitating effects become more valuable compared with damaging effects (not only spells, but including e.g. sneak attack)
True, but there are fewer of these than before. And honestly I wouldn't mind seeing these spells take a more important role. It is way more interesting story wise to Baleful Polymorph something into a toad than it is to Blast it with a Fireball IMHO.
Li Shenron said:
- Constitution is slightly less useful than before
These changes can be either good or bad, depending on your preferences! For example to my own taste more/longer combats is good, less need for high-Con is good, but I didn't like the reduced usefulness of healing and the increased focus on save-or-die spells (although I like the characters using things which aren't straight damage either).
Good point. But on the other hand, if you wanted to design a wizard who used melee touch spells, or a cleric who waded into combat, CON would still be useful, and more importantly COULD be useful. In RAW you might have a Wizard with a 14 Con and roll poorly on your hitpoints, so despite being robust, you would have to avoid melees.
Thanks for all the good points. I definitely think the option is on the table.