New tidbit about spells and hit points.

[charlesatan]

If there is a chance for the character, PC or NPC, to die on one hit then let it have that chance. In any fight there is a slim chance there is going to be an insta-kill. Victim, just how many fights have you, yourself have been in anyway?

I'm okay with "lethal games" and many d20 campaign settings like Black Company and Game of Thrones has that mechanic. D&D for me however has been about epic heroism, in the same way that G.I. Joe's don't lose to Cobra's infantry (Destro, Cobra Commander, Serpentor, or the Baroness, on the other hand...). I want PC death to be meaningful, not at the whim of a rolled 1.

 

[Visceris]

I just never came across using that word to describe combat. When I see the word "model" in conjecture to gaming I think of minitures. How it happened was a critical hit sneak attack that exceeded the NPC's MDT and he failed his Fortitude save.

 

[takasi]

Speaking of miniatures, has anyone else noticed that the "Bloodied" mechanic is is similar to the morale mechanics in DDM? I've always liked having something kick in at half HP, even if it was just "save or flee".

 

[hong]

I just never came across using that word to describe combat. When I see the word "model" in conjecture to gaming I think of minitures.

I figured that.

How it happened was a critical hit sneak attack that exceeded the NPC's MDT and he failed his Fortitude save.

Whereas the DEFAULT way in which one defeats an opponent in combat is by dealing enough damage to take their hit points to zero (or -10, depending). And thus it is quite possible to deal an "instakill" by driving your dagger into someone's brain, whether or not there is a massive damage save. Simple, isn't it?

 

[Szatany]

If the PC can be insta-killed then so can the NPCs. Fair is fair.

Games are about fairness only when players are against each other.

 

[Visceris]

Whereas the DEFAULT way in which one defeats an opponent in combat is by dealing enough damage to take their hit points to zero (or -10, depending). And thus it is quite possible to deal an "instakill" by driving your dagger into someone's brain, whether or not there is a massive damage save. Simple, isn't it?

Okay, you lost me there. How is it an instakill if it takes a number of rounds to weaken an opponent enough to kill him? The damage alone may kill the opponent if the NPC was low level but at mid to high level, no you couldn't do it without the MDT rule I use.

 

[Visceris]

Games are about fairness only when players are against each other.

And that has never happened in your campaigns?

 

[hong]

Okay, you lost me there. How is it an instakill if it takes a number of rounds to weaken an opponent enough to kill him? The damage alone may kill the opponent if the NPC was low level but at mid to high level, no you couldn't do it without the MDT rule I use.

Exactly. It's an instakill if the opponent is weak enough. Otherwise, you have to work at it.

 

[Visceris]

Exactly. It's an instakill if the opponent is weak enough. Otherwise, you have to work at it.

Unless you get very lucky and sometimes luck is on your side (or against you), hence the rolling of the die.

 

[hong]

Unless you get very lucky and sometimes luck is on your side (or against you), hence the rolling of the die.

Luck comes into play in how well you roll your attack, and how much you roll for damage. Relying on anything more is laziness. You don't want cheesy victories, now do you?