Non Hit Point Based Fantasy RPG?
- Thread starter Calico_Jack73
- Start date
GrumpyOldMan
First Post
Treebore said:
For HârnMaster information, check out the links I’ve given above. Other Hârniacs use Burning Wheel or The Riddle of Steel to run games set on Hârn, I know almost nothing about the systems, but all are a big leap away from DnD/d20 and its variants. HârnMaster doesn’t have character levels either, which can put some people off the system.
Oh, and it’s possible to kill someone (anyone!) with one blow of a dagger in HârnMaster. It needs skill, and/or luck (The best chance is a critical success against an ‘ignore’ defence (and no one chooses an ignore defence) giving 4d6+5 damage. Hitting a vital spot for an average damage of 19, (less armour) would probably drop even the best of warriors.)
Nomad4life
First Post
True20 sounds like just what you are looking for. Not only have HP been replaced with a damage save, but just about every other aspect of standard D20 has been streamlined to run clunk-free as well. Definitely worth a look.
Jürgen Hubert
First Post
Aus_Snow said:
That's the one. Though it probably requires some houseruling - with this system, paladins become more enduring than barbarians, and massive damage spells such as fireball become much more lethal.
It's probably easier just to switch to True20, which is somewhat more balanced...
Archade
Azer Paladin
Harnmaster (Gold Edition) can also be purchased online as a PDF at www.kelestia.com
Also, I didn't see it mentioned, as well as a penalty to performance or movement, some wounds can incapacitate, inconvenience, or outright kill. For example, an arrow to the eye might require the PC to roll 3d6 - if they roll over their Endurance score, they are dead.
Fortunately, an arrow to the eye is rare.
Also, I didn't see it mentioned, as well as a penalty to performance or movement, some wounds can incapacitate, inconvenience, or outright kill. For example, an arrow to the eye might require the PC to roll 3d6 - if they roll over their Endurance score, they are dead.
Fortunately, an arrow to the eye is rare.
Plane Sailing
Astral Admin - Mwahahaha!
Jürgen Hubert said:
Unearthed Arcana did a half-baked conversion of the M&M system which utterly unstreamlined it and made it look awful. I'd never suggest that someone used the UA 'version' of damage save.
It might seem like more setup work, but the True20 system is a far better way of handling it.
Cheers
Unfortunately, most of the hp-less systems I've seen are death spirals--which I find both unfun & unrealistic.
I recall liking Hârnmaster's injury system. There was something reassuring about coming back from an encounter with actual injuries that you could visualize. But, I'm much less of a simulationist these days. Plus, I'm no so sure that it really wasn't hp in disguise. IIRC, it was also a death spiral system.
I recall liking Hârnmaster's injury system. There was something reassuring about coming back from an encounter with actual injuries that you could visualize. But, I'm much less of a simulationist these days. Plus, I'm no so sure that it really wasn't hp in disguise. IIRC, it was also a death spiral system.
Archade
Azer Paladin
I've got to be honest, I thought the Harnmaster wound system was brilliant and elegant. It was great that a wound affected movement speed, the ability to dodge, and the ability to concentrate on casting a spell. Minor wounds went away quickly, and serious wounds were the cause of concern.
I also found as a Harnmaster GM, it was easy to run too.
It would be possible to do a similar wound system in D&D. The heart of it was a hit location chart, and cross-referenced by the type of weapon (blunt, slashing, and edge).
A possible problem is that Harnmaster uses weapons to reduce damage, where D&D doesn't.
Instead of hit points, for every 5 hit point wound, -1 to hit or any physical skill.
Every 10 hit point wound reduces movement by -5 ft.
Hits to a leg or hip require a variable Reflex save to avoid falling down.
Hits to an arm require a variable Reflex save to avoid dropping a weapon.
Light hits to the torso require a Fortitude save to avoid being stunned.
Heavy hits to the torso or head require a Fortitude save to avoid unconsciousness.
Brutal hits require a Fortitude save to avoid death.
Bleeding wounds inflict 1 point of damage per round - enough bloodloss causes unconcsciousness.
That sort of thing. Instead of a percentile system, a D20 based system requires increments of 5 causing a -1 penalty rather than a 1 to 1 effect.
Healing every night would require a Fort save to reduce each wound by 1 point.
With some work, and playtesting, it could be done.
I also found as a Harnmaster GM, it was easy to run too.
It would be possible to do a similar wound system in D&D. The heart of it was a hit location chart, and cross-referenced by the type of weapon (blunt, slashing, and edge).
A possible problem is that Harnmaster uses weapons to reduce damage, where D&D doesn't.
Instead of hit points, for every 5 hit point wound, -1 to hit or any physical skill.
Every 10 hit point wound reduces movement by -5 ft.
Hits to a leg or hip require a variable Reflex save to avoid falling down.
Hits to an arm require a variable Reflex save to avoid dropping a weapon.
Light hits to the torso require a Fortitude save to avoid being stunned.
Heavy hits to the torso or head require a Fortitude save to avoid unconsciousness.
Brutal hits require a Fortitude save to avoid death.
Bleeding wounds inflict 1 point of damage per round - enough bloodloss causes unconcsciousness.
That sort of thing. Instead of a percentile system, a D20 based system requires increments of 5 causing a -1 penalty rather than a 1 to 1 effect.
Healing every night would require a Fort save to reduce each wound by 1 point.
With some work, and playtesting, it could be done.
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