D&D 5E Request for thoughts on falling damage change

[Fleetwood C. DeVille]

Falling damage has been a problem throughout D&D's history. The reason is that we use hit points to measure both physical toughness and a character's defensive abilities. But we also have an intuitive sense that skill at defending yourself in combat shouldn't enable you to survive a thousand-foot fall.

So I'm not sure the problem can be solved by tinkering with the amount of damage dealt. Yes, you can crank up the damage so that high-level characters must fear a fall; but then lowbies will die any time they trip over a rock.

D&D does have a mechanism for effects that bypass your defensive abilities: The saving throw, which is now basically the same as an ability check. If I were setting out to "fix" falling damage, that's where I would look. Something like:

When you fall, you land prone and must make a DC 10 Acrobatics check. If you fail, you suffer the effect listed below. If you succeed, the effect is one level less severe; on a natural 20, it's two levels less severe; on a natural 1, it's one level more severe.

0-9 feet: No effect
10-19 feet: Damage equal to your hit dice/level
20-39 feet: Damage equal to half your maximum hit points
40-79 feet: Reduced to 0 hit points
80-149 feet: Reduced to 0 hit points and 2 failed death saves
150+ feet: Instant death

Stealing this method for my game.

You've earned a Hollywood shower.

 

[shadowoflameth]

Falling damage has always been a proud nail. In my game as DM I use d6 per square which I think works fine. Hazards, including falls have a lot of leeway for the DM though. I might say a fall from here won't be healed without magic, or that falling into a river means half damage but you're stunned and may drown.

Out of game observation; In real life, I've seen people who in my lifetime fell off cliffs, buildings, into elevator shafts and even skydiving who lived. In principal it can be done, but in real life if you fall 100' (which by the way isn't far enough to reach terminal) and yet you live, you're going to have permanent painful disabilities. That said; in a fantasy world where something supernatural is going on, that isn't how it needs to be. Especially if it's more fun to change it.

 

[dave2008]

Fiat's part of the job. As DMs, we're doing it every time we say something has a certain outcome which is a great deal of the interactions in the game. This is no different.

Edit: To be clear, fine not to like what I suggested. I just think the reason is weird.

Just saying your character is dead is to much for me. I did that once when I was an 18 year old DM and I have regretted it for 26 years since.

My DM style is much more open and free flowing now. I create the world, but other than that I let PCs guide the adventure and I let the dice fall where they fall. For me it is much more engaging and we all have a much better time (same group).

 

[iserith]

Just saying your character is dead is to much for me. I did that once when I was an 18 year old DM and I have regretted it for 26 years since.

Looking back, do you regret doing it at all or doing it without sufficient warning to the player that it was the outcome of what he or she wanted to do? Because the latter is, to me, the way the DM sets up a fair challenge and, if a challenge is fairly presented (in this case, the players know that a fall means instant death ahead of time), then there's no reason for regret.

 

[dave2008]

Maybe. But the actual numbers aren't really important at 1500 feet. Noone survives that. It's more to dissuade people from jumping 100 or 200 feet on a regular basis.

Perhaps you missed it, but early in the thread (it could have been another thread, for some reason I am involved in two threads about falling damage at the moment) someone posted a partial list of people who have survived falls of thousands of feet, the record being 33,000 ft. These were just normal people, so I think fantasy heroes who are, IMO, virtual demi-gods should have a chance to survive ridiculous falls. Your system doesn't allow this.

PS Here is link to a popular mechanics article about extreme falls: http://www.popularmechanics.com/adventure/outdoors/a5197/4344037/

 

[dave2008]

Actually, it should be worse.

Hit points are an abstraction, they could represent grazes, light touch, endurance or simply luck. But when you fall, you take raw damage. You can't really avoid or dodge them and luck can't really help you.

In my game I've ruled that you take 1d6 / 5 feet when falling (not jumping). When you reach 150 feet, you just die (unless you have favorable conditions, like falling on soft material). It's harsh, but then again WHY DID YOU STAND NEAR THAT CLIFF in the first place ? No sane human being with no access to Feather fall would do that.

Anyway, I like my games gritty and I've always felt that falling from a giant cliff and then getting back up to fight another day was utterly stupid, even for high level characters. You're an incredible soldier ok, but you're not the Incredible Hulk. Your swordman's skills won't help you when you hit the ground.

I think Geralt Of Rivia would agree with me.

Use what you like, but your system ignores reality in that people have survived falls of thousands of feet http://www.popularmechanics.com/adventure/outdoors/a5197/4344037/

On top of that, I think my fantasy heroes should be able to do better than the average lucky squishy human.

 

[dave2008]

Looking back, do you regret doing it at all or doing it without sufficient warning to the player that it was the outcome of what he or she wanted to do? Because the latter is, to me, the way the DM sets up a fair challenge and, if a challenge is fairly presented (in this case, the players know that a fall means instant death ahead of time), then there's no reason for regret.

I was 18, I was not fair at all I agree the scenario you presented is not the same as the one I enacted on my players those many moons ago. You approach is reasonable, it is just not my preference. Here is the problem I have:


1) A cliff is a great threat, and if a battle is on a clifftop I would want my monsters to use that terrain if possible.
2) However, if being pushed over the cliff = instant death than i would be extremely hesitant to push the PCs over the cliff
3) Conversely, if there is a chance they can survive, and it is dependent on the roll of the dice, well I can live with that and push the PCs to my hearts delight!

 

[jgsugden]

I find the rules fine as is. They do reasonable damage for short falls and lengthy falls - well, is that how you want a hero to die? If anything, I'd just take the cap off of the falling damage or move it to 50d6 for the 500 foot fall.

 

[Satyrn]

Falling damage has been a problem throughout D&D's history. The reason is that we use hit points to measure both physical toughness and a character's defensive abilities. But we also have an intuitive sense that skill at defending yourself in combat shouldn't enable you to survive a thousand-foot fall.

So I'm not sure the problem can be solved by tinkering with the amount of damage dealt. Yes, you can crank up the damage so that high-level characters must fear a fall; but then lowbies will die any time they trip over a rock.

D&D does have a mechanism for effects that bypass your defensive abilities: The saving throw, which is now basically the same as an ability check. If I were setting out to "fix" falling damage, that's where I would look. Something like:

When you fall, you land prone and must make a DC 10 Acrobatics check. If you fail, you suffer the effect listed below. If you succeed, the effect is one level less severe; on a natural 20, it's two levels less severe; on a natural 1, it's one level more severe.

0-9 feet: No effect
10-19 feet: Damage equal to your hit dice/level
20-39 feet: Damage equal to half your maximum hit points
40-79 feet: Reduced to 0 hit points
80-149 feet: Reduced to 0 hit points and 2 failed death saves
150+ feet: Instant death

Simple and interesting, with the added grognardosity of a table to look up. Well done!

 

[iserith]

2) However, if being pushed over the cliff = instant death than i would be extremely hesitant to push the PCs over the cliff

You ol' softie you.