D&D 5E Saving throw bonus that is based on CURRENT HP

[WhatGravitas]

...or alternatively, revert it. The lower the hp left, the more adrenaline/willpower/determination and the saves improve. Has the interesting effect of making status effect spells favourable during the early combat and reliable sheer damage spells more desirable later.

 

[keterys]

...or alternatively, revert it. The lower the hp left, the more adrenaline/willpower/determination and the saves improve. Has the interesting effect of making status effect spells favourable during the early combat and reliable sheer damage spells more desirable later.

That's the opposite of how I'd want things to work, personally.

 

[Blue]

...or alternatively, revert it. The lower the hp left, the more adrenaline/willpower/determination and the saves improve. Has the interesting effect of making status effect spells favourable during the early combat and reliable sheer damage spells more desirable later.

That's the opposite of how I'd want things to work, personally.

This is a real question - Why would you want it to work the other way?

I can see the making woulds affect other things would simulate the real world.

But revering it would make heroes that hang on in the face of adversity that would simulate a good book or movie. Wouldn't that also be a good goal?

Mechanically, lesser saves when wounded could lead to a death spiral. Character would get more fragile, and going just a little past the balancing point (even a few poor dice rolls) could end up with characters dead as the first ones push down saves so they save less and take more damage on the later ones in an ugly feedback loop that ends with characters going from "lightly wounded" to "dead" much quicker then expected.

In terms of average player response (grabbing enough players to be statistically significant), I expect it would lead to increase in player caution and make player more risk-adverse. I see a lot of that already, anecdotally it causes overly long planning sessions and characters not being, well, heroic.

 

[keterys]

This is a real question - Why would you want it to work the other way?

Because it would fit better with the rest of the system. For example, let's say you have a PC with 100 hit points and a PC with 10 hit points.

Which is more likely to be taken out by an ogre's club? Okay, now which is more likely to be taken out by a death spell? Why would the 10 hp guy be more likely to resist the spell? Be a bit ludicrous, wouldn't it?

Of course, a death spell could also just deal damage. Then that'd fit. But a sleep spell or paralyzation spell or any number of things can assess the same way. If your save or suck spell takes someone out who has low hit points, then that's absolutely fine. Not like a damaging spell couldn't also have done so, even if (optimally) it's less likely to do so. But taking someone out with 100 hit points? That's pretty crazy unless it's a very high level spell.

I can see the making woulds affect other things would simulate the real world.

That's an added bonus, but you can argue any which way.

But revering it would make heroes that hang on in the face of adversity that would simulate a good book or movie. Wouldn't that also be a good goal?

Heroes that hang on in the face of adversity, but fall to a random goblin hit? I think you're missing that your current hit points also represent your ability to hang on in the face of adversity. So the hero who hangs on in the face of adversity _has more hit points_.

Mechanically, lesser saves when wounded could lead to a death spiral.

Are lower hit points when wounded also a death spiral? I mean, each hit is much more likely to take you out.

If people get a saving throw bonus from having hit points, then it's not a death spiral. It's improved saving throws over what we have now. A life spiral, if you will, because now it discourages people to throw out their dangerous effects early on, encouraging combat to last a little bit longer, be a little less decided by that first round nova.

 

[billd91]

You- you answered your own question. He's "tough-as-nails". Why are people so absolutely dead set against a class with no class features to speak of outside of "hit bad thing with metal thing" at very least getting a "doesn't take your ****" ability. If you must object to mundane characters doing anything special can they at least be good at saying "lolnope"?

Because it's an unsatisfying answer. Why should the ability to take a beating have any bearing whatsoever on mental fortitude when other classes should have more discipline in that area? The answer is - it shouldn't.

 

[x93edwards]

+1.

 

[Libramarian]

The spells are even more powerful than in 3e! All spells have the same absurdly high DC, not just the high level ones. Cause Fear, a measly 1st level spell, is a fight ender at level 20 (FEAR the Arcanist cleric and his ability to give disadvantage while stripping magic resistance) . Concentration might be a problem, except that you only have to concentrate on the fight winning spell if it won the fight for you. Such a hardship. Multiple saving throw opportunities might be a balancing factor, if you had an actually chance to succeed at a save. But since you don't, well.....

I don't see how it's a fight ender--you know the frightened condition doesn't make you flee in 5e right?

 

[Xmarksthespot]

Exalted used to have a mechanic like that and it was a fail.

 

[Kraydak]

I don't see how it's a fight ender--you know the frightened condition doesn't make you flee in 5e right?

If you think you can fight effectively with your movement massively curtailed and Disadvantage on almost everything, well, more power to you. At level 1, Cause Fear isn't *that* bad (it is still ugly). Even if you nail a bunch of targets, several will recover within 2-3 rounds. Once you get into the upper levels though, it'll usually last the entire fight. And it is merely a 1st level spell.

 

[Libramarian]

If you think you can fight effectively with your movement massively curtailed and Disadvantage on almost everything, well, more power to you. At level 1, Cause Fear isn't *that* bad (it is still ugly). Even if you nail a bunch of targets, several will recover within 2-3 rounds. Once you get into the upper levels though, it'll usually last the entire fight. And it is merely a 1st level spell.

Why do you assume upper level fights will last for fewer rounds?