Scary Combat: 1/2 HP and 2x Damage

[nicholasgeorg]

So in the hopes of making combat both more tense and take less time, I tried the "cut the monsters HP in half and double their damage" trick.

I think I really liked it - basically nobody can go toe to toe for more than a couple rounds because three or four solid hits will bring anybody down. There was a fantastic moment where the warlord got the fighter out of melee for a round so that he could take his second wind. It was high tension and then it was over.

Also, I didn't double damage for minions, as they still go down just as fast. And I don't think that I'd double damage for traps or hazards.

I was curious if anyone else has used this houserule, and if they enjoyed it or if it just caused problems.

We're level 12, btw.

 

[Nifft]

There were some excellent discussions of this -- and another related tactic, of 50% HP and 66% XP, which means +50% more monsters at the start of combat for ~+100% enemy effective strength at the start of combat, but quickly declining as the PCs chop through them.

I'm pretty sure you'll find some good stuff in the 4e House Rules forum (where this thread might belong).

Cheers, -- N