Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ltheb Silverfrond" data-source="post: 3164309" data-attributes="member: 39867">I think U_K meant that it was illogical for a GW Red dragon to deal 4d6 damage with its crush when a Stone block 1/10th the weight deals 8d6...My arguement was that falling damage is weaker than it should be. Now alot of people bring up terminal velocity saying that 20d6 is an appropriate cap. Well, I seem to think they have it reversed: Instead of thinking of it as the objects act of falling is generating the energy that in turn translates to damage, that it instead "enables" the normally static object to cause the damage.Think of it this way: A 10'x10'x10' Granite block weighs 137,000 lbs. (Average based on some density calculations) Just touching that block won't hurt you. But it it is moving, and it collides with you, that energy has to be transfered to you. A falling block goes faster the longer it falls until it reaches terminal velocity. Instead of looking at the falling itself as the source of the damage, physics should say that since accelleration multiplies the inherrent energy of the object due to it's mass. So I look at terminal velocity and falling damage like this: A multiplier. At rest, and objects falling multiplier is 0. Little energy, asside from electron movement. But if it starts to fall, the thing gains energy. A stone of that size will have much more energy that a feather, despite having fallen the same distance. Thusly, the falling cannot be anything more than a multiplier. (Lets say for arguements sake that each 10' fallen = an increase in the multiplier by .05 for now)So after an object reaches it's "terminal velocity" (200' fallen in d20 if I recall) it should output the maximum amount of energy (d6's of damage) possible for it's mass. Likewise, the damage multiplier I proposed is something along the lines of x1.0 at this point. (100%)So falling damage rules would need to be slightly restructured. Weight needs to be more important than distance fallen. A certain ammount of weight would have to equivocate to 1d6 damage at terminal velocity. (100-500 lbs perhaps?)So if we use the higher end suggested base, that 10'x10'x10' Granite block that weighs 137,000 lbs would deal 274d6 at terminal velocity. If it just fell 10', it would only deal 13d6 damage. Survivable if it only clips you, but 99% lethal if caught directly under it.Now these numbers assume the math for terminal velocity being reached after 200' is correct. I don't know what terminal velocity is in Mph, and if you wanted as accurate damage ammounts as possible, you would have to factor in accelleration, and the time it takes a falling, accellerating object to reach terminal velocity. Terminal velocity I believe* (Can't back this up) is different for every object. A feather will never fall very fast because it is not very dense and very air-resistant.</blockquote>

Verification