D&D 5E Take Out Hit Points and Replace It With... (wild ideas thread)

[Tonguez]

Been done. Fate, I believe is the system. (though i could be wrong.)

Dread, the mechanic really only works for survival horror though

 

[Baldurs_Underdark]

Take out hitpoints and let the players decide and describe how their PCs are doing (full health, mostly fine, bloodied, on last legs, unconscious, dead).

Saves a lot of dice rolling too, which (imho) is a pity. Personally, I really enjoy the damage dice rolls, and that alone is a reason to keep the HP systems as it is... but that is not the topic of this thread, so don't let me derail it!

 

[Thunderfoot]

Dread, the mechanic really only works for survival horror though

Played a session at a con that had nothing to do with horror. Of course that's been.... a long time ago.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

I'm going to take a lot of flak for this but.... Vodka shots. Combat becomes much less desirable the second time you wake up with a hangover after game session. Just saying.

Once upon a time I was in a Boardgames club and the game Kremlin was very popular. The object of the game was to get a politburo member to wave from the Kremlin Wall 3 time at the May Day Parade. Some one decided to make a drinking game of it once. The game went through 3 bottles of vodka, and a bottle of brandy before ending when one of the players got sick all over the floor.
Let us say, that vodka shots can create perverse incentives.

 

[jmartkdr2]

Actually no hit points? Maybe do something like wounds in Warhammer:

1. you roll to hit vs an AC, but it's not actually armor--based. More like touch AC although weapons and shields apply.

2. You roll to Wound - a bonus based on the weapon (and other things that would affect damage) vs a DC set by how 'tough' the target is (mostly affected by Con and other stuff that affects hp)

3. The target of the attack, if wounded, gets an Armor Save - which is a saving throw but it's based on your armor rather than your ability scores. DC comes form how well the attackers weapons penetrate armor.

Once you fail an armor save, you're down. Not necessarily dead, but unable to act meaningfully until you get healed.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

Actually no hit points? Maybe do something like wounds in Warhammer:

1. you roll to hit vs an AC, but it's not actually armor--based. More like touch AC although weapons and shields apply.

2. You roll to Wound - a bonus based on the weapon (and other things that would affect damage) vs a DC set by how 'tough' the target is (mostly affected by Con and other stuff that affects hp)

3. The target of the attack, if wounded, gets an Armor Save - which is a saving throw but it's based on your armor rather than your ability scores. DC comes form how well the attackers weapons penetrate armor.

Once you fail an armor save, you're down. Not necessarily dead, but unable to act meaningfully until you get healed.

That can be fun, I have played Warhammer and it is brutal. Combat is fine until you die.

 

[Jacob Lewis]

Take out hit points and replace it with... limbs!

 

[MichaelSomething]

Dread, the mechanic really only works for survival horror though

Dread is the system I was referencing. I was being touge in cheek when suggesting it.

 

[MostlyHarmless42]

Here's one wild idea:

Instead of Hit Points, all combatants have a Damage Threshold. If you successfully hit with an attack or spell, you roll damage as normal. If you roll the Damage Threshold or above, or the maximum number on the die, you damage your enemy.

You're basically describing Savage Worlds. It's another game that's been around for quite awhile and is perfect for those who want a more rules-light cinematic game. It might be that D&D 5e just isn't the game for some and there's no shame in that.

 

[Thunderfoot]

You're basically describing Savage Worlds. It's another game that's been around for quite awhile and is perfect for those who want a more rules-light cinematic game. It might be that D&D 5e just isn't the game for some and there's no shame in that.

Yep Savage Worlds is a solid number 3 on the RPG food chain.