The Magic of Believing

[Shaghayegh]

“Morale is the state of mind. It is steadfastness and courage and hope. It is confidence and zeal and loyalty. It is elan, esprit de corps and determination.”--- General George Catlett Marshall


In less cynical times many soldiers were taught that courage and high morale made them less vulnerable and helped them win fights. I am thinking that in a magical world some protective magic might be based on the recipient's courage and belief. A warrior would scorn armour and protective devices and put his faith in his own courage and gain real protection from it, but would lose it if he hesitated or acted scared in combat. Not sure how this would work in the game. Thoughts?

 

[Dandu]

Well, there's always Barbarian Rage...

 

[Shaghayegh]

Yes, there is that, but it does not make you harder to hit. I'm thinking in terms of a type of magic that protects you as long as you act as though you fully believe in it...

 

[Dandu]

Yes, there is that, but it does not make you harder to hit.

Rage variants such as Whirling Frenzy and Ferocity do.

I'm thinking in terms of a type of magic that protects you as long as you act as though you fully believe in it...

I do not recall anything of the sort, and I'm not sure D&D models this sort of thing. PC actions are almost always controlled by the players, after all.

 

[Shaghayegh]

Well, think in terms of having imaginary armour that only works if you believe it does. If you perform an action that shows a lack faith it disappears, the protection is based on your level of morale...

 

[Dandu]

So what, have it apply until you become Shaken/Frightened/Cowering?

 

[Greenfield]

There are a number of effects that give a "Morale bonus" to attacks and damage. There are Bard songs that grant such things, for example.

Some Bard songs, such as Inspire Greatness, do much of what you're asking about, though they describe it as a Competence Bonus rather than a Morale Bonus.

 

[Shaghayegh]

A morale rating added to armour class maybe? This is how dauntless and brave you are right now, add that to your armour class...

 

[Greenfield]

I was thinking more of a Morale bonus to hit points, which effectively allows you to shrug off or ignore blows, sort of "tough your way through".

You aren't harder to hit, per se, but harder to stop.

 

[Wyvernhand]

Morale DOES help keep you alive, ala Inspire Courage. The harder you swing, and more unerringly you attack, the less likely your foe will survive your assault. The less time they spend surviving, the less time they spend counterattacking. You aren't blocking blows with your chest, you are preventing those blows from even happening by killing the source.

And thats already well modeled in D&D, in various moral effects like Inspire Courage and the Great Hope and Heroism spells.