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Message: <blockquote data-quote="The Grassy Gnoll" data-source="post: 8222411" data-attributes="member: 6788652">This is the rough framework I use if it’s any help or useMeatA character’s ‘meat’ hit points is always the same: starting HP (inc CON mod). The rest is skill, luck, etc. <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Any damage taken below that level is wound damage. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Any damage of that amount or more is described as a wound. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Thus, narratively, at L1 and even L2, most if not every hit taken will be narrated as a wound of some sort. As you might expect for a low level PC. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Their ‘ability’ to avoid such wounds increases with level advancement.</li> </ul>At L1:L1 Fighter (Fred) assuming 14 Con = 12HPL1 Sorcerer (Sue) assuming 12 Con = 7HPAny hit they take is narrated as actual damage. L1 is scary!Beyond L1: Fred (28 max HP) and Sue (17 max HP) are now L3. Fighting a hobgoblin guard, Fred is hit four times in the course of the battle, and Sue just the once (the hobgoblin was focused on the hairy bastard with the big sword rather than the civilian-looking one).<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Hit 1 on Fred: 6 dmg (HP now 22) </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Hit 2 on Fred: 5 dmg (HP now 17)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Hit 3 on Fred: 4 dmg (HP now 13)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Hit 4 on Fred: 2 dmg (HP now 11 - below his ‘meat’ of 12HP) </li> </ul>Hits 1-3 narrated as bruising, knocked breathless, etc. Hit 4 narrated as e.g., a (in this case, as it’s only 2HP, weak) cut to the forearm.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Hit 1 on Sue, however: 7 dmg (HP now 10). </li> </ul>As this is her ‘meat’ amount, it might be narrated as a nasty gash to the shoulder. Adding more meatTo reflect a more experienced PC’s ability to avoid getting those cuts etc as they gain levels, you can tinker a bit.Eg <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">If a PC takes a CON ASI, you might consider adding an extra amount to their ‘meat’ points - eg at L4, Sue chooses to boost her CON to 14, so her ‘meat’ increases from 7 to 8.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Every time a PC reaches a Prof bonus watershed, add 1 to their ‘meat’ points</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">This does, conversely, mean that high level PCs will suffer wounds at a higher level of remaining HP than a low level character. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Eg Sue at L2 is wounded when she’s reduced to 7 HP; at L4 having taken the above ASI, she’s wounded ‘earlier’ at 8 HP. </li> </ul>NPCs and MonstersSame as above really but base on Hit Dice.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">‘Meat’: max HD die + CON bonus + CR if 1+</li> </ul>EgTarrasque HP 676 (33d20+330), CON bonus of +10CR 30‘Meat’ HP therefore (20+10+30) = 60 HPWound narrated when takes 60+dmg in 1 attack or reduced to 60HP or fewer (roughly 1/11 max HP).Young green dragon HP 136 (16d10+48), CON +3CR 8‘Meat’ HP therefore (10+3+8)= 21 HPWound narrated when takes 21+dmg in 1 attack or reduced to 21HP or fewer (roughly 1/7 max HP).Bulette HP 95 (9d10+45) with Con bonus of +5CR 5‘Meat’ HP therefore (10+5+5) = 20 HPWound narrated when takes 20+dmg in 1 attack or reduced to 20HP or fewer (roughly 1/5 max HP).Manticore HP 68 (8d10+24), CON bonus of +3CR 3‘Meat’ HP therefore (10+3+3) = 16 HPWound narrated when takes 16+dmg in 1 attack or reduced to 16HP or fewer (roughly 1/4 max HP).Owlbear HP 59 (7d10+21), CON bonus of +3 CR 3‘Meat’ HP therefore (10+3+3) = 16 HPWound narrated when takes 16+dmg in 1 attack or reduced to 16HP or fewer (just under 1/4 max HP).Bugbear HP 27 (5d8+5) with Con bonus of +1CR 1‘Meat’ HP therefore (8+1+1) = 10 HPWound narrated when takes 10+dmg in 1 attack or reduced to 10HP or fewer (roughly 1/3 max HP).Orc HP 15 (2d8+6), CON bonus of +3CR 1/2‘Meat’ HP therefore (8+3+0) = 11 HPWound narrated when takes 11+dmg in 1 attack or reduced to 11HP or fewer (roughly 2/3 max HP).Goblin HP 7 (2d6), CON bonus +0CR 1/4‘Meat’ HP therefore (6+0+0)= 6 HPWound narrated when takes 6+dmg in 1 attack or reduced to 6HP or fewer (basically any damage taken).No, not very scientific but as a rule of thumb it works for me.</blockquote>

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