Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.
Rocket your D&D 5E and Level Up: Advanced 5E games into space! Alpha Star Magazine Is Launching... Right Now!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mouseferatu" data-source="post: 1803164" data-attributes="member: 1288">The problem is, you're adding complexity in the name of simplicity.I agree, the current turning mechanics feel a bit clunky, but they have the distinct avantage of being quick to arbitrate. One roll to turn, one roll for damage, some undead flee, some don't. Having to make a seperate roll for each type of undead in an encounter is going to slow things down enormously, and anything that makes the combat round take longer is to be avoided, IMO.Here's something I've been thinking about, but I've never had the chance to play around with.The cleric rolls d20 + cleric level + Cha modifier. As is in the core rules, that result determines the most poweful undead affected, as per table 8-9.But, that exact same roll is also the total number of HD affected, rather than having a seperate damage roll.For example, a 9th-level cleric rolls a 17 on his turn check. 17 means you can affect undead up to 2 HD higher than your level. So, he can turn up to a 9 HD undead, and he turns 17 total HD worth of undead.The advantages to doing it this way, rather than by the book? Far faster, and more intuitive than rolling a second damage roll of 2d6 plus modifiers.The disadvantages? It makes turning a lot more potent, since you can potentially turn a lot more HD-worth on a D20 + modifiers than on 2d6 + modifiers.Solution? A cleric can only attempt to turn any specific undead creatures once per day. Any undead he fails to turn the first time, he cannot turn again until after his next "prayer time." If new undead join the battle, though, he can attempt to turn them.So, you're more potent per turning attempt, but gain fewer per encounter.Now, I should warn you. I have not playtested this. I haven't even sat down and really juggled the numbers. It's just an idea I had, and I thought I'd share. I don't think it's broken (or at least not by much), but I can't promise you that.There is, BTW, a solid reason for keeping the "Max HD turned," even though it requires the use of a chart and isn't necessarily intuitive. It prevents a cleric from turning an astoundingly powerful creature with a lucky roll. If there were no cap on HD, a 1st-level cleric with decent Charisma could potentially turn a 16th-level lich. PCs should be able to accomplish amazing things, but that's simply too much.</blockquote>

Verification