toucanbuzz
No rule is inviolate
EDIT: updated PDF version (1 page) here.
Our group has been playtesting a modified UA vitality points rule, replacing death saves (as written the UA version appears messy). As a baseline, I only implement homebrew rules if I think they make the game more exciting for everyone and fix a problem.
Goals
Vitality Points
Vitality only comes into play when a character hits 0 hit points at which point the player opts to become Unconscious or Staggered. The rules on hit points are unchanged.
A character's Vitality is equal to their starting hit points.
Any damage taken after 0 hit points is taken off Vitality. If you're out of Vitality, you're dead. The rules on reaching 0 hp are unchanged. The extra damage that brought you to 0 hp is ignored unless it instantly killed you. If you have even 1 hit point, Vitality does not come into play.
At 0 hit points, the player, unless knocked unconscious on purpose by the enemy, chooses whether to go Unconscious or become Staggered.
Unconscious.
Staggered.
Healing Vitality.
In Play
This gives players some control, and something to do, at 0 hit points. Given the Death Points system (which solves whack-a-mole), hitting 0 hit points becomes a major deal with risk, so players will gamble if they want to continue to present a viable target. And, at higher levels, avoiding damage is even more paramount because 1 hit from a T-Rex will likely erase all your Vitality and kill you.
In our last session,
So far, and the sample is only a few months of gaming, I've observed no abuse or problems, but we might see some at higher levels, when that T-Rex example in the spoiler comes into play. But, if you reach 0 hp, you should be on death's door, extremely close to dying, one hit away, not just "sorta there."
I have concern the Unconscious state doesn't alleviate "whack a mole." Healing word for 4 hit points, smashed for 20, extra damage goes away, unconscious. Healing word, smashed for 20 damage.... you get the point. Effectively, whack a mole is allowing us to soak up big hits (beyond 1st level where it might outright kill you).
So, I've thought about Unconscious, perhaps you take 1 point of Vitality damage immediately, then make your save. You don't get Death Points, as normal. That would alleviate whack a mole a bit by providing a negative each time. Anyhow, for those gamers who have the time to crunch and analyze, appreciate any insight into what I might expect down the road.
Our group has been playtesting a modified UA vitality points rule, replacing death saves (as written the UA version appears messy). As a baseline, I only implement homebrew rules if I think they make the game more exciting for everyone and fix a problem.
Goals
Resolve what Hit Points actually represent. Can the human body really survive the bite of a 30,000 pound T-Rex, perhaps more than once? Or are they fully, 100%, a representation of the ability to avoid lethal damage, a mixture of experience, luck, and resilience?
2) Do something interesting with death saves. They don't make sense. When unconscious, if someone slits your throat, that's 2 failures, but you could bounce back up on a Natural 20 next round. And then you could get hit down, and back up.
3) Fix "whack a mole"
2) Do something interesting with death saves. They don't make sense. When unconscious, if someone slits your throat, that's 2 failures, but you could bounce back up on a Natural 20 next round. And then you could get hit down, and back up.
3) Fix "whack a mole"
Vitality Points
Vitality only comes into play when a character hits 0 hit points at which point the player opts to become Unconscious or Staggered. The rules on hit points are unchanged.
A character's Vitality is equal to their starting hit points.
This never changes unless your CON modifier changes. This represents the actual physical damage you can survive. A dagger to the heart is going to kill a 10th level human just as well as a 1st level one. The 10th level one has just gotten better at avoiding the lethal hit, not better at "soaking" up hits by giant's clubs, dragon's teeth, etc.
Any damage taken after 0 hit points is taken off Vitality. If you're out of Vitality, you're dead. The rules on reaching 0 hp are unchanged. The extra damage that brought you to 0 hp is ignored unless it instantly killed you. If you have even 1 hit point, Vitality does not come into play.
At 0 hit points, the player, unless knocked unconscious on purpose by the enemy, chooses whether to go Unconscious or become Staggered.
Unconscious.
Make a Death Save or while unconscious you take 1 Vitality damage at the start of your turns until stabilized. A natural 1 and you take 1d4 instead. You become conscious if you receive any healing at all because you'll gain hit points.
Staggered.
A condition when you're at 0 hit points where you can take 1 Action on your turn, no movement (you must use a Dash Action to move). Anything you do is with Disadvantage; any saves enemies make from your abilities are made with Advantage. Gain 1 Death Point. At 3 Death Points, you die. An abstract from being on Death's Door too often. Death Points are removed at a rate of 1 per long rest. Any damage taken in this condition goes to Vitality.
Healing Vitality.
Vitality naturally heals at 1 + CON modifier per long rest. It can be magically healed if the character is already at full hit points. Even then, you need potent magic. For every 10 points of magical healing (calculated as if the healing did maximum, so a 2d4+2 Potion of Healing is counted as 10), you heal 1 Vitality Point. Regeneration effects always count as at least minimum 10. You don't round up, so 11 points of healing from a single source only gets you 1 Vitality, and 29 gets you 2.
In Play
This gives players some control, and something to do, at 0 hit points. Given the Death Points system (which solves whack-a-mole), hitting 0 hit points becomes a major deal with risk, so players will gamble if they want to continue to present a viable target. And, at higher levels, avoiding damage is even more paramount because 1 hit from a T-Rex will likely erase all your Vitality and kill you.
In our last session,
a player opted to draw upon her resilience and keep fighting at 0hp. As a Tempest Cleric, she knew if she got hit, she could retaliate with a blast of thunder, and she could, on her turn, perhaps end the battle. We were using variable initiative, so it wasn't a guarantee things would play out in the order she'd want. She has 10 Vitality, so one good hit might kill her, might not, at low levels. In theory-craft, played with the idea of increasing Vitality over time, but that's what hit points are for, and in other systems where DMs tried a version of this, they discouraged it. If we're going to increase Vitality too, we're not addressing our goals. This resembles moreso the AD&D down and dying (-10) rule, as well as the 3rd edition "diehard" feat (keep acting when in negative hit points).
So far, and the sample is only a few months of gaming, I've observed no abuse or problems, but we might see some at higher levels, when that T-Rex example in the spoiler comes into play. But, if you reach 0 hp, you should be on death's door, extremely close to dying, one hit away, not just "sorta there."
I have concern the Unconscious state doesn't alleviate "whack a mole." Healing word for 4 hit points, smashed for 20, extra damage goes away, unconscious. Healing word, smashed for 20 damage.... you get the point. Effectively, whack a mole is allowing us to soak up big hits (beyond 1st level where it might outright kill you).
So, I've thought about Unconscious, perhaps you take 1 point of Vitality damage immediately, then make your save. You don't get Death Points, as normal. That would alleviate whack a mole a bit by providing a negative each time. Anyhow, for those gamers who have the time to crunch and analyze, appreciate any insight into what I might expect down the road.
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