On Sat, Jan 27, 2001 at 09:13:27AM +0100, Guillaume PERREAL wrote:
> >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >
> >Actually D&D has lots of 'maluses', just very few that are linked to
> >hit points until you get down to zero. The rationale (back in 1st
> >ed) was that only the last five to ten hits are actual physical
> >damage. The bulk of your hit-points represent self-confidence,
> >stamina, or being in control of the situation. After getting
> >attacked for the tenth time in one day for 20 hits, you might
> >be starting to get a bit winded.
> >
> >This rationale (if not to your taste) is at least consistent with
> >raising hit-points every level (which a direct health basis would
> >not.)
>
> In this point of view, I like the VP/WP rules wroten by Brad Thompson, which
> better reflects real wounds and self-confidence.
>
> >
> >Anyway, the one effect of damage that is immediately reflected
> >even if your hit points would remain positive, is that any character
> >who takes 50 hits in damage in a single round has to roll against
> >system shock to survive the round.
>
> Yes, but if he/she survives, he/she get no maluses.
>
> >
> >I do think that critical hits make a very compelling 'Wow, what
> >a hit!', or at least my players always preferred playing with
> >critical hits even though I extended the same privelege to
> >monsters.
>
> I know a Rolemaster's DM who don't tell his players know how many hit points
> their character have, how many damages their character inflicts/receives,
> nor what are their maluses. He just tell them 'your character has just get
> some contusions' or 'your character is feeling very bad'. His players decide
> to flee or to continue more on a subjective basis more than on how many
> points is remaining. It gives the fabulous feeling that the character is
> living on the edge during a fight.
>
Yeah, I ran a short campaign that way once. I think it is easier for
players to internalize how their characters feel when they own that data
instead of having to ask for it.
If I own all of the numeric data, players constantly have to ask me what
they can do; they don't get 'in' to their characters. I become just a
story teller.
If we each own our own numeric data, we are telling a combined story.
Ideally I should create a story for every numeric change to one of my
monsters, and they should do the same for their own characters. Then
the game story becomes alive with synergy.
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