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12 months ago ::
Jun 29, 2012 - 2:53PM
#101
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Date Joined:
Dec 13, 2003
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I don't like it, because I don't like powers that do nothing any more than I like powers that one-shot any target. I'd prefer something like "Sleep: 2d6 psychic damage; any creature reduced below 1 hp is reduced to 1 hp and put to sleep".
HP thresholds do something. Sleep slows, for instance. They just have a reduced effect on creatures above the threshold.
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12 months ago ::
Jun 29, 2012 - 3:03PM
#102
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I'm toying with save va dying instead of save vs death.
Instead of instant death, apply dying rules and give the pc a chance to stabilize and throw off the effect.
For instance, instead of instant petrifaction, someone is being turned to stone over a few rounds. Maybe you can consider them slowed as the stumble around struggling to resist the doom.
It takes a little of the bite away from SoD and even gives other PCs a chance to help.
The tension and drama are present with a reduced chance of TPK.
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12 months ago ::
Jun 29, 2012 - 3:08PM
#103
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I could like that modification
"If it's not a conjuration, how did the wizard
con·jure/ˈkänjər/Verb
1. Make (something) appear unexpectedly or seemingly from nowhere as if by magic.
it?" -anon
"Why don't you read fire·ball / fī(-ə)r-ˌbȯl/ and see if you can find the key word con.jure /'kən-ˈju̇r/ anywhere in it."
-Maxperson
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12 months ago ::
Jun 29, 2012 - 3:38PM
#104
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Date Joined:
Jan 10, 2012
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2e defines a saving throw as the chance, however slim, that a character avoids certain death.
I think that definition has greatly changed over the past few editions.
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12 months ago ::
Jun 29, 2012 - 4:24PM
#105
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Some people think they make monsters scary. Well, if they can be scared by a mechanic instead of DM description, then good for them. I can't.
So it's your belief that the only scare SoD can offer is mechanical in nature and it's your contention that DM description is where the scare is delivered?
No, that's not my belief. My belief is that scary comes only from skillful DM description. However, people have said they need SoD to make monsters scary. That's total BS, but if they need an arbitrary random-chance death mechainc to feel scared, then let them have it. Just make sure that those of us who don't want to use that mechanic have either: 1) an alternate encounter level tag that assumes the SoD is ignored, 2) a comparably powerful but less arbitrary power to replace the SoD with, or 3) an alternate build of the monster without the SoD.
Look, all I'm sayin' is that a mechanic that can cause instant character death can certainly be described in a way to make it terrifying. I don't think your characterization of SoD in this case is fair. It's not some mechanical only thing.
Many powers can be described in such a way as to be terrifying. An SoD mechanic isn't required to make a monster scary. As a matter of fact, I consider character death in D&D to be far from scary; the whole thing is just a resource and paperwork hassle.
Why Mechanics-Alignment Integration is Bad
Show
so why even play a fighter if you can play the paladin the exact same way behaviorally and get added power to boot. "Paladin" is about accepting better game-enhancing mechanics at the price of more rigid in game behavior.
Really? So it goes something like this?
Fighter: "I want to be a paladin."
NPC: "Really?"
Fighter: "Yes."
NPC: "Very well." Starts reading from a holy book while still in-character "Do you accept having to choose and stick to the lawful good alignment, eventhough neither of us actually knows that it exists or what it is?"
Fighter: "I do."
NPC: "Do you reject good game balance because you accidentally rolled a high Charisma?"
Fighter: "What?"
NPC: "I don't know what it means either."
Fighter: "Oh. Umm, ok I do."
NPC: "In the name of all that is metagamey and broken, accept these better game enhancing mechanics."
Fighter: "These what?"
NPC: "Just get out there and try to fulfill a million different people's notion of good while not violating and part of any of them."
So the system is designed such that every single hit needs to be described to avoid confusion? Here's a scenario. The players are nudists, everybody in the world are nudists, it's not weird, it's totally normal in this land. They are naked and they fight drakes taking damage throughout, but healing up with surges. Later they meet the guy who raised the drakes.
Part 1: I didn't describe any of the hits. What does he see?
Part 2: Lets say I described the drakes as biting the players, yet they healed up. What does he see?
D20 Modern Toon PC Race.
Mecha Pilot's Skill Challenge Emporium.
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12 months ago ::
Jun 29, 2012 - 4:35PM
#106
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To me, a SoD is a last resort or a surprise opener. Once you're engaged with a party, it's usually not good to rely on someone else failing a save. (This is, like most things spell-related, not quite so true in 3.5. However, 3.5 was a seriously bad edition magicwise -- few people disagree with that, even if they knew how to 'fix' it). It isn't 'required' to make an enemy more frightening. Nothing is 'required' to make an enemy frightenening; I've made 10th level warriors run from kobolds with simple descriptions before. However, one thing I find it does cut down on is the 'I go in and kill it' factor. When you never know if an enemy MIGHT possess an SoD, you view things from the prism of caution/preparation more often than not. For those running campaigns that are little more than an ego rub for characters, you'll probably run into difficulties with it. For those of us running campaigns where simply stopping to refresh every 30 seconds isn't viable, they not only work 'fine', they work -well-.
Sometimes a character will die from it. Very rarely, if they're cautious, but sometimes. Sometimes a good crit will kill a character too. Sometimes they'll decide to fight the guy with a Vorpal Blade and come out on the wrong end. Character death -happens-, and while some may view it as 'unfun', that's the risk you take as an adventurer. Fortune and glory aren't things that accountants and flight attendants tend to accrue.
That's my opinion, and if you disagree, great, if not even better.
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