Supplement Four
Mongoose
In another thread, I mentioned how Conan (and d20 in general) doesn't model wounds like sprained muscles and broken bones very well. In Conan (and d20), you're either completely healthy with no type of penalty (at least 1 HP or more), or you're disabled and dying (disabled a 0 HP, dying from -1 to -9 HP).
Eleven years ago, I was in a jet ski accident where my back was cracked in 3 places. I got up (adrenaline) out of the water on my own and was walking around when the ambulance arrived. Within hours, I was bed bound, unable to walk, for a month (and slowly after that). It took me about 3 mos to heal completely, and about a year to be "good as new".
At no point was I "dying", but I was seriously injured. Incapaciated. There was a time where we were scared I might not walk again.
But, I do. And, everything is fine now. I'm good as new, with no lingering problems. I'm lucky.
But...
That type of thing can't be shown very well in Conan.
A mace comes down on a man's arm and breaks the arm.
An arrow pierces the muscle just as the shoulder meets the neck, making it hard for the character to turn his head.
A knife cuts the end of the heel, making it hard to walk.
These types of things are not modeled in the Conan d20 system...and maybe should be.
I'm not talking about a critical hit chart. Oh no. Those things are terrible for PCs. They're really only "fun" in a game if they're used against NPCs only.
No, what I'm talking about are different effects being placed on the character at 0 HP and beyond.
At 0 HP, does the character necessarily have to be dying? Can't it be just an incapacitating wound? Something like what I've suggested above?
Healing could take place accordingly. The Left For Dead wouldn't have to be used as much. Heck, PCs wouldn't DIE as often!!
How would we run something like this? I'm looking for ideas--input.
I'm thinking: Instead of 0 HP meaning that the character is dying, he makes a Fortitude Saving Throw at DC 10 + Dying HP.
For example...
0 HP = DC 10.
-2 HP = DC 12
-5 HP = DC 15
-9 HP = DC 19
If the character makes the save, then he's not dying. He's messed up. The GM should consider the wound based on the attack that put him there. The GM should also altar healing time and requirements based on what the wound is.
Thoughts on this?
Other ways to handle this type of thing?
(When reaching 0 HP, rolling on a chart, like a Critical Hit Chart, comes to mind. But, the chart would have to be written, and I think the GM can do just as good a job with his imagination based on the last hit the character took.)
What do you think?
Eleven years ago, I was in a jet ski accident where my back was cracked in 3 places. I got up (adrenaline) out of the water on my own and was walking around when the ambulance arrived. Within hours, I was bed bound, unable to walk, for a month (and slowly after that). It took me about 3 mos to heal completely, and about a year to be "good as new".
At no point was I "dying", but I was seriously injured. Incapaciated. There was a time where we were scared I might not walk again.
But, I do. And, everything is fine now. I'm good as new, with no lingering problems. I'm lucky.
But...
That type of thing can't be shown very well in Conan.
A mace comes down on a man's arm and breaks the arm.
An arrow pierces the muscle just as the shoulder meets the neck, making it hard for the character to turn his head.
A knife cuts the end of the heel, making it hard to walk.
These types of things are not modeled in the Conan d20 system...and maybe should be.
I'm not talking about a critical hit chart. Oh no. Those things are terrible for PCs. They're really only "fun" in a game if they're used against NPCs only.
No, what I'm talking about are different effects being placed on the character at 0 HP and beyond.
At 0 HP, does the character necessarily have to be dying? Can't it be just an incapacitating wound? Something like what I've suggested above?
Healing could take place accordingly. The Left For Dead wouldn't have to be used as much. Heck, PCs wouldn't DIE as often!!
How would we run something like this? I'm looking for ideas--input.
I'm thinking: Instead of 0 HP meaning that the character is dying, he makes a Fortitude Saving Throw at DC 10 + Dying HP.
For example...
0 HP = DC 10.
-2 HP = DC 12
-5 HP = DC 15
-9 HP = DC 19
If the character makes the save, then he's not dying. He's messed up. The GM should consider the wound based on the attack that put him there. The GM should also altar healing time and requirements based on what the wound is.
Thoughts on this?
Other ways to handle this type of thing?
(When reaching 0 HP, rolling on a chart, like a Critical Hit Chart, comes to mind. But, the chart would have to be written, and I think the GM can do just as good a job with his imagination based on the last hit the character took.)
What do you think?