general hit points

[shadowdragon]

I'm thinking of using RQ for a fantasy campaign I'm going to be running (I'm converting the War of the Lance campaign from D&D's Dragonlance setting). I'm not sure my players are going to like the amount of bookkeeping required with the hit location system, so I thought I'd check to see just how difficult it would be to use the generic hit point option from BRP. How difficult would it be to modify the system so it used generic hit points? Is it relatively simple, or would it require a lot of work? Does one of the expansion books have rules for modifying RQ to use generic hit points?

 

[Loz]

Does one of the expansion books have rules for modifying RQ to use generic hit points?

Yes - 'Games Masters' Handbook'.

 

[gran_orco]

Games Master Handbook???? Generic HP? Where is it? GMH has a different hit point table, nothing else. Maybe it was supposed, but finally it was not included in the book. Maybe I am wrong. Where is it?

 

[Loz]

My copy of the GMH is currently halfway across the world, en-route to Singapore (it should be going to Canada, but its a long story). However, I distinctly recall writing the following, which should be present in the Combat chapter of the GMH... Although it refers to NPCs, it can be equally used for PCs too.

General Hit Points
First, reserve locational hit points for major villains and NPCs. For all other NPCs, use General Hit Points instead. General Hit Points are calculated on the average of the CON and SIZ Characteristics, rather than on their sum.

• Every NPC has a ‘Critical Wound’ rating equal to half the General Hit Points (rounded up).

• If General Hit Points are reduced to a negative amount equal to the Critical Wound rating or more death is instantaneous.

• Weapon damage is removed directly from the Hit Point total. When Hit Points reach zero, the NPC must make a Resilience test to remain conscious. If the test is successful a Resilience test must be made every combat round until Hit Points are brought up to 1 or more. If the NPC loses consciousness, death results within a number of Combat Actions equal to the Critical Wound value, unless Hit Points are brought up to 1 HP or more.

• If the NPC suffers a single wound that exceeds his Critical Wound rating in one blow, he must make a roll on the Critical Wound table below to determine what additional effects are suffered. The armour value being worn is subtracted from the D20 roll.

• If the blow inflicted is a Critical Hit, add the damage to the D20 roll.

• In addition to the effects detailed in the Critical Wound table, the target always receives an impressive-looking scar as a permanent reminder of the experience.

There then follows the Critical Wound table, which I won't reproduce here.

Perhaps, Gran, as I don't have a hard copy of the GMH available, you could double check your combat chapter to make sure the above is there and, if so, give the page ref. If it isn't, and was cut without my knowledge, then I'll happily post the full rules and crit wound table here.

 

[gran_orco]

Here is (it was cut from the final version of GM):
SIGNS & PORTENTS NUMBER 54

PAGE 95

NPC Critical Wound Table
1D20 Critical Wound Category Game Effects
01-02 Dazed Target forfeits 1d3 Combat Actions.
03-04 Target knocked back 1 metre and Dazed.
05-06 Target knocked down and Dazed.
07 Target Dazed and must make a Resilience test to avoid being knocked
unconscious.
08-09 Stunned Target forfeits 1d3 Combat Actions and Reactions.
10-11 Target knocked back 1 metre and Stunned.
12-13 Target knocked down and Stunned.
14 Target Stunned and must make a Resilience test to avoid being knocked
unconscious.
15 Arm Disabled Target’s arm is disabled (broken or paralysed). Target is Dazed and
anything held by that arm is dropped.
16 Leg Disabled Target’s leg is disabled (broken or paralysed). Target is Dazed and falls
prone.
17 Abdominal Injury Target Stunned. Must make a Resilience test to avoid death and spilling
intestines over the fl oor.
18 Chest Injury Target Stunned. Must make a Resilience test to avoid death and coughing
up gouts of blood.
19 Head Injury Target Stunned. Must make a Resilience test to avoid death from a
slashed throat, thrust through eyeand so on.

 

[Loz]

Indeed!

I hadn't spotted that it had been chopped from the GMH and printed in S&P instead. Thank you Gran.

Oh well.

S&P 54 has the full general hit points article.