Topic: Extending lethality across the levels...
1st level PCs begin with maximum hit points plus their con bonus.
After that everyone gains 1HP per level, no bonuses.
Thoughts?
Re: Extending lethality across the levels...
...and scrub magic missile while we're at it.
Re: Extending lethality across the levels...
Why not :
Re: Extending lethality across the levels...
Why not : "After that everyone gains 1/2/3HP per levels, with or without bonuses (depending on clas)." ?
This way, you let classes with better hp progression being, well, better.
[EDIT] truncated post...
- Lord Inar
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Re: Extending lethality across the levels...
Well, now you're really nerfing the dwarf, unless they get 2 hp per level.
And fights will get shorter as you go up in level since a Fighter's +1 to hit/level and the Specialist's increase in Sneak attack will result in more hits and more damage.
Spellcasters will increase in power relative to non-spellcasters since the fighter-ish type generally have better hp than spellcasters.
- JimLotFP
- Lord of All Fevers and Plagues
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Re: Extending lethality across the levels...
Is it really a problem that PCs become too tough into the mid-levels that they need to be depowered?
Re: Extending lethality across the levels...
aesdana wrote:
Why not : "After that everyone gains 1/2/3HP per levels, with or without bonuses (depending on clas)." ?
This way, you let classes with better hp progression being, well, better.
[EDIT] truncated post...
I see your point, although in a low hit point game having a handful more than your comrades becomes a much bigger deal.
Re: Extending lethality across the levels...
Lord Inar wrote:
Well, now you're really nerfing the dwarf, unless they get 2 hp per level.
And fights will get shorter as you go up in level since a Fighter's +1 to hit/level and the Specialist's increase in Sneak attack will result in more hits and more damage.
Spellcasters will increase in power relative to non-spellcasters since the fighter-ish type generally have better hp than spellcasters.
I'm not sure if being 2 levels worth of HP (3 if you include con bonus) ahead of a fighter counts as a nerf. When the scale contracts the relative values become more pronounced.
Re: Extending lethality across the levels...
JimLotFP wrote:
Is it really a problem that PCs become too tough into the mid-levels that they need to be depowered?
(Forum seems to have swallowed my previous reply)
It's not so much a problem, but in my experience there's a certain HP threshold beyond which it feels *safe*, both mechanically and in the players minds. I wanted to pierce that, to keep tension ratcheted up throughout the levels, to slash the safety buffer to its minimum.
- Lord Inar
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Re: Extending lethality across the levels...
Andrew S wrote:
Lord Inar wrote:Well, now you're really nerfing the dwarf, unless they get 2 hp per level.
And fights will get shorter as you go up in level since a Fighter's +1 to hit/level and the Specialist's increase in Sneak attack will result in more hits and more damage.
Spellcasters will increase in power relative to non-spellcasters since the fighter-ish type generally have better hp than spellcasters.I'm not sure if being 2 levels worth of HP (3 if you include con bonus) ahead of a fighter counts as a nerf. When the scale contracts the relative values become more pronounced.
If it were 1 hp with no bonuses, as you had originally suggested, the combat difference between a 20th level dwarf and a 1st level dwarf can be summed up as 19 hp, that's all.
Re: Extending lethality across the levels...
Lord Inar wrote:
If it were 1 hp with no bonuses, as you had originally suggested, the combat difference between a 20th level dwarf and a 1st level dwarf can be summed up as 19 hp, that's all.
That's the idea.
- Lord Inar
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Re: Extending lethality across the levels...
Right, and my comment was simply that every other class gets that same 19 hp along with other stuff (to hits, skills, spells)
Re: Extending lethality across the levels...
I see your point. Dwarves don't really feature in my games so I didn't consider their schtick too carefully. Maybe two hit points per Dwarf level would do it.
Re: Extending lethality across the levels...
Andrew S wrote:
I see your point. Dwarves don't really feature in my games so I didn't consider their schtick too carefully. Maybe two hit points per Dwarf level would do it.
I like this idea, and I'm going to trial it this week with my group (although they are all first-level, so it really just amounts to a big hp boost for them!)
Re: Extending lethality across the levels...
JimLotFP wrote:
Is it really a problem that PCs become too tough into the mid-levels that they need to be depowered?
NO!!!
I just had a 13th level MU with 34 hp and a ring of perm shield get dusted in 3 rounds yesterday.
no offense, but ephew seakay 1 hp per level!
Last edited by IvanMike (2011-11-07 16:38:43)