Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site mit-bug.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!harvard!think!mit-eddie!mit-bug!dove From: dove@mit-bug.UUCP (Web Dove) Newsgroups: net.games.frp Subject: ad&d mods for lesser damage Message-ID: <276@mit-bug.UUCP> Date: Mon, 30-Sep-85 09:53:50 EDT Article-I.D.: mit-bug.276 Posted: Mon Sep 30 09:53:50 1985 Date-Received: Wed, 2-Oct-85 20:16:24 EDT Reply-To: dove@mit-bugs-bunny.UUCP (Web Dove) Organization: MIT Digital Signal Processing Group Lines: 84 While we are on the subject of game balance, here are some changes we are playing. They have to do with damage. 1) Roll all damage All adjustments to the damage of a weapon (magical plusses, ranger bonus vs giants, elf bonus with sword/bow, monk bonus with weapon, strength bonus ...) contribute to an additional die that is rolled and added to the basic dice of the weapon. For example, a 10th lvl 18/00 str ranger swinging a +3 two-handed sword against a hill giant gets 10 (ranger) + 3 (sword) + 6 (strength) = d19 in addition to the basic 3d6 of the weapon. Of these pluses, only the ones directly attributable to the magic of the weapon are unlimited (e.g. a +20 sword is possible though unlikely). The sum of the pluses of the other catagories cannot exceed the maximum roll of the basic weapon. So in the example above, if the ranger only had a +5 daggar, the adjustment for ranger and str would be limited to +3 (the maximum roll of a daggar vs giants) which when added to the (unlimited) +5 of the weapon itself yields d8 additional damage. Notice that this reduces the damage in the first case from 3*3.5 + 19 = 29.5 (avrg) 22 (min) to 3*3.5 + 10 = 20.5 (avrg) 4 (min) More importantly for us, it makes the damage RANDOM again. Guaranteed damage takes a lot of the excitement (and frustration) out of the game and replaces it with enourmous monsters that kill you in the first/second round. Also, it makes big weapons worth having (before this everyone gravitated to longswords). (The pain of rolling a d13 or d17 isn't too bad.) 2) damage reduction AC lower than 9 allows you to roll a damage reduction at the end of the round (i.e. after all creatures have swung at you). For each point below 9, the reduction die gets an additional face (ac 8 means no roll is necessary, it is always a 1). The reduction can NEVER exceed the cumulative damage for that round (if you are hit you always take at least 1 point). For purposes of this reduction, the only things that count are inherent creature AC and non-magical ARMOR (not shield). Magical contributions to AC DON'T COUNT. Dex adjustments DON'T COUNT. (We are right now counting monk AC, but that may change). So for humans, leather gives AC 8 (1 pt reduction), plate gives AC 3 (d6 reduction). These are the limits for humans. For monsters, a demon with AC -10 gets d19 points of reduction! This reduction applies to most damage (e.g. fireball, falling). However, some cases can be excluded (metal armor won't reduce electrical damage). See the section in the DM guide under saving throw adjustments from armor for guidance. This rule has several purposes: it gives low level fighters/clerics some help (since they tend to be the front line in melee) it puts some significance back into wearing armor (Previously everyone was gravitating to bracers where possible. Now armor is definitely worth it) it is a big help for monsters. (doesn't mean much to low levels, but biggies are MUCH tougher to kill). -- Both rules are easy to implement. They were intended to give monsters a hand and put some randomness back into high level battles.