Spell Casting and Exhaustion

[MedievalMan]

Yeah I got sort of lazy and just copy/pasted some of the d20 srd. I am back to thinking about it again and haven't reached a point where I am happy with it.

[Dimirag]

I believe you are searching for a system that includes:
-Stamina as light wounds.
-Stamina as "mana".
-Wounds for serious hits.
-Fast healing for Stamina wile slow healing for wounds.

The method you made works, but yes, it feels like it lacks of "something else"...

You can try with a fatigued/Wound system like a table (if you like using them) that crosses the "damage" received with the character "threshold" for the action that causes the damage. The results gives the temporary effects of fatigued.*
Each class gives the "threshold" value by level (fighters gets it level while receiving physical damage from attacks or attacks type sources), clerics gets 1/2 and thieves/mu's gets 1/3. Mu's uses its full level against the level of the spell (which is treated as "damage") for spellcasting fatigue.

Critical effects makes the penalty to go directly against a character's Wounds Points.

I know this breaks away from the standard system and its "family"...

*Instead of a double entry table you can go by comparing the damage value against the threshold value.

---This ideas "resemble" to the system of rolemaster/harp or g.u.r.p.s....---

[MedievalMan]

Yeah I almost split up HP even further. I am still trying to come up with a good system for verbal combat. I have gone so far as to write up a skill system for BF. Still doesn't do anything to curb the violence inherent in the system. Maybe I could change the game so that you do not get Exp for killing enemies, but for defeating them in a different way. Off topic sorry.


I wrote up a small system for penalties relating to how many hit points you have left. I posted it here a long time ago, but am I right thinking its similar to the idea you are presenting?

[Dimirag]

My idea ditch the HP system. Simply put you compare the "damage" (be it from a sword, a fall, a spell or even a verbal dispute) and compare it against another value (an attribute or attribute bonus + a level mod) and apply the resulting penalty on any appropriated roll (the penalty represents fatigue, lesser wounds, broken spirit, etc.)

The character value is based on the class and the "damage type" (physical, social, spiritual, etc).
Con helps on Physical values
Wis on spiritual
Cha on social

Each Class gives the dice or value by which the Threshold increases per level.
Each Class can give an "extra" against specific damage sources (fighters gets the best physical increase and an "extra" against combat damage, thieves gets poor physical but an extra against traps, clerics gets the best spiritual value, while mu's gets the best social value.

If you use skills you can allow to increase the threshold by a skill value or roll on a specific situation.

BTW I give XP for "defeating" hazards (opponents, traps, puzzle, etc), if the hazard is removed they get the XP no matter the method by which they removed it (passing by a slipping dragon can give the same XP as killing it, finding another route won't).

[MedievalMan]

Yeah I usually grant Exp for defeating obstacles. No matter the method. Its just difficult sometimes to encourage players to use their wits rather than their sword arms.

[Dimirag]

One method I prefer is not telling exactly what monster they are fighting, if they get some info from a NPC it wouldn't be 100% accurate (people get frightened of monsters and frightened people tend to twist the facts), and even once confronted with the monster i wont tell the proper name (unless its a very common monster that the pc are familiar with).

Back to topic: Any advance on the fatigue system?

[MedievalMan]

Yeah I am thinking about just having characters have 2 sets of hit points. Sort of like the system I presented above. Stamina goes up in level while wounds would remain static. As for verbal combat I am rewriting 4E skill system for use with BFRPG. So that takes care of that problem. But I am still trying to hammer out the stamina/wounds system. I will post it when I have it.

EDIT
A major change would be to just have characters fall unconscious when reduced to 0 Stamina, instead of having a save. That way character are knocked out more often than they would be killed. Lots of interesting situations could arise from that.

[Dimirag]

I like the idea of Stamina 0 = Unconsciousness, you can use a ST to remain conscious but "defeated" (you can't act, but you can speak and are aware of whats happening).
It reminds me of DragonQuest where you have fatigue points based on constitution, and spells and damage takes away those points, but at 0pts or against critical damage you suffer the damage directly to your constitution (and against more critical attacks you roll on a critical wound table).

[MedievalMan]

Yeah exactly! That's the sort of system I had in mind. In a lot of shows and stories you often see characters get a beat down that puts them out of a fight but they are not dead or unconscious. Normal hit point rules don't support that sort of "beaten but not dead" idea.

[Dimirag]

I'm planing on making my own house rules (seems a common thing these days hahaha) after I finish with one of my many unfinished systems...
My take on HP will be something like:
Flat value based on size +
Flat value based on Class +
Con mod (I'm not sure about keeping this).

Depending on remaining HP% the character is ether Unharmed, Lightly, Moderate or Severely Wounded(Health State).
The health state simply indicates the rate at which the character regains lost HP:
-Unharmed: 100%-76%HP: Regains HP per rest/sleep period.
-LW: 75%-69%HP: Regains HP per day of health care.
-MW: 50%-26%HP: Regains HP per week of medical care.
-SW: 25%-0%HP: Regains HP per month of medical care.