This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
The woman seems disappointed, but also seems no less determined to see through their meeting. (The rolls now look totally screwed up, but when I rolled her disposition towards him, I got a 92%... so she's a little... enamoured.) "I thought as much... you seemed to smell of... something when we met at the little Saloon the other night. I had to work up a lot of courage to come see you. Thank you for at least leaving me that note." she says softly. She steps forward, and from the sweat of his brow, memories of that night come flooding back to her, making her fidget in embarrassment. ((Secret roll!)) 7 A bit of that night comes back to Leon, but not much. He remembers dancing, he remembers listening, he remembers... beating on someone. Something happened at the performance at the Saloon. Someone got grabby, and Leon intervened, his instincts and desire to learn the finer points of combat driving him on a base level. Gratitude turned into something a lot deeper. "I believe neither of us were really ourselves that night, but I also... don't want that night to be a simple passing fancy. My name is Ashwa, of the house Tamerin.... Leon. I know it's a bit... improper for me to see you like this, and I don't wish to keep you from your work, but... should you want to see me again..." she says quietly, and quickly steps forward to slip a wooden block and a small parchent into his hands. The block is an official seal, and the parchment has directions not to her home, but a meeting place. "This will grant you... discrete passage into the Hawk's Nest." she says. She looks expectantly at him, staying close.
When Aelar appears, she startles badly and looks over at him wide-eyed. She blushes straight to her earlobes and picks up her skirt, giving an extremely hurried bow. "Err.... umm... w-well met young Aelar..." she stammers, smiling sheepishly. 13 She manages to keep composure despite her embarrassment, introducing herself to him as well, in a very proper and polite manner. She steps back, to allow Aelar and Leon to talk. "I didn't mean to interrupt." she says, seeming oddly humble for a 'Nestie' as the dwarves call them.
"Mr. Grimbuld went out for a bit," Kallista says, a little nervous of the women's attitude, "but if you can tell me what the roots were meant to treat and how you've been using them I can help."
The woman scoffs. "They were SUPPOSED to give me the energy to deal with the slobbering drunks I have to serve at the Rogue's Tongue and ease the swelling of my feet, but I don't feel any different and my feet are still giving me no END of pain. They're ROOTS. so I've just been eating them, what in the pits else are you supposed to do with roots?!" she snaps at Kallista. "Are you telling me that the problem is MINE and not that your employer sold me bloody painted potatoes for 14 silver pieces?!" That's two bits of information Kallista needs. She knows that some roots are not meant to be eaten, but rather rubbed on affected areas or applied as a paste. Now she needs to ask the right questions to get the woman to either admit she forgot Grimbuld's instructions or find out if Grimbuld maybe wrote instructions down for her to follow that she's subsequently lost, or just chose not to follow.
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DM, professional illustrator and comic artist, suffering from severe spinal stenosis, married, middle aged, and nerdy.
"well, um,"Kallista thinks for a moment, "it could be possible that Mr. Grimbuld miswrote the instructions, or perhaps he misspoke. Did he give you anything with instructions on how to use it? If you do I can help you decipher it. Some people's handwriting can be hard to decipher."
When Aelar appears, she startles badly and looks over at him wide-eyed. She blushes straight to her earlobes and picks up her skirt, giving an extremely hurried bow. "Err.... umm... w-well met young Aelar..." she stammers, smiling sheepishly. 16 She manages to keep composure despite her embarrassment, introducing herself to him as well, in a very proper and polite manner. She steps back, to allow Aelar and Leon to talk. "I didn't mean to interrupt." she says, seeming oddly humble for a 'Nestie' as the dwarves call them.
Aelar smiles his best smile. "You did not, my Lady." He turns to Leon and draws him aside, speaking quietly and not looking at the tiefling. "How's work today? Are you learning a lot/ I got to clean bandages with slime...disgusting but cool. Don't look but is that her?"
While we're waiting, I'd like to propose some revised homebrew rules for the campaign; seems a logical place to do it since this is still the prologue.
Revised damage/healing, armour, and monster combat homebrew rules:
Armour: Because the way D&D handles armour is kind of based on old assumptions ABOUT armour and frankly doesn't do a good job of representing the protection it gives, here are the changes I'm making. Armour, in addition to adding to your AC, also absorbs damage upon being hit UNLESS it is by an attacker who has advantage on you or your opponent lands a crit. The amount of damage it absorbs is dependent on the kind of armour you're wearing. Light armours absorb 2 damage, medium armour absorbs 3, heavy armour (Besides hide, hide absorbs 3) absorbs 4. Armour can even absorb magic damage, so long as the damage can be described as 'force', like magic missile. Armour can also absorb damage from fire, acid, or cold damage, but only ONCE. Armour that's been damaged by acid, burning, or frost, can no longer absorb damage and must be repaired, though unless the armour is completely destroyed, it still offers the AC bonus. If you make a save vs a spell, your armour will absorb the damage as normal and will NOT require mending. ANY class can wear light armour without restrictions of any kind, so that means monks can wear studded leather armour and benefit from the damage absorption without losing their unarmoured movement/defense perk. The idea that wearing 13 pounds of protection would slow a martial artist--or anyone, for that matter--down at all is ridiculous. Monsters who are described as wearing 'scraps' of armour or incomplete armour sets get no damage reduction. They must be in full, well-maintained armour to get damage absorption benefits from their armour. Added Special: Upon grappling an armoured opponent, a second athletics check may allow an attacker to attempt to rip off a key piece of armour, such as the helmet or arm guards or grieves. While not ruining the whole set, it does create a much more prominent weak spot to attack which negates the damage absorption. This INCLUDES magic armour unless it is enchanted in such a way to prevent its forced removal. The tradeoff, however, is that if you're traveling while carrying more than 3/4 your total carrying ability in weight, after 8 hours, you will need to make a constitution saving throw against exhaustion and every 4 hours after that, and exhaustion can only be removed after a long rest, so constantly wearing heavy armour will probably drain all but the strongest adventurers. If you are encumbered, you will need to make saving throws against exhaustion every 2 hours of travel. Upon reaching level 3 exhaustion, your character MUST lighten their load or rest. They are at their physical limit.
Yes, this is mostly stuff I need to take into consideration, but I feel like keeping track of this sort of thing helps with the immersion. Rest is important, and starvation should be a real threat. I don't think of D&D as a video game where your character never gets tired or hungry.
Taking damage(revised--AKA, the Boromir rule): Your HP basically represents damage your character can shrug off or 'imperfect hits'. Upon being reduced to 0 HP or less, your character does NOT fall unconscious. Instead, they are put into a 'desperation' state because now, they have taken a major wound and need to get help. Their will to live has kicked in, resulting in all further attacks upon them receiving automatic disadvantage as the character is more naturally defensive, though any offensive actions the character takes will not have any bonuses as they will no longer be able to muster their full strength, though if they roll a nat 20, instead of doing an extra damage die, they do x2 total damage instead. They can also still use any special abilities they have, but they no longer get proficiency or ability score bonuses in their wounded state until they raise their HP to over 0. Any spells cast require passing an INT or WIS check (your choice) against their current HP negative to maintain their concentration (so --8 HP requires a DC check of 8 to cast a spell) or be cast at half strength. Until they are reduced to negative HP equal to their max, they are still standing. Every additional wound they take after being reduced to negative HP will require a CON saving throw equal to their current HP negative. Failing the save or being reduced to over their max HP negative will cause the character to finally collapse from shock and require death saving throws.
Players CANNOT BE KILLED OUTRIGHT by damage alone. If a level 1 thief is unlucky and gets critted by an orc to over their max HP in negatives, they go down but can still make death saving throws. A player taken down by damage will always have a chance to survive. Players can only be instantly killed by being finished off with a coup de grace while they're helpless or by failing a save to an instant kill spell or ability.
Healing damage: Players always have a chance to be saved from death but players who go beyond their HP max in negative damage and make their saving throws cannot regain consciousness again until they reach 0 HP; so while they may no longer need to make death saving throws, they will still be down. If a player is healed while they're making death saving throws, they automatically succeed and will be unconscious but stable, but they will need more healing to fully revive. A character with a medicine proficiency can fully stabilize an unconscious victim using a healer's kit if they manage to make a medicine skill check greater than the current negative HP of the victim, so a healer with a +7 proficiency in medicine has a fair chance of eliminating all negative damage of a victim who made their death saving throws even at -18 HP. If the victim is healed for any MORE damage afterwards, they will be conscious again and able to fight. Non-magical healing CAN be done in combat, but the healer will need to be covered for 1D4 turns to treat the wounds of a victim either conscious or unconscious. If a healer is able to apply treatment successfully, all negative damage will be relieved and the patient will be brought to 0 HP. While being treated, a negative-HP character who is still standing doesn't need to make any more saving throws.
Monster ability scores and swarm combat: Monsters will no longer get inexplicable bonuses to attack and damage despite having abysmal ability scores. Goblins and kobolds, for instance, will no longer get +5 to hit and +2 to damage despite having 8 STR. They will have to play by the same rules as PC's. To offset this, however, players may encounter enemies in greater numbers... but to prevent 2ed and 3.5ed dice-roll slogfests, 'weak' enemies or enemies 1 size level smaller than PC's that rely on numbers to bring down opponents will group up in pairs or up to 4 to attack, but their combined efforts count as their turn. Each additional partner grants +2 to hit and damage, and a fourth attacker adds advantage. For instance, if 2 kobolds were to attack the same PC, they would THEN get +2 to hit and +2 to damage but will only roll ONCE. 3 get +4 to hit and damage, and 4 still get +4 to hit and damage but ALSO gives the group advantage to hit, which they would likely need in order to do any significant damage to a heavily armoured PC. The downside to swarming for the monsters is that when it's the player's turn to attack, any attacks they make on 'swarming' enemies may damage 1D4 of them simultaneously due to their close proximity to each other.
Will there be a test on this? Why am I suddenly terrified of combat... Like you said, ultimately the homebrew rules are putting a lot on your shoulders. It may take some time to remember the adjusted rules system but I'm willing to try them. My weekly game uses a ton of homebrew rules that fit with our play style- if something doesn't work we scrap it, but it is fun to try new ways to play.
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Fleabag Fleabane-Tabaxi Ranger | Lenny Coggins- Halfling Barbarian | Sid Shatterbuckle- Dwarf Fighter/Rogue| Lazlo - Satyr Bard in Training
Hide counts as Medium Armour, so by your system it's already absorbing 3. I assume you mean it will absorb 2?
Considering anyone can heal without magic, doesn't it make the Healer feat useless?
Talking about feats, doesn't Heavy Armour Master become redundant as well?
The reason Kobolds and Goblins have +2 to their damage is because the Dagger and Scimitar they're using both have the Finesse property.
Lastly, when I saw this I expected to find something about helmets, but I guess I was wrong.
((Err, whoops. My eyes got crossed while I was scrolling, I guess. I thought there was a heavy 'hide' armour. D'oh! But yes, hide should only absorb as much as light armour. I mean, they're made of the same bloody thing, for crying out loud.
Secondly, anyone can heal without magic, but only those with the healer feat get to negate ALL negative damage in one fell swoop at once and also do it inside combat. Anyone without a medicine proficiency CANNOT heal damage in mid-combat without magic or potions, and a [healer]healer[/healer] feat will negate the 1D4+1 cover requirement. They can in one turn heal ALL negative damage and bring their patient to 0 HP
Heavy Armour Master's damage soak cannot be circumvented, whereas regular armour CAN be pierced by an attack with advantage, critical strike, or needing repairs. Also, Heavy Armour Master's 3 point damage soak applies to force, acid, cold, and fire regardless of saves. It's armour, it protects you, that's what it's designed to do, and while some DM's may argue that magic acid, fire, and cold are different, they're PHYSICALLY still the same, and having less of it come in contact with your body directly WILL reduce its effect. Besides, Armour Master needs a buff anyway.
Also, monsters don't get proficiencies unless they are part of an actual military faction. Proficiencies are reserved for characters with a class. Meaning formal training. A BADGER has a '+2 proficiency'. Are they seriously trying to tell me that a freaking badger has proficiency in BITING? Give me a break. No. Monsters don't get proficencies unless they are trainedfighters, thieves, clerics, etc. Untrained bandits and roving goblins don't get proficiencies. They only get them if they are part of an organized, disciplined military, putting them separate from the rabble, so random bandits, kobolds, goblins, and other low-level 'raiders' don't get that automatic +2 to hit or damage, so the average raiders will be reliant entirely on their ability scores for combat, meaning kobolds, goblins, bandits, etc, will get no bonuses to hit or damage and will rely on a numbers advantage to take down opponents.))
Very interesting. It's clear you put a lot of time and thought into this and I like that in a DM. However, if you are asking for input then I am generally opposed to the changes to AC and HP, and would suggest some changes to the healing.
As it says if you click on the AC in a D&D Beyond character sheet, "Your Armor Class (AC) represents how well your character avoids being wounded in battle. Things that contribute to your AC include the armor you wear, the shield you carry, and your Dexterity modifier." The absorption qualities of the respective armor are already part of the AC. Better AC partly represents the superior ability of some armor to absorb damage, plate over leather, for example. The bonus from a shield represents the ability of a shield to block/absorb a blow. The D&D combat system is simply not designed to address damage absorption as a separate factor of armor. Adding this feature makes heavier armor even more effective over light armor by essentially doubling the absorption factors.
I must also disagree with the idea that wearing light armor won't slow people down. I have direct experience with this and while the affect was not great, it was not negligible either, especially as the battle wears on. Not my movement speed, not much, but my agility, my flexibility and ability to execute battle maneuvers.
This is what the Player's Handbook has to say on HP: "Hit points represent a combination of physical and mental durability, the will to live, and luck. Creatures with more hit points are more difficult to kill. Those with fewer hit points are more fragile." I believe HP represents much more than a character's ability to "...shrug of imperfect 'imperfect hits.'" Hit Points does not simply represent the strength of your physical structure. It represents, among other things, your ability to parry blows with your weapons (not really a feature in D&D but it is in other systems), your skill at turning a really deadly blow into something minor, such as when a stabbing sword slices along the outside of your leg or abdomen instead of going right through. I also play RuneQuest and in that game HP does not increase as the PC gains skill. Instead the character's ability to parry and dodge go up. That is part of what HP represents...more experienced characters can parry and dodge more effectively. The system you propose also seems to penalize more experienced characters. In short order the DC of the checks required for spells and such will become impossible on a D20. If my warlock has 29 HP, as soon as he reaches -19 HP, only a natural 20 will succeed (assuming you keep that rule). Admittedly, in the regular system he wouldn't get that at chance at all but in your system he's worse off than someone who can only go negative 12, for instance. If you keep your HP changes, I suggest a DC based on percentage negative rather than absolutely numbers (i.e. negative 1-10% DC of 10, 11-20% DC of 12, or something like that).
As Firecat says, the bonuses we see for creatures like goblins and kobolds are from the type of weapon and proficiency, so they are already playing by the same rules. Take the goblin, which gets +4 to hit and +2 damage-Attack: +2 from DEX and +2 from proficiency with scimitar, Damage: +2 from DEX. If they were to suddenly shift to a strength based weapon, then they would lose that DEX bonus and it would become a -1 penalty, instead. I also don't see how a stabbing weapon, like a spear or rapier, can possibly hit more than 1, or possibly 2, enemies at once and a bludgeoning weapon such as a hammer shouldn't be able to hit more than 1. If you want to swarms for small creatures, I suggest doing it like they do for insect swarms where the swarm has hit points and members drop out as the overall percentage of HP drops. For example, let's say 4 kobolds are attacking. As a swarm they have 12 HP. When the swarm is reduced to 9, there are only 3 kobolds. At 6, 2 kobolds, at 3, just 1.
Also, monsters don't get proficiencies. Proficiencies are reserved for characters with a class. A BADGER has a '+2 proficiency'. Are they seriously trying to tell me that a freaking badger has proficiency in BITING? Give me a break. No. Monsters don't get proficencies unless they are trainedfighters, thieves, clerics, etc. Untrained bandits and roving goblins don't get proficiencies. They only get them if they are part of an organized, disciplined military, putting them separate from the rabble.))
Yes, a badger has proficiency in biting. They do it all the time not to mention the instincts. I’m equally sure that hawks are proficient at flying and goblins proficient with the weapon they use all the time. People and animals can and do become proficient at the things they do repeatedly, with or without formal training. You said they should play by the same rules and I believe they are. You’re the DM, though, so you get the final say.
The woman seems disappointed, but also seems no less determined to see through their meeting. (The rolls now look totally screwed up, but when I rolled her disposition towards him, I got a 92%... so she's a little... enamoured.)
"I thought as much... you seemed to smell of... something when we met at the little Saloon the other night. I had to work up a lot of courage to come see you. Thank you for at least leaving me that note." she says softly. She steps forward, and from the sweat of his brow, memories of that night come flooding back to her, making her fidget in embarrassment.
((Secret roll!)) 7
A bit of that night comes back to Leon, but not much. He remembers dancing, he remembers listening, he remembers... beating on someone. Something happened at the performance at the Saloon. Someone got grabby, and Leon intervened, his instincts and desire to learn the finer points of combat driving him on a base level. Gratitude turned into something a lot deeper.
"I believe neither of us were really ourselves that night, but I also... don't want that night to be a simple passing fancy. My name is Ashwa, of the house Tamerin.... Leon. I know it's a bit... improper for me to see you like this, and I don't wish to keep you from your work, but... should you want to see me again..." she says quietly, and quickly steps forward to slip a wooden block and a small parchent into his hands. The block is an official seal, and the parchment has directions not to her home, but a meeting place.
"This will grant you... discrete passage into the Hawk's Nest." she says.
She looks expectantly at him, staying close.
When Aelar appears, she startles badly and looks over at him wide-eyed. She blushes straight to her earlobes and picks up her skirt, giving an extremely hurried bow.
"Err.... umm... w-well met young Aelar..." she stammers, smiling sheepishly. 13
She manages to keep composure despite her embarrassment, introducing herself to him as well, in a very proper and polite manner. She steps back, to allow Aelar and Leon to talk.
"I didn't mean to interrupt." she says, seeming oddly humble for a 'Nestie' as the dwarves call them.
DM, professional illustrator and comic artist, suffering from severe spinal stenosis, married, middle aged, and nerdy.
"Mr. Grimbuld went out for a bit," Kallista says, a little nervous of the women's attitude, "but if you can tell me what the roots were meant to treat and how you've been using them I can help."
Elra Skylash - Human Cleric | Vanzaren Tanidoni - Half Elf Wizard
Mindartis Liadon - Eladrin Barbarian | Naivara Siannodel - Half Elf Ranger
Arrila Evenwood - Half Elf Paladin | Callaphe of Setessa - Human Rogue
Katernin Nemetsk - Aasimar Cleric | Melody - Tiefling Bard
The woman scoffs.
"They were SUPPOSED to give me the energy to deal with the slobbering drunks I have to serve at the Rogue's Tongue and ease the swelling of my feet, but I don't feel any different and my feet are still giving me no END of pain. They're ROOTS. so I've just been eating them, what in the pits else are you supposed to do with roots?!" she snaps at Kallista.
"Are you telling me that the problem is MINE and not that your employer sold me bloody painted potatoes for 14 silver pieces?!"
That's two bits of information Kallista needs. She knows that some roots are not meant to be eaten, but rather rubbed on affected areas or applied as a paste. Now she needs to ask the right questions to get the woman to either admit she forgot Grimbuld's instructions or find out if Grimbuld maybe wrote instructions down for her to follow that she's subsequently lost, or just chose not to follow.
DM, professional illustrator and comic artist, suffering from severe spinal stenosis, married, middle aged, and nerdy.
"well, um," Kallista thinks for a moment, "it could be possible that Mr. Grimbuld miswrote the instructions, or perhaps he misspoke. Did he give you anything with instructions on how to use it? If you do I can help you decipher it. Some people's handwriting can be hard to decipher."
Elra Skylash - Human Cleric | Vanzaren Tanidoni - Half Elf Wizard
Mindartis Liadon - Eladrin Barbarian | Naivara Siannodel - Half Elf Ranger
Arrila Evenwood - Half Elf Paladin | Callaphe of Setessa - Human Rogue
Katernin Nemetsk - Aasimar Cleric | Melody - Tiefling Bard
Aelar smiles his best smile. "You did not, my Lady." He turns to Leon and draws him aside, speaking quietly and not looking at the tiefling. "How's work today? Are you learning a lot/ I got to clean bandages with slime...disgusting but cool. Don't look but is that her?"
Tandor the White, Human Life Cleric
((Man everyone is gathering love interests XD. that's what you get for playing the only girl i suppose lol.))
Elra Skylash - Human Cleric | Vanzaren Tanidoni - Half Elf Wizard
Mindartis Liadon - Eladrin Barbarian | Naivara Siannodel - Half Elf Ranger
Arrila Evenwood - Half Elf Paladin | Callaphe of Setessa - Human Rogue
Katernin Nemetsk - Aasimar Cleric | Melody - Tiefling Bard
((Well, Lazlo and Leon kind of just 'won' theirs with ridiculous rolls XD the only one I manufactured was Barna's infatuation with Hyre. ;3 ))
DM, professional illustrator and comic artist, suffering from severe spinal stenosis, married, middle aged, and nerdy.
((Fair enough XD))
Elra Skylash - Human Cleric | Vanzaren Tanidoni - Half Elf Wizard
Mindartis Liadon - Eladrin Barbarian | Naivara Siannodel - Half Elf Ranger
Arrila Evenwood - Half Elf Paladin | Callaphe of Setessa - Human Rogue
Katernin Nemetsk - Aasimar Cleric | Melody - Tiefling Bard
ooc: Aelar's still single, I might point out. And what does 'XD' mean?
Tandor the White, Human Life Cleric
((It's a text emoji. for closed eyes open mouth laughing))
Elra Skylash - Human Cleric | Vanzaren Tanidoni - Half Elf Wizard
Mindartis Liadon - Eladrin Barbarian | Naivara Siannodel - Half Elf Ranger
Arrila Evenwood - Half Elf Paladin | Callaphe of Setessa - Human Rogue
Katernin Nemetsk - Aasimar Cleric | Melody - Tiefling Bard
((I'm just waiting on Leon, I don't want him to get too far behind again.))
DM, professional illustrator and comic artist, suffering from severe spinal stenosis, married, middle aged, and nerdy.
((That's fine!))
Elra Skylash - Human Cleric | Vanzaren Tanidoni - Half Elf Wizard
Mindartis Liadon - Eladrin Barbarian | Naivara Siannodel - Half Elf Ranger
Arrila Evenwood - Half Elf Paladin | Callaphe of Setessa - Human Rogue
Katernin Nemetsk - Aasimar Cleric | Melody - Tiefling Bard
((Boop))
Elra Skylash - Human Cleric | Vanzaren Tanidoni - Half Elf Wizard
Mindartis Liadon - Eladrin Barbarian | Naivara Siannodel - Half Elf Ranger
Arrila Evenwood - Half Elf Paladin | Callaphe of Setessa - Human Rogue
Katernin Nemetsk - Aasimar Cleric | Melody - Tiefling Bard
((I'll give Leon another day to respond. After that, I'm botting him again.))
DM, professional illustrator and comic artist, suffering from severe spinal stenosis, married, middle aged, and nerdy.
While we're waiting, I'd like to propose some revised homebrew rules for the campaign; seems a logical place to do it since this is still the prologue.
Revised damage/healing, armour, and monster combat homebrew rules:
Armour:
Because the way D&D handles armour is kind of based on old assumptions ABOUT armour and frankly doesn't do a good job of representing the protection it gives, here are the changes I'm making.
Armour, in addition to adding to your AC, also absorbs damage upon being hit UNLESS it is by an attacker who has advantage on you or your opponent lands a crit. The amount of damage it absorbs is dependent on the kind of armour you're wearing. Light armours absorb 2 damage, medium armour absorbs 3, heavy armour (Besides hide, hide absorbs 3) absorbs 4.
Armour can even absorb magic damage, so long as the damage can be described as 'force', like magic missile. Armour can also absorb damage from fire, acid, or cold damage, but only ONCE. Armour that's been damaged by acid, burning, or frost, can no longer absorb damage and must be repaired, though unless the armour is completely destroyed, it still offers the AC bonus. If you make a save vs a spell, your armour will absorb the damage as normal and will NOT require mending.
ANY class can wear light armour without restrictions of any kind, so that means monks can wear studded leather armour and benefit from the damage absorption without losing their unarmoured movement/defense perk. The idea that wearing 13 pounds of protection would slow a martial artist--or anyone, for that matter--down at all is ridiculous.
Monsters who are described as wearing 'scraps' of armour or incomplete armour sets get no damage reduction. They must be in full, well-maintained armour to get damage absorption benefits from their armour.
Added Special: Upon grappling an armoured opponent, a second athletics check may allow an attacker to attempt to rip off a key piece of armour, such as the helmet or arm guards or grieves. While not ruining the whole set, it does create a much more prominent weak spot to attack which negates the damage absorption. This INCLUDES magic armour unless it is enchanted in such a way to prevent its forced removal.
The tradeoff, however, is that if you're traveling while carrying more than 3/4 your total carrying ability in weight, after 8 hours, you will need to make a constitution saving throw against exhaustion and every 4 hours after that, and exhaustion can only be removed after a long rest, so constantly wearing heavy armour will probably drain all but the strongest adventurers. If you are encumbered, you will need to make saving throws against exhaustion every 2 hours of travel.
Upon reaching level 3 exhaustion, your character MUST lighten their load or rest. They are at their physical limit.
Yes, this is mostly stuff I need to take into consideration, but I feel like keeping track of this sort of thing helps with the immersion. Rest is important, and starvation should be a real threat. I don't think of D&D as a video game where your character never gets tired or hungry.
Taking damage(revised--AKA, the Boromir rule):
Your HP basically represents damage your character can shrug off or 'imperfect hits'. Upon being reduced to 0 HP or less, your character does NOT fall unconscious. Instead, they are put into a 'desperation' state because now, they have taken a major wound and need to get help. Their will to live has kicked in, resulting in all further attacks upon them receiving automatic disadvantage as the character is more naturally defensive, though any offensive actions the character takes will not have any bonuses as they will no longer be able to muster their full strength, though if they roll a nat 20, instead of doing an extra damage die, they do x2 total damage instead. They can also still use any special abilities they have, but they no longer get proficiency or ability score bonuses in their wounded state until they raise their HP to over 0. Any spells cast require passing an INT or WIS check (your choice) against their current HP negative to maintain their concentration (so --8 HP requires a DC check of 8 to cast a spell) or be cast at half strength.
Until they are reduced to negative HP equal to their max, they are still standing. Every additional wound they take after being reduced to negative HP will require a CON saving throw equal to their current HP negative. Failing the save or being reduced to over their max HP negative will cause the character to finally collapse from shock and require death saving throws.
Players CANNOT BE KILLED OUTRIGHT by damage alone. If a level 1 thief is unlucky and gets critted by an orc to over their max HP in negatives, they go down but can still make death saving throws. A player taken down by damage will always have a chance to survive. Players can only be instantly killed by being finished off with a coup de grace while they're helpless or by failing a save to an instant kill spell or ability.
Healing damage:
Players always have a chance to be saved from death but players who go beyond their HP max in negative damage and make their saving throws cannot regain consciousness again until they reach 0 HP; so while they may no longer need to make death saving throws, they will still be down. If a player is healed while they're making death saving throws, they automatically succeed and will be unconscious but stable, but they will need more healing to fully revive. A character with a medicine proficiency can fully stabilize an unconscious victim using a healer's kit if they manage to make a medicine skill check greater than the current negative HP of the victim, so a healer with a +7 proficiency in medicine has a fair chance of eliminating all negative damage of a victim who made their death saving throws even at -18 HP. If the victim is healed for any MORE damage afterwards, they will be conscious again and able to fight.
Non-magical healing CAN be done in combat, but the healer will need to be covered for 1D4 turns to treat the wounds of a victim either conscious or unconscious. If a healer is able to apply treatment successfully, all negative damage will be relieved and the patient will be brought to 0 HP. While being treated, a negative-HP character who is still standing doesn't need to make any more saving throws.
Monster ability scores and swarm combat:
Monsters will no longer get inexplicable bonuses to attack and damage despite having abysmal ability scores. Goblins and kobolds, for instance, will no longer get +5 to hit and +2 to damage despite having 8 STR. They will have to play by the same rules as PC's.
To offset this, however, players may encounter enemies in greater numbers... but to prevent 2ed and 3.5ed dice-roll slogfests, 'weak' enemies or enemies 1 size level smaller than PC's that rely on numbers to bring down opponents will group up in pairs or up to 4 to attack, but their combined efforts count as their turn. Each additional partner grants +2 to hit and damage, and a fourth attacker adds advantage.
For instance, if 2 kobolds were to attack the same PC, they would THEN get +2 to hit and +2 to damage but will only roll ONCE. 3 get +4 to hit and damage, and 4 still get +4 to hit and damage but ALSO gives the group advantage to hit, which they would likely need in order to do any significant damage to a heavily armoured PC.
The downside to swarming for the monsters is that when it's the player's turn to attack, any attacks they make on 'swarming' enemies may damage 1D4 of them simultaneously due to their close proximity to each other.
DM, professional illustrator and comic artist, suffering from severe spinal stenosis, married, middle aged, and nerdy.
Interesting. Just a few things:
Hide counts as Medium Armour, so by your system it's already absorbing 3. I assume you mean it will absorb 2?
Considering anyone can heal without magic, doesn't it make the Healer feat useless?
Talking about feats, doesn't Heavy Armour Master become redundant as well?
The reason Kobolds and Goblins have +2 to their damage is because the Dagger and Scimitar they're using both have the Finesse property.
Lastly, when I saw this I expected to find something about helmets, but I guess I was wrong.
Varielky
Will there be a test on this? Why am I suddenly terrified of combat... Like you said, ultimately the homebrew rules are putting a lot on your shoulders. It may take some time to remember the adjusted rules system but I'm willing to try them. My weekly game uses a ton of homebrew rules that fit with our play style- if something doesn't work we scrap it, but it is fun to try new ways to play.
Fleabag Fleabane -Tabaxi Ranger | Lenny Coggins- Halfling Barbarian | Sid Shatterbuckle- Dwarf Fighter/Rogue| Lazlo - Satyr Bard in Training
((Err, whoops. My eyes got crossed while I was scrolling, I guess. I thought there was a heavy 'hide' armour. D'oh! But yes, hide should only absorb as much as light armour. I mean, they're made of the same bloody thing, for crying out loud.
Secondly, anyone can heal without magic, but only those with the healer feat get to negate ALL negative damage in one fell swoop at once and also do it inside combat. Anyone without a medicine proficiency CANNOT heal damage in mid-combat without magic or potions, and a [healer]healer[/healer] feat will negate the 1D4+1 cover requirement. They can in one turn heal ALL negative damage and bring their patient to 0 HP
Heavy Armour Master's damage soak cannot be circumvented, whereas regular armour CAN be pierced by an attack with advantage, critical strike, or needing repairs. Also, Heavy Armour Master's 3 point damage soak applies to force, acid, cold, and fire regardless of saves. It's armour, it protects you, that's what it's designed to do, and while some DM's may argue that magic acid, fire, and cold are different, they're PHYSICALLY still the same, and having less of it come in contact with your body directly WILL reduce its effect. Besides, Armour Master needs a buff anyway.
Also, monsters don't get proficiencies unless they are part of an actual military faction. Proficiencies are reserved for characters with a class. Meaning formal training. A BADGER has a '+2 proficiency'. Are they seriously trying to tell me that a freaking badger has proficiency in BITING? Give me a break. No. Monsters don't get proficencies unless they are trained fighters, thieves, clerics, etc. Untrained bandits and roving goblins don't get proficiencies. They only get them if they are part of an organized, disciplined military, putting them separate from the rabble, so random bandits, kobolds, goblins, and other low-level 'raiders' don't get that automatic +2 to hit or damage, so the average raiders will be reliant entirely on their ability scores for combat, meaning kobolds, goblins, bandits, etc, will get no bonuses to hit or damage and will rely on a numbers advantage to take down opponents.))
DM, professional illustrator and comic artist, suffering from severe spinal stenosis, married, middle aged, and nerdy.
Very interesting. It's clear you put a lot of time and thought into this and I like that in a DM. However, if you are asking for input then I am generally opposed to the changes to AC and HP, and would suggest some changes to the healing.
As it says if you click on the AC in a D&D Beyond character sheet, "Your Armor Class (AC) represents how well your character avoids being wounded in battle. Things that contribute to your AC include the armor you wear, the shield you carry, and your Dexterity modifier." The absorption qualities of the respective armor are already part of the AC. Better AC partly represents the superior ability of some armor to absorb damage, plate over leather, for example. The bonus from a shield represents the ability of a shield to block/absorb a blow. The D&D combat system is simply not designed to address damage absorption as a separate factor of armor. Adding this feature makes heavier armor even more effective over light armor by essentially doubling the absorption factors.
I must also disagree with the idea that wearing light armor won't slow people down. I have direct experience with this and while the affect was not great, it was not negligible either, especially as the battle wears on. Not my movement speed, not much, but my agility, my flexibility and ability to execute battle maneuvers.
This is what the Player's Handbook has to say on HP: "Hit points represent a combination of physical and mental durability, the will to live, and luck. Creatures with more hit points are more difficult to kill. Those with fewer hit points are more fragile." I believe HP represents much more than a character's ability to "...shrug of imperfect 'imperfect hits.'" Hit Points does not simply represent the strength of your physical structure. It represents, among other things, your ability to parry blows with your weapons (not really a feature in D&D but it is in other systems), your skill at turning a really deadly blow into something minor, such as when a stabbing sword slices along the outside of your leg or abdomen instead of going right through. I also play RuneQuest and in that game HP does not increase as the PC gains skill. Instead the character's ability to parry and dodge go up. That is part of what HP represents...more experienced characters can parry and dodge more effectively. The system you propose also seems to penalize more experienced characters. In short order the DC of the checks required for spells and such will become impossible on a D20. If my warlock has 29 HP, as soon as he reaches -19 HP, only a natural 20 will succeed (assuming you keep that rule). Admittedly, in the regular system he wouldn't get that at chance at all but in your system he's worse off than someone who can only go negative 12, for instance. If you keep your HP changes, I suggest a DC based on percentage negative rather than absolutely numbers (i.e. negative 1-10% DC of 10, 11-20% DC of 12, or something like that).
As Firecat says, the bonuses we see for creatures like goblins and kobolds are from the type of weapon and proficiency, so they are already playing by the same rules. Take the goblin, which gets +4 to hit and +2 damage-Attack: +2 from DEX and +2 from proficiency with scimitar, Damage: +2 from DEX. If they were to suddenly shift to a strength based weapon, then they would lose that DEX bonus and it would become a -1 penalty, instead. I also don't see how a stabbing weapon, like a spear or rapier, can possibly hit more than 1, or possibly 2, enemies at once and a bludgeoning weapon such as a hammer shouldn't be able to hit more than 1. If you want to swarms for small creatures, I suggest doing it like they do for insect swarms where the swarm has hit points and members drop out as the overall percentage of HP drops. For example, let's say 4 kobolds are attacking. As a swarm they have 12 HP. When the swarm is reduced to 9, there are only 3 kobolds. At 6, 2 kobolds, at 3, just 1.
Tandor the White, Human Life Cleric
Yes, a badger has proficiency in biting. They do it all the time not to mention the instincts. I’m equally sure that hawks are proficient at flying and goblins proficient with the weapon they use all the time. People and animals can and do become proficient at the things they do repeatedly, with or without formal training. You said they should play by the same rules and I believe they are. You’re the DM, though, so you get the final say.
Tandor the White, Human Life Cleric