I've been looking around for how to handle running into solid objects that don't move, and I've hit a wall. *insert snare here*
At this evening's game, one of our warriors charged full tilt on his horse towards a magic user who'd obstructed his path with an invisible wall of force. The warrior hit and his horse hit the wall at the towards the end of their straight line, double move (hit the wall at 100ft of 120ft move).
I wasn't expecting him to charge, so I didn't have something made up at the time. I allowed him a dex check for half damage, and then treated it like half the distance as if and the horse had fallen. So that turned into 5d6 damage the warrior took 19 (failed his dex), and the horse took 10 (made its check, but still nearly killing it).
I'd calculate the equivalent falling damage. Falling 10 ft. reaches a speed of about 25 ft. / sec = 150 ft. per round, which is faster than most characters can go. A 45' speed monk Dashing as an action and bonus action can get close, for example. So most characters would take no more than 1d6 bludgeoning damage at a run.
Collisions on high-speed mounts like flying creatures might get you up to 2d6. With magical aid and clever combos to get you going really fast, you might be able to get to much higher multiples of d6. Doubling the velocity quadruples the equivalent falling distance, so if you can get to 300' ft. per round, it's 4d6.
Remember that a head-on collision of objects of equal mass is equivalent to both parties hitting a brick wall, and running into a stationary but non-fixed object will divide the damage between the parties.
And I've ridden a galloping horse. Thankfully I never hit a wall. Though I've seen some bad tumbles.
But I'd take the ten foot fall over 30mph into a wall.
Jumping down 10 feet is different from falling in an uncontrolled way. If a character jumps down 10 feet, they should be given a chance to make an Acrobatics check with a pretty low DC and take no damage on success. If you fall off a ten foot wall, you could seriously hurt yourself. 1d6 seems about right. A CR 0 Commoner has 1d8 hit points, so in the worst case, they could get knocked unconscious from a 10 foot fall. This is realistic for an uncontrolled fall in the worst case where you hit your head. It probably isn't instant death, but you are making death saves and have a chance of dying if no help arrives.
Likewise, falls from horses sometimes lead to minor injuries, sometimes unconsciousness, and sometimes death. It doesn't seem too far off.
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I've been looking around for how to handle running into solid objects that don't move, and I've hit a wall. *insert snare here*
At this evening's game, one of our warriors charged full tilt on his horse towards a magic user who'd obstructed his path with an invisible wall of force.
The warrior hit and his horse hit the wall at the towards the end of their straight line, double move (hit the wall at 100ft of 120ft move).
I wasn't expecting him to charge, so I didn't have something made up at the time. I allowed him a dex check for half damage, and then treated it like half the distance as if and the horse had fallen. So that turned into 5d6 damage the warrior took 19 (failed his dex), and the horse took 10 (made its check, but still nearly killing it).
What would you all have done?
One player thought it was pretty fair, he even started to try and compare the math between falling and riding at that speed.
The player whose character hit the wall of force didn't agree, but accepted it. The other players mostly went, "ouch."
I'd calculate the equivalent falling damage. Falling 10 ft. reaches a speed of about 25 ft. / sec = 150 ft. per round, which is faster than most characters can go. A 45' speed monk Dashing as an action and bonus action can get close, for example. So most characters would take no more than 1d6 bludgeoning damage at a run.
Collisions on high-speed mounts like flying creatures might get you up to 2d6. With magical aid and clever combos to get you going really fast, you might be able to get to much higher multiples of d6. Doubling the velocity quadruples the equivalent falling distance, so if you can get to 300' ft. per round, it's 4d6.
Remember that a head-on collision of objects of equal mass is equivalent to both parties hitting a brick wall, and running into a stationary but non-fixed object will divide the damage between the parties.
I've fallen 10 ft.
And I've ridden a galloping horse. Thankfully I never hit a wall. Though I've seen some bad tumbles.
But I'd take the ten foot fall over 30mph into a wall.
Jumping down 10 feet is different from falling in an uncontrolled way. If a character jumps down 10 feet, they should be given a chance to make an Acrobatics check with a pretty low DC and take no damage on success. If you fall off a ten foot wall, you could seriously hurt yourself. 1d6 seems about right. A CR 0 Commoner has 1d8 hit points, so in the worst case, they could get knocked unconscious from a 10 foot fall. This is realistic for an uncontrolled fall in the worst case where you hit your head. It probably isn't instant death, but you are making death saves and have a chance of dying if no help arrives.
Likewise, falls from horses sometimes lead to minor injuries, sometimes unconsciousness, and sometimes death. It doesn't seem too far off.