Alternate Damage System for Pathfinder

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aliasmask
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Alternate Damage System for Pathfinder

Post by aliasmask »

Anyone interested in an alternate damage system for Pathfinder? It's still a WIP for the FW but it's coming along nicely. I was just curious about any interest so I can make it ready for mass consumption. Here's a PDF outlining the changes.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1hU5Wz ... KPZUy02_4S

Things to note. It's more difficult to kill PCs at lower levels. Undead and Constructs are much more scary. There are consequences for going below 1/2 health and 0 health. Die Hard isn't a death sentence for player. Bleed is much nastier now. Getting hit while unconscious isn't a death sense, but does hurt. Coup De Grace toned down a little bit, but still lethal and doesn't provoke AoO.

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Full Bleed
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Re: Alternate Damage System for Pathfinder

Post by Full Bleed »

Interesting. A few too many factors for my game, but fully automated I could see this appealing to some. Is this a house rule or did you get this somewhere?

Pathfinder Unchained has an alternative Wound Threshold system, too. It's interesting, but will ultimately result in longer combats and I don't think that's what I want to do to Pathfinder combat.

However, since 1st edition I've always incorporated a level based "Disabled but Stable" range. The fact that players went from 1 (totally fine) to 0 (unconscious and not bleeding) to -1 (bleeding) and then dead at -11 never sat well with me. I've used it with my 1e-Pathfinder game.

Stable Range = ceil(Level/2)
Can go to -(Stable Range) and still be unconscious but not bleeding.
Dead @ -11 - Stable Range

Since Con already gives players more HP's I decided to make Con factor into stabilization % instead changing the death range: 10% + Con Mod to stabilize.

That way, as players leveled up they could go a little lower and have a larger stable range. High Con characters are more likely to stabilize, but don't get a double dip on additional hit points.

Given the power curve in Pathfinder, I've considered making the Stable Range equal to level... but I've never pulled the trigger on that (probably because I prefer low-mid level games over high level games where an even larger stable range might be more necessary.)
Maptool is the Millennium Falcon of VTT's -- "She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts."

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aliasmask
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Re: Alternate Damage System for Pathfinder

Post by aliasmask »

Full Bleed wrote:Interesting. A few too many factors for my game, but fully automated I could see this appealing to some. Is this a house rule or did you get this somewhere?
Yeah, this is fully automated and I know for tabletop there would be more accounting to deal with. Using MapTool gives me the freedom to not worry about that though. Combat is essentially the same length except they now have to decide to finish off foes or risk them recovering. Of course, the exception to that is undead and constructs. They do take longer to kill which makes them more of a threat. Undead go down really fast with positive energy attacks which promotes the group to waste their healing. I have yet to play test this, but as PCs get higher in level, death becomes a little easier say around the 110 hp range.

Originally, I was going to attempt the Wound and Vigor along with the Armor as Damage Reduction systems but I didn't like them. I feel what I made is similar in effect but simplified.

On a side note, I think it's funny, the idea of burn (nonlethal/stamina that doesn't recover with magical healing) kind of developed because we have a Kineticist in the group. Just like nonlethal damage, this type of damage isn't typical. You only really get burn if you're helpless and get hit by a targeted attack or from falling damage.

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