Alternate Hit Point System

[Lawgiver]

IS it just me or are high level characters too unrealistic. To me combat is deadly -- PERIOD. It makes no sense for a 12th level fighter to have 100 HP. You wide up with a character who can get whacked with a sword like 16 times and still be alive and kicking. ("Tis only a flesh wound!" ;)). To me experience teaches you skills not builds up your tolerance to taking a beating. Yes, it toughens you up, but no it doesn't make you invincible. It shouldn't be normal for a PC to take two fireballs dead in the chest and get up and still be able to fight (at least without serious magical protect).

Do you agree? Do you have any alternate suggestions?

I've never really focused on a solution (since I can't seem to get my PCs to stick with a character past level 7), but I have never liked the D&D HP method.

About the only alternative I can think of off the top of my head is something like:
Fighters +1d4 HP per level
Priests/Thiefs +1d2 per level
Mages +1 per level
Plus any normal Constitution bonuses

It may be harsh, but it makes it more of a challenge. PCs will think twice before charging singlehandedly into a horde of 30 goblins (and emerging victorious... of course).

[dmferry]

Hmm you could use the starwars d20 damage system or alternity damage system. But you should also adjust the monsters.

~dmferry

[Lord Eldred]

As you grow older your body becomes better at absorbing the hits. Cuts from weapons are actually healing faster and better. Another way to look at it is the more experienced you are the better you are at avoiding serious damage. The h.p. system is way to compensate for that ability. Maybe a better way to show that is do what Lawgiver suggests as far as hit points go and the characters armor class improves as they get more experienced. I would also agree with dmferry that you have to adjust monstors as well.

[morgramen]

Instead of increasing the damage a character can swallow as he advances in level, why not come up with some sort of battle skill system?

Your skill with weapons (ala THACO/To Hit) chance improves, your AC (skill at parrying blows) improves - that sort of thing.

This is already part of the 3E system I suppose, but if you were to play with it a bit more, it might be an alternative to 'mega hit points fire ball swallowers then get upers'. (A problem which I totally agree with btw.)

The idea is to make your character harder to hit, not give him more resistance to physical damage, while at the same time improving his chances to get through his rivals defenses.

Just some thoughts - no answers available at this time.
;)

[Lord Eldred]

I really think the way to go is improved AC with slight increase to the ability to take damage.

[blitzmacher]

I took the combat system from runequest and reformed it to work in the DnD setting. It called for dividing the hp by 3 and give each body part the divided number adding 1 point to chest and taking away one in the arms, like this;
9HP = 3hp head 2 hp arms 4 hp chest 3hp abdomen 3hp legs. Now everyone has an AC of 10 - or + regarding to size and allowable dexterity due to armor worn. Armor works as damage reduction reducing the damage done by whatever the AC value of the armor is, chainmail with an AC bonus of 5 will take away 5 points of damage. Each body part when reduced to zero quits working, when reaches -10 it is permanently damaged or a dead character if in head chest or abdomen.
After a succesful hit, you roll a d20 a roll of 1-4 is Rleg, 5-8 Lleg, 9-11 Abs, 12 Chest, 13-15 Rarm, 16-18 Larm, 19-20 Head. Also I took away all strength bonus to hit, combat is by skill, not strength.
This system does take more time to use, and I use the same system for the monsters.

[Mike Cod]

I always liked the system used by Call of Cthulhu and Stormbringer (By Chaosium). A characters hit points is determined by the avg. of his Size and constitution score (usually between 10-18). Armour absorbs a certain amount of damage. all characters have a parrying ability with their weapons. The more you parry the lesser your parry skill becomes (eg. a parry skill of 67% is 67% against the 1st attack, 47% against the 2nd, 27% against the 3rd, 7% against the 4th) As you can see, fighting against 8 goblins can mean death!
Skills improve the more time you use them and your skills, attacks and parrys are used on the die 100%.

Now to incorporate the die 100% system with birthright............;)

[Lord Shaene]

While the hit point system may seem unrealistic, I would like to point out that this is a fantasy game not a realistic one. the hitpoint systen is in place for a reason i suppose, perhaps its becuase you spend hundreds of hours into developing your character and if you could be killed on the drop of the dime, most people wouldnt want to play any more because the would spend more time rolling up characters then actually roleplaying and besides thats how legends are created

[Lawgiver]

...this is a fantasy game.

What a cop out.

I'll bet $20 bucks your DM lets your PC live past 0 hit points (i.e. -10) even with 100+ max HP, before killing him off. I haven't met a DM yet that honestly kills a PC that has a level greater than 3 without trying in some way to save them. Even with that few DMs prevent resurrection of dead PCs (if they even bother to kill them).

Would you mind relating to me a legend of hero who was hit 16+ times with a sword in a single battle (Hello! My name is Indago Montoya... You killed my father... Prepare to die...) or got hit dead in the chest with a fireball twice and kept walking? Even legends aren't that preposterous.

As fara as spending more time rolling up characters then playing... If PCs used their brains more than their sword they would avoid certain confrontations (which is my point), and the subsequent deaths. Or heres a foreign concept... retreat. Even heros get defeated some times. Unless your a Paladin, there is no need to play Heratio on the bridge. Turn tail and run. A party doesn't need to automatically overcome ever challenge they face.

[morgramen]

"I've been mostly dead all day!!!"


HA! Great flick that one!