Inflicted Conditions vs Energy Drain and Paralysis

I’m not a big fan of level draining effects in fantasy campaigns. It’s a paperwork nightmare in all but the simplest of dungeon-crawling games, adjusting the impact of a lots level on attack chances, saving throws, and special abilities round per round is a colossal waste of time in a situation that is supped to be exciting and dramatic. Instant effects are ultimately boring and offer players little to worry about once suffered by a character. There are also limits on the utility of some undead throughout the the life of a campaign because of level draining,a Vampire would be darned horrible against a party of 2nd and 3rd level characters even without the level-draining as is but is virtually a TPK that all but the most clever will have no chance elf avoiding. Later in the life of a campaign level drain gin while still being a play slowing effect is also not a huge deal as restorative magics become available or levels climb high enough that level loss is bothersome but of minimal impact. Multiple undead also quickly become overwhelming beyond other threats in the campaign or relatively inconsequential. Here I’m going to propose inflicted conditions over level loss and overwhelming paralysis. I prefer a play style where players see the end coming, I favor "die slowly effects" as it enables heroic attempts to save other characters and enables foolish players to waste PC resources; there's more roleplaying opportunities presented to a player in having a character be slowly overcome by rictus or slowly descending into madness as opposed to instant effects (sudden paralysis had no real roleplaying challenge.

An inflicted condition is a contra-ability that is tallied as it is inflicted upon a PC/NPC/Monster. When the condition exceeds 1/2 it’s paired attribute a character is disadvantaged (-4 to related action in old-school talk) and when the paired attribute is exceeded a character is helpless.

Suggested Inflicted Conditions

Condition	Attribute	over 1/2	overwhelmed
Rictus	Dexterity	-4 to actions and move is halved	Immobilized
Sickness	Constitution	-4 to related saves and healing effects are halved	overcome, Will die after 3 days. May cause sickness in others nearby.
Confusion	Intelligence	-4 to actions and 50% chance to temporarily forget a spell or command word	Comatose.
Madness	Wisdom	-4 to related saves and 25% chance to descend into gibbering madness in times of stress	Raving lunatic incapable of coherent and directed action.
Withering	Strength	-4 to related action (melee attacks and damage). can only carry half as much as normal without begin encumbered,	Too weak to move under own power.
Dread	Charisma	-4 to related actions, 25% chance to be overcome with horror or ennui in times of stress. -2 to reaction checks/loyalty/morale checks of minions if using 2d6.	Collapse into a near comatose state. Hirelings and Henchmen will become forlorn and may abandon character.

Recording an inflicted condition:
As attacks that causes one of these inflicted conditions are suffered the score should be tallied for the condition and as a character recovers the condition is decreased.

How many points are inflicted on an attack? 
This is a matter of campaign style and scale. As it is tied to ability score the flexibility and range of score should be considered. If attributes are fixed and or rarely increased the effect of inflicted conditions is going to remain essentially identical across levels of play.

I recommend 3 points of a condition be inflicted where the effect would take place or drain a level normally. Yes ghouls would be less dangerous with their attacks inflicting Rictus and not paralyzing one completely on a single failed save.

If a saving throw is normally allowed against the special attack it will allow defend completely against the inflicted sate on that attack with a successful save.

Recovering from an inflicted state.
Each full day of rest will allow a character to remove 1 pt per level from inflicted states they may suffer from. Magical effects that restore ability damage will equally reduce inflicted states on paired abilities and those that restore levels will restore points lost on an attack.


Additional notes on use of an inflicted state:
•Varying The inflicted State an undead begin causes to meet the origin or use of the undead within the campaign/adventure. Ghouls that cause sickness with their filthy claws and Vampires that cause Dread with their Gaze will have a different feel and use in an adventure.

•The enduring but not indefinite nature of inflicted conditions make them something to be avoided but are not campaign changing following a survived encounter.

•Items can be utilized that allow for the inflicted conditions to be suffered as well. Filth Flasks that inflict sickness could be hurled, Mummies may have weapons enchanted to cause madness on those they strike.

•Necrotic transformation…just when a character is transformed into an undead begin by the results of begin overwhelmed by a condition are up t the DM and should reflect the nature of the monsters so harming characters. Unless the attack states a specific time after begin defeated in monster description I recommend 3 days after being overwhelmed.

Embrace Your Hate

A suggested hate mechanic for old-school games.
Hate: Intense or passionate dislike that engenders a loathing, aversion, and a desire for revenge.

A player can either randomly generate a score for how hateful they are or designate what the character hates or if the DM wishes a set of backgrounds and related hates can be established.


Random Hatred: Roll 3d6 that score determines how much hate a character has. For each 3 points of Hate (or fraction there-of) the player should generate one thing that is hated.
So a character with a hate of 3 would have but one thing they hated, while a character with a Hate of 16 to 18 would have 6 things they hate. Players can choose what the character specifically hates or roll it up randomly.

The generic Hatred table starts with a specific hatred and narrows it down if that score is rerolled

Sample Generic Hatred Table
1- Dragons
2- Insects
3- Giants
4- Avians
5- Wizards & Withces
6- Clerics
7- Dwarves
8- Goblinoids
9- The Same Sex
10- The Opposite Sex
11- Elves
12- Halflings
13- Gnomes
14- Fairies
15- Knights
16- Nobles
17- A Foreign Ethnicity
18- Thieves & Bandits
19- Berserkers & Barbarians
20- Slavers

Designated Hatred: in this method a player is free to specifically choose what a PC hates.
Each particular hatred earns a character 3 points in the hate score.

Campaign Background Specific Hate: this requires more work on part of the DM (and player) who should establish background options for characters along with associated hates that come with those backgrounds. This is useful as there is campaign building involved and eventually players will learn details like The Gabberclap Clan of the North Hills hates Lord Raticus of Darkhold and the Guttergut Mercenary Company that serves him. This is campaign specific stuff that really shouldn’t be generic and as such can’t be covered in detail here.




Using that Hate
 While a player is free to have a character act as they wish sometimes hate can get the best of them or prove a useful tool.

Embracing Hatred: a player must roll their hate score or less of 1d20, if successful the character gain a +2 bonus to actions against what they hate. On a failure no benefit is gained but the player is still free to act against the source of the PC’s hatred. Chaotic characters may get an EXP bonus for acting on hatred.

Controlling Hatred: There are situations where self control is important and comportment must be maintained and individual hatred set aside. Mechanically one must roll over their Hatred score to avoid worsening short term reactions with a source of hatred. If a hatred is commonly known both sides have a 1 pt reaction penalty but if one can not contain themselves the reaction is one step worse. Lawful characters may get an EXP bonus for controlling hatred when it benefits others.

Specific Hatred (optional): a character can have a general hate that get’s more and more specific. By Example: A character could Hate Dragons, hate chromatic dragons, hate red dragons and hate the dragon Embyr that roasted mom and dad. this would count as 4 hates and could be recorded as Hate Dragons>Chromatic Dragons>Red Dragons>Embyr.
Outside of the benefit of fine tuning who a character relates to things in the campaign it also allows for more serious hatred granting additional bonuses against the target of hatred. A DM might allow additional bonuses to actions for each step after the first. But the problem here is intelligent foes will use that hatred against a character and on a successful saving throw may be able to gain temporary houses equal to those of a characters hatred.

Targeting Hate Adjustments (optional): the bonus for hatred might not be palatable to a player or campaign as a flat adjustment vs a target of hatred. It may be appropriate to restrict that hatred to a specific bonus such as to-hit rolls, initiative, damage, armor class,saving throws, or similar mechanical functions in the game.


Defeating a hated foe: If a specific individual is hated it is recommend that an experience bonus be granted for defeating that hatred. Less specific hatreds challenged and defeated may be awarded a minor bonus to experience gained but if a character has a strong hatred against a group and completes a major act against that group the reward should be substantial. Getting revenge against a hated foe does no in itself reduce the hate score.

Acquiring new Hates:A player may add one new Hate per character level directed against foes that have foiled them or destroyed allies of the character. This does not change a characters Hate score.

Reducing Hate: A player may consult with healers, sages, and clergy to get over their hatred (this may require an expense of time or action) or have a sudden insight following a beneficial encounter with the subset of their hate. Strike the Hate from the list of hates when so done and reduce the hate score by 1d3.

Resisting the Temptation to Exact Revenge (optional): It is possible for a character to find themselves in situation where they have the capacity to exact revenge against the target of their hate but they genuinely do not wish to do so at the time to resist taking the attempt a character must control their hate (as above) by rolling over Hate on 1d20. Good or Lawful characters may be rewarded for avoiding the temptation immediate base revenge.

Wanton Hatred(optional): A player may choose to have a character be very active and wanton in the degree of hate they have for targets of their hatred. For every vile act of hatred they commit they are allowed to add one point to the Hate score (once per character revel max). Wanton hatred will be acts that would inspire disgust an disdain from others and may in some campaigns be considered Alignment violations. DMs should not punish a player directly if they violate alignment but associations and grouse they belong to may demand redemption.

Ability Scores

The same standard 6 ability scores have been with D&D since it's inception and they have gone on to impact the entire RPG hobby, but why not change up ability scores and what they mean in a campaign? If a DM pays attention to how ability scores work within the rules of the game they are using those ability score themselves can be changed to provide a different game experience.

No ability scores at all. The most drastic means of addressing the situation is to simply not have any ability scores. In the original D&D rules ability score had little direct impact on most immediate actions so little actually some have wondered why they were bothered with at all. By ditching abilitry score entierly  all adventurers are equally capable at common adventuring tasks and no player is slave to bad luck and no one ends up subordinate to the early lucky rolls of another player. This method is used by some minimalist D&D variants out there “Searchers of the Unkown” being the one that come to mind first.  Characters abilities are tied to class, level, and player choice a character will emerge from play instead of being rigidly defined in a few small areas.  There is room for this method to be exploited by pushy and intelligent players that may cause it to break down for a wide open and extended campaign but in more tightly focused campaigns or limited duration ones the ability scores can be an unneeded layer of complexity.

Ability scores as modifiers.  I’ve use this technique in the past when playing Talislanta and for a little quick and simple multi-edition D&D dungeon crawling as mentioned in this post:  http://aeonsnaugauries.blogspot.com/2011/10/weekend-gaming.html

Ability score as modifier has two particular advantages over the standard score and modifier model in that they are unbound, and concise. Both advantages can also be a deterrent in their use however. Ability score as modifier is concise as there is no look up required to determine the effect of an ability on a relevant action if you have a +3 in Might you have a +3 bonus to all things might related.  An ability score as modifier is unbound you can technically go to infinity in either direction as there is no score floor or ceiling implied by this method; you don’t’ have to have a housecat with a strength of 3  (or 1). There is a problem in the ability score as modifier as it isn’t clear how relatively effective or weak any two characters really are in a game without really looking into the numbers (a +4 is cool if you are roll 1d20 and adding 4 but it’s even better if you are rolling 3d6 and adding) and some baselines have to still be established which can look odd compared to a ability score as modifier mechanic.

Changing the Names of ability Scores. Using the same core set of modifiers by changing the definitions of the ability scores.  Why Strength, Intelligence, Wisdom, Dexterity, Constitution, and Charisma? I explored this option in a post a couple years ago in this post: http://aeonsnaugauries.blogspot.com/2009/10/whats-in-name-or-ability-scores-and.html . In brief the game may feel different by simply changing a few names and the expectations that go with them as a result while otherwise retaining existing modifiers. By example: if Strength is instead Size some the descriptions of things certainly shift while still playing out effectively the same numerically in uch of play but there will be occasional telling differences; big folk can use big weapons better, they can surely bash open door easier but what happens when high Size characters have to squeeze through a small hole?

Additional ability scores.  Why stick with just the ones your game came with? Even AD&D added Comeliness to the standard roster of ability scores for a time why not consider doing the same in your campaign?  Core tasks repeated again and again in the game might work better if tied to a new ability score; Perception as an ability score is a popular one that came up in Dragon magazine ages ago and is a popular candidate. Luck is a popular ability scores used by some D&D-a-likes that would fit in well as a modifier to the saving throw system or perhaps a complete alternative. If characters are going to spend a lot of time on horseback in a campaign and the DM feels there should be some difference between how well characters ride it might be worth adding Horsemanship as an ability score as opposed to adding on a skill system.  One could even delve deeper into some of the functionality of ability scores now and break them down further sure a high intelligence makes one a better magi-user but what if magic was tied to something else maybe Magical Affinity with minimum scores establishing spell access and/or magic item use instead of the intellect alone?   How about breaking up that Charisma score into Looks, Leadership, and Bargaining surely that’s going to lead to a wider range of play and more varied characters.

Fewer ability scores is an option as well one could reign in the number of ability scores to more generalize them to have more evocative relationships t common areas in a campaign. For example: Strength and Constitution get rolled up together in Vigor, Dexterity and Intelligence get wound up into Craft and Wisdom and Charisma are wound up into Spirit; maybe some of the modifiers are dropped, maybe they are just carried along, it’s up to the campaign of course. With such a scheme the strong (unless diseased or injured) are usually also healthy, the wise know the right thing to say and more readily influence others than could a rude oaf with a charming smile.

There is no need to leave ourselves tethered to the same standard six ability scores in our own campaigns, the rules as written are a starting point not the be all and end all of the possibilities in a campaign.

Ability Vs. Ability Table

Here's a variant ability check table I've been fiddling with.


Click the table for the full sized version.
To use table compare the active score(on the left) vs the target score (along top) to find score or higher needed for success.

A- Automatic Success
F- Failure, no roll will result in success.
do not apply ability modifiers, they are built into the table



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The math and reasoning behind the table:

High ability scores are tough to beat even for others with high scores, low scores are easy to beat even relatively easy for those with low scores.
A 3 will never beat an 18. A mighty opponent will defeat feeble opponents.
A non-exceptional score has no chance at all against a god-like challenge.

Challenges are not meant to be equal. Heroic victories are a heroic challenge.

To beat a target score one must roll the target ability score or greater on a 1d20 roll modified by the appropriate ability modifiers and there is a -2 penalty against scores 2 or more points higher then ones own score, the ability modifiers and the -2 penalty are already figured into the table. 20's extend to 2 more steps than allowed for in math. and any combination that requires a 2 or less to win has been changed to automatic success, there are intentionally a few funny spots on the table.

Modifiers built into the chart are
3........ -3
4-5..... -2
6-8..... -1
9-12.... 0
13-15... +1
16-17... +2
18.......+3
19.......+4
20......+5
21......+6

A score of G is God-like
A demigod/godling has 1-3 ability scores rated as a G,other scores might be exceptional but not with certainty.
A lesser god has 3 scores rated as a G, other scores will typically be exceptional
A greater god has all but one ability score rated as a G , the odd score out may be very low or still very high, not likely to simply be weak or average.

Piety and Sin

After reading this post here: http://jrients.blogspot.com/2010/11/sin-and-sin-points-draft.html couldn't help but whip this up from a few ideas I've had in the past.

Piety is how devout one is to the divine and the tenets of their faith. Everyone has to roll this score, there are no atheists in worlds where gods walk the land. Those with clerical powers must maintain a piety score of 7 or more to use clerical abilities.


Piety
Score....Healing.....Denial......Failure.......Intervention
3............ -5............ 20% ........... x......1 in 1000000
4............ -4............ 15%............ x ...... 1 in 100000
5............ -3 ............ 15%............ x ...... 1 in 100000
6............ -2............ 10%............ x ...... 1 in 10000
7............ -1............ 10% .......... +30 .....1 in 10000
8............ -1 ............ 5% .......... +20 ...... 1 in 10000
9 ............ - ............ 5% ............ +15 ...... 1 in 1000
10............ - ............ 3%............ +10 ...... 2 in 1000
11............ - ............ 2% ............ +5 ...... 3 in 1000
12 ............ - ............ 1%............ +5 ...... 4 in 1000
13 ............ - ............ -............ - ...... 5 in 1000
14............ - ............ - ............ - ...... 6 in 1000
15............ - ............ - ............ - ...... 7 in 1000
16 ............ - ............ - ............ -5 ...... 8 in 1000
17............ - ............- ............ -5 ...... 9 in 1000
18............ - ............ - ............ -10 ...... 10 in 1000

Healing: This score is applied as a penalty per level/HD vs beneficial healing spells. EX: a 2nd level character with a Healing mod of -1 receiving a casting of a healing spell that would normally restore 7 hp will only have 5 hp restored.

Denial: this is the chance that a beneficial clerical spell cast on an individual will simply not function. The Ref is could choose to ignore this for spells cast at holy sites and when one is directly serving the faith.

Failure: this is the modifier to the chance of a cleric being able to cast a clerical spell.

Intervention: chance for a call for divine intervention to be answered. If intervention is denied a check vs piety must be made or a point of Sin is gained. Calling for intervention more then once per character level simply will not function and will earn a character another point of sin.

Sin:
This is a measure of how one has sinned against their faith. A running tally is kept.
Each time sin increases the character must check against Piety.
The check against piety is made by rolling 1d20+SIN vs Piety. If the roll exceeds the current piety score the character loses a point of piety.

Removing Sin:
Prayer, sacrifice and absolution will reduce a character's sin score.
A simple act of observance reduces sin by 1point (1 hour &10 g.p / level)
A lesser act of observance reduces sin by 1d4 points (4 hours & 25 gp/level)
a greater act of observance reduces sin by 1d8 points (1 day & 100 gp/level)
A major act of observance reduces sin by 1d12 points (1 week & 250 gp/level)

if sin it reduced beneath a score of 4 the character is allowed a roll of 1d20. if this roll exceeds the characters current piety score they gain a point of piety.

Reveling in sin.
Check Jreints here if one wants this option to gain experience and put gaining of sin directly in the players hands.

Reputation and Grace

Reputation and Grace

Here is the framework for a mechanical social condition and conflict system for FRPGs.

Reputation is the opinion and social evaluation of an individual. It is an important factor in many areas, such as academia, business and social status. The reputation of a character is expressed by a Reputation Grade (R.G.) and Description based on the current score of Reputation Points. The actions of a character and others in society directed at them will
impact the current score of Reputation Points.

The Grace Save is instrumental is offsetting or diminishing the impact of possible loss of Rep. Pts. When a Grace Save is called for it is rolled as any other saving throw. It reflects ones ability to react in style to insult and slander as well as rebuffing the slights of others along with shaking off social faux-pas.

The Grace Save modifier is modified by the Charisma score and is based upon societies attitude towards ones character class. Reputation Table I indicated the Grace modifiers as per Charisma score. Each campaign or society will hold different classes in different degrees of regard. The DM should establish these degrees of favor and may vary them from region to region and even situation to situation if so desired. Grace saves as they relate to the favorability of a character class is determined by Reputation Table II.





Additional Modifiers to Grace saves:
Non Noble-Born Dwarf....-1
High Elf................+2
Half-Orc................-3
Noble Background........+1
Lowly Background........-2*
Barbarians..............-2

*This may be disregarded if one maintains R.G. of 1 or higher for two years time)


The initial Reputation Points of a character are determined by rolling 2d4 and subtracting 5 to yield -3 to 3 Reputation Points. Ones' Reputation Grade as determined by reputation points and associated modifiers are found on Reputation Table III.

Notes on Reputation Table III entries:
Reaction is a modifier to reaction rolls made in situations where ones reputation may have impact such as at city gates, visiting inns, when caught in indelicate situations and on well traveled roads.
Intimidation is a modifier applied to situations where the character attempts to sway the actions of other through intimidation.
Notice is the chance of having one identity noted by others when not announced or obvious.
Invitation is a modifier to roll required to determine attendance of feasts and balls being hosted.
(rules for Intimidation, Feasts, etc... to follow in future post)

The Reputation Points and Reputation Grade of a Character will rise and fall based on their actions and the reactions of others.

Suggested Reputation Point Gains and Losses:
Completing Quest for
Minor Lord.....+1d6
Duke...........+2d6
Prince.........+3d6
King/Emperor...+4d6

Being part of a successful expedition....+2d6
Being part of a failed expedition........-1d6
Leading a successful expedition..........+5d6
Leading a failed expedition..............-2d6

Fought at Battle
Skirmish............+1d6
Small Battle........+2d6
Large Battle........+3d6
Major Battle........+4d6
Epic Battle.........+5d6
Commanding a Squadron in battle.....+1
Commanding a Company in battle.....+1d4
Commanding a Battalion in battle...+1d6
Commanding an Army in battle.......+2d6


Fleeing Combat and Leaving Allies on the Field of Battle
Duel....................-4d6
Skirmish................-3d6
Melee...................-2d6
Small/Large Battle......-1d6
Major Battle............-2d6
Epic Battle.............-3d6
A Grace Save can halve the loss for fleeing combat.

Slaying a foe with 3-4 HD/levels greater +2d6
Slaying a foe with 5 + HD/levels greater +4d6

Insults
Insulting another so as to damage their reputation is a Social Attack.
It is made by roleplaying and a a successful Grace Check.

A failed attack against someone with a positive R.G. results in a loss to the attacker in Rep Pts equal to the targets R.G.

If one is the victim of a successful insult they must make a Grace save to shake it off or they suffer a loss of Rep Pts as follows.

Insult towards personal capacities......-1d4
Insult towards associates...............-1d3
Insult towards family/clan..............-1d6
Insult towards political affiliations...-1d3
Insult towards lover or mate............-1d8
Insult towards mother...................-2d6
Insult towards a womans honor...........-2d8

In any case Failing to challenge insult of equals inflicts a debit of 1 Rep. Pts.

Rules for Feasting, Balls, Trading and Dueling to follow in future posts.

What's in a Name? or Ability Scores and their names

Strength, Intelligence, Wisdom, Dexterity, Constitution and Charisma are the old school ability scores. Many a game-night and many a tale that followed did flow from using those six ability scores and the names they were given. But would different tales and games unfold if those abilities bore different names?

Let's start with Wisdom, this is often the most essential attribute for clerics and sometimes provides an advantage to save vs magic. Let's call this ability Piety; it'll do everything a Wisdom score used to do but will have a tighter reflection on how devout a character is and how in tune they are with the spirits/gods of their faith.

Next Dexterity, this often is used to apply a modifier to chance to hit with ranged weapons, get the heck out of the way in combat and possibly dodge traps, well let's call this Luck and see how it feels. Characters with high Luck scores get lucky shots in, manage to not be standing in the wrong place and are good with cards. Thieves are often linked to Dexterity, with that becoming luck a Thief shifts very slightly from a capable nimble fellow to an opportunist willing to test their fortunes in a wild and dangerous world.

Now Charisma, hmmm this is leadership and appeal let's try calling it Glamour not fashion celebrity but the ability to sway others opinions and perceptions of oneself. The quasi-magical nature of this can add an air of mystery and otherness to those with extreme scores.

Intelligence is often used as a measure of how much one knows and their ability to learn. Unfortunately the player of the character is often not always as intelligent as their character so how to make this work in play possibly by redefining as Lore a characters ability to know and use information.

Next up Constitution this is often used for health and hardiness. Change it to Spirit to reflect a oness drive and determination and we have a new definition for a set of modifiers that is otherwise identical.

finally we have Strength reworked as Stature which reflects one size and reach. A character with greater stature still get the combat modifiers associated with strength but with the reworking of the score as it relates to size it's application to non-human races can have some impact.

Let's look at the same character with the old and new Definitions

Str: 15 ,Int: 12 ,Wis: 9, Dex: 14, Con: 9, Cha: 11
A strong character, on the brighter end of average, not the most sensible of people but certainly nonbodies fool, failry agile and coordinated, of ordinary health at best and pretty average appeal.

Sta: 15, Lor: 12, Pty: 9, Luk: 14, Spt: 9, Glm:11
A large character, with a bit more knowledge then the avergae man but not exceptional, no great faith but also hardly a slacker or heretic in his faith, with better then average luck with a a lack of overt determination and no notable ability to dissuade or influence others.

Identical scores, identical modifiers that go along analogous but not completely identical characters. Playing with names and definitions and we get a different campaign.