HackMaster Refugee (or how to add wild damage to C&C)
Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2006 8:06 pm
I'm heading on over here from HM land. Primarily because I am looking for an old school rulesset that is consistent in its application. In my first session I really enjoyed C&C, although I have more digging to do with regards to how things play over the long haul.
Being a glutton for punishment and wild swings in combat, I brought over the HM damage rules.
Penetrating Damage
Basically, any time you roll effect dice (damage, healing, turning hit dice, sleep spell, etc.), if you roll the maximum value on the die roll again subtracting 1 and adding them together. It is essentially open ending rolls (like many systems) but the -1 retains the possibility of adding only 0.
Example: 1d10+3 damage is rolled. A 10 is the result so the player rolls again getting a 5. The total damage is 10 + 3 + 4 = 17.
If the weapon/attack does multiple dice each one can open end, subtracting 1 from each. So, a 3d4 Bearded Axe that rolls 4, 4, 2 would roll 1d4-1 twice (possibly open ending as well).
Damage modifiers (STR, weapon, etc.) are added only once.
This can slow down damage a little until you get the hang of it, but it is a lot of fun.
Critical Hits
This is inspired by the C&C equipment tables and the existence of helmets. It requires you use (more or less) the penetrating damage rules above. Essentially, if you roll a natural 20 you immediately make another attack roll against the target's head AC (no helmet means AC 10) with all appropriate DEX/Magic/Etc mods. If it's a hit, treat the hit as doing maximum damage and, like all maximum damage rolls (i.e. penetrating), you get to roll again subtracting 1.
If additional 20's are rolled, each "confirmed" 20 (and rolling a natural 20 automatically confirms the previous one) adds a max damage roll to the count.
Example: Attacker (Morningstar = 2d4 dmg) rolls a 20. To confirm, he rolls a 20, and to confirm that he rolls a 20. He confirms one more time but this time rolls only a 17 + BtH which exceeds the target's head AC. That is 3 confirmed 20s, resulting in 3x(max of 2d4) + 1 roll of the damage dice (each at -1 per die) = 3x8 +2d4-2 = 24 + 2d4-2 (assuming these dice don't open end).
Damage modifiers (STR, magic, etc.) are added only once.
As an optional rule you can allow players to do a "called shot". Every -2 penalty they take increases the chance of a head shot by 1. So, taking -4 to hit makes the head shot window an 18-20.
Knockdown
If you take half or more of your maximum HP in a single blow you are knocked down and must make a Con save to avoid being stunned.
Follow Through Damage
If you take a target to -10 HP and have excess damage you can apply that to any adjacent target within reach.
Any Fighter Class can apply Follow Through Damage at any point they choose from 0 to -10. So, a Fighter hitting a target with 5 HP remaing for 10 damage can decide to leave the first target at 0 HP and apply the other 5 to the next target.
HP Kicker
Because there are so many wonderful ways to take more damage than usual, the system has to adjust slightly to accomodate it. The mod is simple - add 10 HP per size category starting with small. This applies to monsters and characters. NPCs classes get half these values.
Small (d6 or less HD) = +0
Small = +10
Med (d6 or less HD) = +10
All Others = +20
It is very easy to apply this to monsters on the fly. Don't change their XP, just add the HP.
Worried about healing? Remember, healing open ends as well. Additionally, you could consider adding the 2xcleric's level. Or, to make it Hackmaster style, and have all healing spells do dice per level of the cleric with the base die type being 1d4 at first level, 1d6 at second, 1d8 at third, 1d10 at 4th, and 1d12 at 5th. But I digress. The key here is within the context of HM, a 5th level cleric can heal, on average 15 points with a CLW.
*********************************
Just some thoughts to enhance your combats and make them a little crazier. YMMV but I certainly have enjoyed them.
Being a glutton for punishment and wild swings in combat, I brought over the HM damage rules.
Penetrating Damage
Basically, any time you roll effect dice (damage, healing, turning hit dice, sleep spell, etc.), if you roll the maximum value on the die roll again subtracting 1 and adding them together. It is essentially open ending rolls (like many systems) but the -1 retains the possibility of adding only 0.
Example: 1d10+3 damage is rolled. A 10 is the result so the player rolls again getting a 5. The total damage is 10 + 3 + 4 = 17.
If the weapon/attack does multiple dice each one can open end, subtracting 1 from each. So, a 3d4 Bearded Axe that rolls 4, 4, 2 would roll 1d4-1 twice (possibly open ending as well).
Damage modifiers (STR, weapon, etc.) are added only once.
This can slow down damage a little until you get the hang of it, but it is a lot of fun.
Critical Hits
This is inspired by the C&C equipment tables and the existence of helmets. It requires you use (more or less) the penetrating damage rules above. Essentially, if you roll a natural 20 you immediately make another attack roll against the target's head AC (no helmet means AC 10) with all appropriate DEX/Magic/Etc mods. If it's a hit, treat the hit as doing maximum damage and, like all maximum damage rolls (i.e. penetrating), you get to roll again subtracting 1.
If additional 20's are rolled, each "confirmed" 20 (and rolling a natural 20 automatically confirms the previous one) adds a max damage roll to the count.
Example: Attacker (Morningstar = 2d4 dmg) rolls a 20. To confirm, he rolls a 20, and to confirm that he rolls a 20. He confirms one more time but this time rolls only a 17 + BtH which exceeds the target's head AC. That is 3 confirmed 20s, resulting in 3x(max of 2d4) + 1 roll of the damage dice (each at -1 per die) = 3x8 +2d4-2 = 24 + 2d4-2 (assuming these dice don't open end).
Damage modifiers (STR, magic, etc.) are added only once.
As an optional rule you can allow players to do a "called shot". Every -2 penalty they take increases the chance of a head shot by 1. So, taking -4 to hit makes the head shot window an 18-20.
Knockdown
If you take half or more of your maximum HP in a single blow you are knocked down and must make a Con save to avoid being stunned.
Follow Through Damage
If you take a target to -10 HP and have excess damage you can apply that to any adjacent target within reach.
Any Fighter Class can apply Follow Through Damage at any point they choose from 0 to -10. So, a Fighter hitting a target with 5 HP remaing for 10 damage can decide to leave the first target at 0 HP and apply the other 5 to the next target.
HP Kicker
Because there are so many wonderful ways to take more damage than usual, the system has to adjust slightly to accomodate it. The mod is simple - add 10 HP per size category starting with small. This applies to monsters and characters. NPCs classes get half these values.
Small (d6 or less HD) = +0
Small = +10
Med (d6 or less HD) = +10
All Others = +20
It is very easy to apply this to monsters on the fly. Don't change their XP, just add the HP.
Worried about healing? Remember, healing open ends as well. Additionally, you could consider adding the 2xcleric's level. Or, to make it Hackmaster style, and have all healing spells do dice per level of the cleric with the base die type being 1d4 at first level, 1d6 at second, 1d8 at third, 1d10 at 4th, and 1d12 at 5th. But I digress. The key here is within the context of HM, a 5th level cleric can heal, on average 15 points with a CLW.
*********************************
Just some thoughts to enhance your combats and make them a little crazier. YMMV but I certainly have enjoyed them.