Wastage Made simple

[Captain_K]

The "measly shield" string gave me an idea... why not link or tie shield damage/destruction to an occasional Natural 20 against the shield holder, especially if the attack has the real potential to shatter the shield.. DM, "Ouch, looks like the Ogre got a mighty blow against you for double damage or you can have the shield absorb one of those multipliers, but its destroyed." Or something like that, DM can add lib this easily, but you got to give same rules to PCs natural 20s...

You could build wastage right into your fumbles and critical hits - special affect tables if you have them. Fumble your sword and occasionally it breaks off in the ground, off the wall, or even "in the monster"... be creative.

Possible Wastage Fumbles:
1) Wild but mighty swing buries your weapon deep into the ground or strikes the stone below your opponent's feet. Your opponent (&/or his weapon) seize the moment to break your weapon.
2) Amazing blow, but blocked, locked/tangled, and stripped from your grip. Thrown, eaten, or taken by your opponent.
3) Strike a hard point, weapon, or stone near you and bend or grossly dull your weapon; can be repaired but -3 to hit and half damage until repaired (2d4 hours effort with tools and skill).
4) Thrown weapon is lost, bow string breaks, hand held weapon flies from grip and lands in a difficult/impossible to recover place.
5) Weapon does least possible damage, but is stuck to, in, or held by your opponent. You must win a STR check to get it back.
6) Your attack is so feeble and off balancing you fall on your back/face in front of you opponent, drop your weapon and break your shield straps, take d4 damage, and you're stunned (and prone) for 0-2 rounds.

Add your own...

[Tadhg]

In my online game, I only had one basic weapon wastage rule ~ 2 fumbles in a row would cause damage. I think wastage is a good thing to have in a game, where some of the weapons might be too powerful (meaning, I was a foolish CK to allow a PC to have one that was awesome).

Anyway, if I were to run another game in the future, I would have a look at these that you've posted and those in the CKG!

[serleran]

Wastage made easy: don't use it.

[Arduin]

Wastage made easy: don't use it.

That's the most popular system with people who have been running games forever.

[Captain_K]

OK, I'm slow, "don't do wastage" or "don't make it simple"?

My group has great fun when a fumble is rolled or a critical (20 is rolled) using a table or a chart that a CK or the group has made.. its just great fun.. this was a way to tweak those rolls to also move beyond fun odd things and cool extra flavor to damage into adding affects on the "things" in the game also...

[moriarty777]

OK, I'm slow, "don't do wastage" or "don't make it simple"?

My group has great fun when a fumble is rolled or a critical (20 is rolled) using a table or a chart that a CK or the group has made.. its just great fun.. this was a way to tweak those rolls to also move beyond fun odd things and cool extra flavor to damage into adding affects on the "things" in the game also...

I don't people were stating either... just saying what they do.

I haven't used wastage but thought about it. However, I didn't really do much more than think about it.

Before my last game session, I was having an interesting conversation with a player who recently learned and was shocked at how 1st Edition handled memorization times for spells compared to 3rd. I explained that originally, the necessity of resource management was very important in D&D and that some groups continued along that path. Magic (spells), food, supplies, and equipment wastage all tie in to resource management in a dungeon delving campaign. Some players and gaming groups love that kind of granular detail. Some don't but there are still others that want 'some' granular in their game. I think a simple way for wastage, along with, EV and etc... is great personally but don't implement much of it presently. I like it but some of my players don't so I leave it out (for now).

M

[jdizzy001]

In dark sun 4e, wastage was done well. On a fumble you made one additional d20 roll. On a roll less than five, your weapon broke. This means weapons have about a 1.3% chance of breaking

[Captain_K]

Occasionally it can be fun to have the specialized fighter break his Bastard Sword and have to use a club... in our recent case it earned him a new religion, helped him explore the game and the rules and next he'll have to try to find or have made a new bastard sword.. not really every day every town items. But doing this to him once a year is too often.. should be rare and with the game and in the spirit..

[Rigon]

I don't normally do wastage, but in my new campaign, the barbarian "broke" his breaded axe. He rolled a fumble, and then fumbled his check. It is so rare an occurrence that I don't have specific rules for it, I just let it flow with the game and in context of play. The guys seemed to have fun with it, so.

R-

[Captain_K]

I think that is the key, it should happen, its part of life, but it should not become annoying or ruin play but enhance and add to play.. challenge the PC or force the PC to step out of the norm until x or Y item is returned. The rust monster fries the plate mail of the best fighter deep in the dungeon... just getting to protect the best fighter until more armor is found/purchased will be great fun for all.