I have been as sensitive to the basic HP dichotomy (blood versus luck) as long as others, and I finally did something about it for Urutsk.
--Be forewarned, though, it isn't meant to model Conan so much as it is designed to model Solomon Kane.
In VANGUARD and the Boxed Set, figures can survive a number of Kills equal to their Fight Dice, or they can be whittled down to Unconsciousness or Death, or some combination of the two -- and each level of wound has its own effects (the so called 'death-spiral' -- as if that weren't actually the case in thoracic trauma).
Attacks that penetrate the target's armour (a D&D 'Hit') inflict a Kill. Commoners are 0 Fight Die combatants, meaning that 1 Kill incapacitates. But, that same commoner could be bitten by a poisonous animal, tumble a bit down a cliff, and pull herself to town after two days of no water -- and yet live.
--More powerful fighters (higher FD) can do all of that, and still be dispatched with one good shot, even at max DP. Heroic stuff.
On top of all of that, there is very little book keeping, due to each condition level being pre-calculated (it doesn't increase often, and then a minute or two to re-figure), the Wound Step. If the figure has taken more than x, it is at the condition level for y, until it exceeds that, then it is at z, etc.
...but, it does use funny dice, so y'all best heat up the blogging-irons and set to bitchin' ;D
Naturally, Alternate Reality Games will be supplying both the dice, and 'conversion tables' (lol) for the unconvinced to use their standard d6s:
6 = Violet, 5 = Blue, 4 = Green, 3 = Yellow, 2 = Orange, 1 = Red
I'm rough on you folks, I know... But, I'm certain you'll see the benefits of speed and flexibility in play.
Sounds like an interesting approach; the interaction of fight dice kills and whittled down hit points(?) in particular.
ReplyDeleteAaahhh the colored dice...Yes it was faster!
ReplyDelete@Matthew: Thanks. :D
ReplyDelete--I've used different terminology for both clarity and distinctiveness.
Disruption Points and the Dynamic Point total are interconnected, and perform Hit Point like duty, but also are freely 'burnable' by the character to empower Special Abilities (like Mutations, or Magic, etc.)
Cimmerian: I'm glad we were finally able to get a touch of combat in at the end of the session.
ReplyDelete--I tried for more, and sooner...honestly, I did. :D
I'll get the VANGUARD and Boxed Set rules to you guys before they 'go live', as it were. :)
"--Be forewarned, though, it isn't meant to model Conan so much as it is designed to model Solomon Kane."
ReplyDeleteI love this descriptor on so many levels.
Between this and the Hill's interview I'm pretty excited for Vanguard.
BlUsKrEEm: Thanks. :D
ReplyDelete--I hope that shorthand description helped in general.
The tough part I am having is deciding which text stays in, and which will be kept for some other product in the line or on a blog post, etc.
--Well, that and how much, and where to put Peter Mullen's art in each product.
I hope you enjoy Vanguard. :)