DnD Hit Points as Consciousness, Pt. 4: The Field Adept, Continued-

Field Adept continued

Level-
02nd -- Cantrip/Orison Charm Creation

NOTES-
Charm Creation: The requisites for the creation of a Charm Item are, firstly, knowledge of the spell with which it is to be imbued. Secondly, 60 gp. of supplies per Effect (Spell) Level. And lastly, the day's complete infusion of the Caster's full HP total as a one-time process.
* This creates an item that draws upon C-Field use from the sentient user, so long as they currently possess at least 0 HP, and are Living as opposed to Undead. Inanimate objects, however clever, cannot tap the full potential of the C-Field, and the Undead are operating upon a different (, usually, Negative,) Energy spectrum. The object requires that a number of Temporary HP be drawn from the user of the charm. If the THP are available, the Charm activates. If the Spell which best describes the Charm's effect requires Caster specifics (volume, height, area, etc.), those are determined by the Charm's user, upto and including the maxima for the Effect Level.
:: Cantrip/Orison Charms cost only 01 THP of the user

Effect
Level
9th : 36 THP
8th : 32
7th : 28
6th : 24
5th : 20
4th : 16
3rd : 12
2nd : 08
1st : 04 THP

More in store...

VANGUARD: Recent Gameplay-

Arriving later to the southern store later than we had anticipated (the rains helped with Friday rush-hour), the three of us: Brazilian Buddha, C., and I, entered the gaming area beset with Magic: TG players.

We grabbed the sketchy table in the front corner, hammered out the Point-buy Squads [1], and used the McDonald's Cup Holder as a bunker.

The scenario was decidedly simple:

1). Figures start within 6" of the bunker
2). The distance is so short that grenade launchers only need a 14+ on d24 (or 2d12) to be considered a 'driftable' hit -- d12 was then rolled for clock-face orientation of the actual point of impact
3). Entry into the bunker interior required a full Round of inactivity by the figure in question
4). Movement from one 'hold' to one adjacent required moving into the abstracted centre of the structure
5). Diagonal movement through the centre from far 'hold' to 'hold' was not possible
6). The Player with at least one remaining figure within the bunker was the winner

Round 1 was movement.

By Round 2, Buddha had a few figures move to Line of Sight of C.'s figures, and started shooting, just about the same time (Simultaneous Activation) C.'s grenadiers launched a few errant grenades. Figures on C.'s side reached the bunker and the ineffective gren launches were pesky, but her Commander began to enter as Buddha's Operators began to fire at her.

Round 3 turned bloody, and Kills were scored on both sides, although Buddha scored 3:1 Kills on C.'s. However, the troopers were 1 Fight Die (with the Commanders being 2FD), and they wouldn't be eliminated from the fight before taking a second Kill. The Disruption Points C.'s figures were scoring on Buddha's forces were enough to drop his Condition Levels, but his rolls were often better, which evened things out again.

Round 4 moved into the bunker and Close Combat ensued. C. was rolling 5 Colour Dice versus Buddha's 2Cd on a two-on-one fight resulting in a Kill. Even the 4 v. 5 roll went pretty decisively in her favour the first time, but when Buddha's Commander joined the fight, C.'s Commander was taken captive.

We went with a 1 Kill game just to see how quickly it could play through, while still making the figures better trained and equipped than 0FD commoners.

Next week, we plan on using one of the gaming-scapes the store has built onto minis gaming tables. One, in particular, looks like a Quake or Unreal mod, and should prove challenging.

I am particularly happy that the rules are simple enough that virtually no chart lookup is needed in-game, and that I can simply Referee in the observer/arbitrator/clarifier-role, rather than as a Game Master. At least one Round was conducted in my absence while I was indisposed.

Brief Aside: The Mule's take on Thieves-

I dig it. :)

LINK

DnD Hit Points as Consciousness, Pt. 3: The Field Adept-

In this realm of auras which grow outwards as they increase in power, certainly there is someone who profits from this mechanism. The Field Adept is one such Class...

FIELD ADEPT-

Con 15, Cha 13
HD: d8 through 10th Level
Special: Receives the Fighter Con Bonus if score merits
Advances As: Cleric
Fights As: Cleric

The Field Adept manipulates C-Fields (HPs) to produce effects upon, in the favour of, and against others and themselves, as the Field and time permits.

These Field Manipulations may register as Necromantic/Healing under certain circumstances, but the dweomer in such cases is very slight, and only detectable at the moment of occurrence, and only if specifically sought. In any case, they are non-Magical, cannot be suppressed by Anti-magic, and represent an aspect of multiversal underpinnings across the Planes of Existence.

The Field Adept can always manipulate their own C-Field, and can voluntarily reduce their HP to precisely 0 whenever they choose, even if otherwise Charmed/Dominated, etc. To voluntarily reduce their Field strength below 0, the Adept must succeed at a Difficult Charisma Task (EDSVAN, Roll Under on d20, etc.), and then, can only voluntarily reduce into the Negative Zone by an amount equal to their Class Level.

At 5th Level of experience, a Field Adept must choose between Arcane or Divine Effects, although sub-Class Spell Lists within each (Arcane: M-U, Illusionist, Divine: Cleric, Druid) are still available.

Each point of Field Strength consumed through their Manipulations allows the Adept to affect local reality in some fashion:

Level-
0 th ... 01 HP = 01 Cantrip or Orison Effect
01st ... 04 HP = 01 1st Level Effect
02nd -- Cantrip/Orison Charm Creation
03rd ... 08 HP = 01 2nd Level, Borrowing
04th -- 1st Level Charm, Fixed Field Generation
05th ... 12 HP = 01 3rd Level, Stealing
06th -- 2nd Level Charm, Mobile Field Generation
07th ... 16 HP = 01 4th Level, Lending
08th -- 3rd Level Charm, Energy Simulacrum
09th ... 20 HP = 01 5th Level, Healing
10th -- 4th Level Charm, Energy Clone

NOTES-
* nth Level Effect: As per Spells of that Level (later, regulated by 'type' -- Arcane/Divine)
* Borrowing: Allies may donate HP to the Adept to weave, and count as normal HP losses by those donating.
* Stealing: At the 5th Level of experience, the Adept can make a Touch-attack (at +2) against a corporeal, living target, and if successful, steals 1d4+1 HP from the target. This increases to 2d4+2 at 10th Level of experience, and is at +4 to hit. These stolen points are as per normal HP damage, and not Life Draining, etc. returning at the normal rate, and affected by magical healing, etc.
* Lending: At the 7th Level of experience, the Adept has learned how to imbue others with the Field, and may lend any number of available HP to recipients as desired. This takes 1 Turn per recipient. Points lent in this fashion are considered expended by the Adept, and are regained as per normal for the Adept. The recipient has, in effect, an energy bandage which adheres to the individual until the (morning, etc.) of the new day, at which point the lent HP dissipate. Lent HP may be stacked atop existing, full-value HP, as temporary Hit Points which are lost first in any expenditure.
* Healing: At the 9th Level of experience, the gains in understanding the Universal Consciousness Field permit the free gain of HP in themselves or others, as well as the disruption of Negative Energy creatures. Use the Clerical Turning table with the Adept as a Cleric of the same Level, and 'T' results as +3d8+9 HP, and 'D' results as complete recovery of lost HP, including those recently (9 Turns or less) deceased. Multiple Healings may be performed up to the normal Turning Limits. If the Turning Table is not employed in your version of The Game, make each Adept level worth 1d6+3 HP, to a maximum of 10d6+30 at 10th Level of experience.

Charm Creation, Field Generation, and Energy creations: detailed next post.

DnD Hit Points as Consciousness: Pt 2-

Use of the Consciousness Field-

With the basic framework of the concept and operation of the C-Field, we now move on to its practical application.

To use one's C-Field to better 'sense' their environment, the base chance to 'get a feeling' is:

* Current HP or less on d%


The focused and directed use of the PC's C-Field to 'read' their opponent and gain a +1 per Success to Damage in that single combat with all of that sort of foe. Attempting this takes one Round per 4 Levels/3 HD of opponent, of Defence Only Combat as per the rules.

* Roll HD, counting only individual die results which roll equal to the opponents' Level (or 1/2 a Monster's HD) as a Success. The 'reader' always receives at least a +1 bonus after the attempt.


C-Field Effects upon Hiding and Sneaking-

The idea of one's Power being too great to go unnoticed comes from Runequest. My implementation is for AD&D.

* 100% - (Current HP) = Maximum Hide in Shadows, and Move Silently percentage

This applies equally to Monsters being tracked by the PCs, as it does the reverse.


More if you feel this merits greater coverage.

DnD Hit Points as Consciousness-

In my youff I mocked the D&D 'HP as wounds' camp, because it was obvious that it wasn't the case, as Jason Vey's post today [LINK] illustrates.

We used to jokingly refer to them as the Consciousness Field that surrounded a PC, where, once depleted exactly, the figure would promptly fall asleep until the re-charge rate provided them with 01 HP and they could set off under a normal strain of adventuring.
--Everyone knew that one only had 10 real Hit Points (-10), the ones where you were bleeding, your eye was on the floor, and you were dragging your entrails about, calling, 'Cleric! We need a Cleric here!!!'. 2nd Edition AD&D only made things weirder with Endurance rolls and so forth.

As Gamma World had always really been more my cup o' tea, I'd seen the advantage of the high, but relatively unchanging total that system generated for PCs. In short (Con # d6), with an average of 36.75. It allowed for deadly tech and mutational attacks, while retaining the 'heroic' aspects of melee combat from its sibling, D&D. A mix of Blood and Bone plus Luck and Skill.
--In game designs after my reading GW, I almost always used a higher total, and usually around 35 points on average. This has persisted, with most average Humans in UWoM possessing around that total (while the considerably larger, more massive, and tougher Vrun have more on the order of 40-60).

But, let's bring this back to the D&Ds.

If we work from the point of a Consciousness Field, more experienced, larger (and presumably older, or arcane) creatures have a greater field strength and -- continuing this hypothesis -- greater awareness of their immediate environment, even if only semi-conscious.
--The AD&D Fighter then(again) becomes the undisputed master of the battlefield, aware of the number of foes entering his/her C-Field as well as their general position. Conversely, the acute senses of the Magic-User have been honed in on the extra-planar energies of their spells, and this has retarded their C-Field on the Prime Material. Without sufficient forewarning, the M-U is frequently caught defenceless.

Predicated upon that last bit, I have advocated the D&D Thief/Rogue/Assassin HD to be upgraded to at least 1d6, if not 1d8 -- for what is a Ranger but a confident Thief with a bow in the woods? :D

More on this...

Combined Shield Antics (DnD)-

Shield Roll-

Shields are groovy. Not always as groovy as one would like, but when they save your nihilistic/ picaresque/heroic/paladine PC, they are worth more than their weight in Coins.

The idea of Shattering Shields is someone else's, and someone else may have already reached this point of compromise between a 'mere +1' to 'sheer awesomeness'. Dunno.

The Shield still provides its listed bonus for whichever version of The Game you are playing ('ceptin' mine, dat is), but, in addition, you get this wonderful Shield Roll to demonstrate just how groovy your shield proves to be.

Metal shields require a fixin' after a number of Successful Stops equal to their Die-Type.
--I'll leave the costs for you to determine.

SHIELD ROLLS-

Buckler (d4) : '4'

Small Wooden (d6) : '5-6'*
Small Metal (d8) : '6-8' [8]

Medium Wooden (d8) : '5-8'*
Medium Metal (d10) : '7-10' [10]

Large Wooden (d10) : '6-10'*
Large Metal (d12) : '5-12' [12]

:: After a Hit is indicated, the choice to make the Shield Roll is made prior to the damage roll. If the Shield Roll falls within the indicated range, the attack is stopped without damage.
:: If the range has an '*', then the Shield shatters (no longer offers any protection) after stopping the Attack.
:: A shattered shield yields 1d4 dagger-like splinters, each of which is good for only one attack (hit or miss), and does 1-3 points of Piercing Damage (BtB Clerics may not use these 'blood-letting' weapons), while others treat them as Daggers for Proficiency purposes.

:)