Perhaps for all it is a completely different idea and representation, or simply abstraction, but for I, the concept of hit points is very much so the concept of 'not-getting-hit points', as someone else so eloquently put it. Furthermore, I like the idea of "death" at zero hit points. Lower down shall I expand my opinions.
For a hero that can't possibly become more sturdy with each level earned, the hit point, by itself is a representation and manifestation of the individual's luck, die-hard attitude, combat aptitude, and quite possibly his standing with the gods. This model goes well with the chaotic action of battle and oracular nature of the dice, and by their extension, the gods themselves. This is why fighters, followed by clerics, have better hit dice than other characters, as each demonstrates strong points in some of these elements, with backing in the others. Compare the unnatural and unlawful (in the stealing and meddling sense) ways of thieves and magic-users for why they don't fare as well. Through this angle, note I did not mention dexterity; this is a no-word. Dexterity already is used in a different abstraction known as Armour Class, or why mooks can't hit shit. Contrast with the hit points of a war elephant, or other massive and non-maneuverable beast, that is instead a value of physical fortitude.
Moving on to our other topic: zero hit points, or why I didn't cry for mommy. Completely disregarding Third Edition and newer, hitting zero hit points, as the rules read, meant dead. Now, why is that so? And how is it that if hit points measure a character's ability to avoid injury, that they're just plain out dead and dead at the total of the dreaded big '0'? Simple: it's easy to kill someone, or at least think you've killed someone. We assume here that coming with a fantasy setting is often coming with a pseudo-medieval intellect. Something often considered very ignorant by modern Man's standards (which is pretty ignorant just by thinking that). Back in "Ye Aulde Adventurre Lande", medicine and physical know-how weren't exactly up to snuff, especially after the witch hunts destroyed hundreds of years of learned healing practices, and it was very easy to mistake someone for dead, especially if the healer wasn't all that knowledgeable in their field. Clerics can cast divine healing miracles like a Pez dispenser, but they're no physician, nor paladins with their magic fingers, and definitely not the man trained solely to kill! Those thought dead may very well perish from lack of attention, infection, or simply from being abandoned by the straining and hurting party. Even a proper alkaline poison might leave ya' stone dead-ish, but not in truth. All yerr frens know is ya' failed yer damn save!
So maybe this was insightful, and maybe it wasn't. But either way it's quarter after three o' the morn'. Peace out!
Not necessarily just things from space.
February 8, 2012
Latest Inspiration: Wizards (1977)
I was just finishing watching a film I'd not seen since I was a young lad (which was a forbidden fruit then). A film known solely as 'Wizards', a curious animated work of science fantasy crossed with the post-apocalypse and all bundled up as a "take that" with a number of small and brief references.
And why should you care, oh gentle reader? Because it's awesome. And gots a bunch of roto-scoping going on. And fantastic mutant-Nazis, androids, guns, swords, elves, magic, fae, swears and curse words, gore, and a Browning heavy machine gun! Though, surely I can't forget to also mention the main character: a red-bearded wizard that constantly makes a mockery of himself and smokes the stub of a cigar with his toes.
Though don't get me wrong with my butchered effort of a review (is it actually a review?). The film is a great work of effort that doesn't disappoint. The story is a swell mix of humor, tragedy, realism (in a cartoon? ha!), twists, and an awesome end to the cinematic climax. I won't say what, but such behavior I really do expect from anyone who plays role-playing games; I know I would. Snerk.
Now, without further a'do, to the left is a small selection of stills to hopefully inspire you lot to look into this film if you haven't already. And as usual, prod to expand.
Though don't get me wrong with my butchered effort of a review (is it actually a review?). The film is a great work of effort that doesn't disappoint. The story is a swell mix of humor, tragedy, realism (in a cartoon? ha!), twists, and an awesome end to the cinematic climax. I won't say what, but such behavior I really do expect from anyone who plays role-playing games; I know I would. Snerk.
Now, without further a'do, to the left is a small selection of stills to hopefully inspire you lot to look into this film if you haven't already. And as usual, prod to expand.
February 6, 2012
Surplus Spells & Slings
Ricocheting Orb of Distraction
Looking as if a large ball of glass filled with metallic flecks of multicolour, though pliable as rolled sap. When thrown, the ball bounces off all solid surfaces emanating a bright flashing light of colours all across the spectrum. When the blink seemingly is off, it is in fact displaying colours in spectrums invisible to the human eye. Beings exposed to this light are blinded for 1-2 rounds at start, and subsequently take -2 to hit so long as the ball continues to bounce around until resting to a halt or caught in hand.
-rumors speak of the original being a full set of 2d8 balls, though most were lost by the original owner, a gnome from Derkschlund
Fabricator's Pen
A bizarre fountain pen with a handle carved from a single piece of carnelian. The ink cartridge is thin glass with golden butt. When drawn upon paper, the pen will physically manifest any being drawn within with up to 5 HD. If the drawn thing does not physically exist, the DM must quickly design the creature based on his player's drawing, rolling 1d6-1, where a modified result of 0 means a less than 1 HD monster. Each cartridge may draw up to 2d4 images. The manifested images act as their monster, but is friendly toward the creator, and the creator alone, appearing as an inky mockery of the original creature. Each image lasts the inverse of its HD, with 1 HD creatures lasting 5 minutes, and 5 HD lasting 1 minute.
Stones of Promotion
All products of a long-forgotten culture buried with time. Stones of Promotion are palm stones which each grant different and unique properties to the possessor, and are activated by the sweat of a clasped hand. These stones should be regarded as very rare and special by the DM, and not to be easily found, nor in any volume.
Stones of Promotion Table (d12)
# Stone Benefit
01 Blue Calcite Restores 1 INT/turn, +1 HP for ALL healing
02 Pink Calcite Calms the mind, brings happiness.
03 Gold Calcite +1 AC, +1d4 temp HP, brings joy.
04 Green Calcite Brings acceptance of the new.
05 Clear Calcite 2x caster level for purpose of spell power, 1 in 6 chance of detecting magic
06 Carnelian Protection from ESP, +1 Against disease & poison protects against fear,
increases libido.
07 Cat's Eye Preserves youthfulness, promotes luck.
08 Cat Iron 50% spell really won't fizzle, 1 in 6 chance of finding the path.
09 Celestite Clears speech, makes true, heightens awareness.
10 Cerussite Read Languages 1/day, protection against bugs.
11 Chalcedony Dissolves illusions & fantasies, banishes fear.
12 Coral +4 to saves against rays, +1 HP to ALL healing*
*+1 HP to ALL healing only benefits females.
Stones of Promotion II
All products of a long-forgotten culture buried with time. Stones of Promotion are palm stones which each grant different and unique properties to the possessor, and are activated by the sweat of a clasped hand. Like the first set of stones, these should be regarded as very rare and special by the DM, and not to be easily found, nor in any volume.
Stones of Promotion Table (d12)
# Stone Benefit
01 Charoite True Seeing 1/day, +1 HP for ALL healing, releases and sobers from alcohol consumption.
02 Chrysoprase Lifts emotions, banishes greed, envy, selfishness, tensions, stress.
03 Cuprite Access a past life, heals relationship with father.
04 Diamond +1 temporary STR, Protection From Evil.
05 Dioptase Cleanses ulcers, +5% to experience points.
06 Dolomite Soothes pain, reduces the effects of PMS.
07 Eilat A feeling as if floating in tropical waters.
08 Fluorite Helps concentration & grasping abstract ideas.
09 Fossil Improves business, doubles abilities of ESP.
10 Golden Beryl Scrying 1/day, protection from telepathy.
11 Kyanite Facilitates better travel between the planes.
12 Malachite Shatters if within 60 ft of threat of 8 HD or greater than possessor's HD (whichever is more).
On Convincing Life Design
Whether decking out an alien world with life in a game session, or story, it is important to know how best to suspend disbelief when dealing with non-Earth organisms.
Life can come in literally any imaginable, and unimaginable, shape, size and disposition. Whether it's how we know it or don't, life is an adaptable beast where change is what allows it to survive. Yet, life isn't entirely random and prone to inconsistencies. Because while the evolution of beasts brings about random mutation, only certain elements survive and continue.
Nature keeps many patterns, and follows them to the letter. And we shouldn't forget this when designing alien life on distant planets. It might have worked in old pulp comics from yester-decade where the male sentient was a ghastly beast of many limbs and hazardous body, while the female member was attractive, if not lacking in non-humanity.
There is consistency, design and purpose behind life and how it comes about. Let us look at our own organisms of Earth. Here we would find that vertebrate life, while often very different from each other, all possess four limbs, a head with eyes and mouth, tails or remnants, similar bone structures, genetalia positioned at the rear, and etc. So unless we're designing a very pulpy sort of alien ecosystem, we can expect to see various examples of divergence that also feature convergent form and utility, but this shouldn't discourage one from making everything too "samey". Rather, we should see worlds with a lot of invertebrate creatures, each filling their niche in life, or on the other hand, perhaps various vertebrate things where each runs on four to six legs, with some species instead using the fifth and sixth limbs for manipulation.
Whether it's spines, body structures, psionic powers, wings, or what-have-you, consistency in form and pattern makes for standardized and believable life, while divergence and biodiversity makes for realistic life. Stay creative, friends!
Alternatively, you can just give me the finger and continue on with ant-men and their sensuous babe-queen. 'Cause fun is what counts in the end, and not necessarily dedicating too many resources to one facet of an adventure your railroad-hating players might not even run into.
Life can come in literally any imaginable, and unimaginable, shape, size and disposition. Whether it's how we know it or don't, life is an adaptable beast where change is what allows it to survive. Yet, life isn't entirely random and prone to inconsistencies. Because while the evolution of beasts brings about random mutation, only certain elements survive and continue.
Nature keeps many patterns, and follows them to the letter. And we shouldn't forget this when designing alien life on distant planets. It might have worked in old pulp comics from yester-decade where the male sentient was a ghastly beast of many limbs and hazardous body, while the female member was attractive, if not lacking in non-humanity.
There is consistency, design and purpose behind life and how it comes about. Let us look at our own organisms of Earth. Here we would find that vertebrate life, while often very different from each other, all possess four limbs, a head with eyes and mouth, tails or remnants, similar bone structures, genetalia positioned at the rear, and etc. So unless we're designing a very pulpy sort of alien ecosystem, we can expect to see various examples of divergence that also feature convergent form and utility, but this shouldn't discourage one from making everything too "samey". Rather, we should see worlds with a lot of invertebrate creatures, each filling their niche in life, or on the other hand, perhaps various vertebrate things where each runs on four to six legs, with some species instead using the fifth and sixth limbs for manipulation.
Whether it's spines, body structures, psionic powers, wings, or what-have-you, consistency in form and pattern makes for standardized and believable life, while divergence and biodiversity makes for realistic life. Stay creative, friends!
Alternatively, you can just give me the finger and continue on with ant-men and their sensuous babe-queen. 'Cause fun is what counts in the end, and not necessarily dedicating too many resources to one facet of an adventure your railroad-hating players might not even run into.
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