SDC question

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Rpgpunk
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SDC question

Unread post by Rpgpunk »

How many people use body SDC in your campaigns?

Is it easier to just use HP than both HP and SDC?
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Veknironth
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Unread post by Veknironth »

Well, no way, no how, no chance. I hate SDC as it's in the books. All it is is extra HP. Just give the PC's more HP. I like it when it's dangerous and you need to be careful of all hits. I don't buy that whole SDC is your barely avoiding damage and once your SDC is done you're tired and can't avoid as well. Barely avoiding damage is rolling just enough to dodge or parry. Cuts and scratches? Those are when you take 1 HP of damage.

Then again, that's just my opinion. Many people like their characters to have more of a HP cushion.

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Levi
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Unread post by Levi »

Veknironth wrote:I don't buy that whole SDC is your barely avoiding damage and once your SDC is done you're tired and can't avoid as well.


I've never heard that explanation before, is it in the PF book that way?

Anyway, I do use SDC and HP. I think it works out really well. I have all critical strikes go automatically to HP and I often use the optional HP damage side effect table.

I see hit points as the bodies muscle, skin, and external tissues toughness, and HP as all of the critical systems, heart, lungs, arteries, bones, ect.

This has always worked well for me in all of Palladium's games.
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Unread post by Cranus »

To the original question: I use both SDC and HP in my games. To help differentiate the two I incorporate the optional injury rules for HP.



I don't buy that whole SDC is your barely avoiding damage and once your SDC is done you're tired and can't avoid as well. Barely avoiding damage is rolling just enough to dodge or parry. Cuts and scratches? Those are when you take 1 HP of damage.


I don't recall SDC being barely avoiding damage. From what I remember, SDC is more along the lines of "that injury inflicts trivial damage" due to all-around toughness. Basically, the character views it as a cut or scratch.

HP is more akin to barely avoiding damage as why would one's life force increase as one goes up in level? A better explanation: HP increases because the character is easier more luckier or instinctively better at minimizing serious trauma taken in combat.

I have all critical strikes go automatically to HP and I often use the optional HP damage side effect table.


Neat idea. One problem is that having critical strikes going directly to HP defeats the purpose of the very high level ability of death blow.
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Unread post by Veknironth »

Well, there have been raging debates about SDC on the boards before. PEople have offered the idea that SDC is when you take those cuts and scratches or when you are able to just barely avoid the attack. As far as I know, no one uses SDC as it is printed. At least, no one on the board admits to it.

With the opportunity to dodge and parry attacks, I don't think there is a need to give the characters more HP. IF you fall, tumble, are scratched, etc. and it doesn't do alot of damage, then why bother deducting 6 SDC? Just say you have some bruises and move on.

Then again, I envision a successful strike roll as hitting the target. If you roll a critical, then you do a great deal of damage.

As for why the HP go up every level, I don't think it's because the person is better at avoiding damage. Why would a noble who's never been in a fight be better at avoiding damage just because he's been in a castle for 20 years? We still can't explain why 2 people will recieve the same injury and care, and one will die while the other makes a full receovery. HP is just a fun way to keep track of how close you are to dying.

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Unread post by Cranus »

I use SDC though I make combat as realistic as possible, and depending what weapon struck in what way, it can take HP or SDC. so my players can be close to dying with still half of their SDC.


I am curious. Could you tell how you do that?
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Levi
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Unread post by Levi »

Quote:
I have all critical strikes go automatically to HP and I often use the optional HP damage side effect table.



Neat idea. One problem is that having critical strikes going directly to HP defeats the purpose of the very high level ability of death blow.


Death Blow is a critical strike that does double. So that is double damage to HP. In many cases that can kill or nearly kill many NPCs and PCs. I also have successful Death Blows stun the victim and then they lose another 1D4 or 1D6 HP per melee depending on the damage the strike did. This leaves someone bleeding to death quickly (usually just a couple of melees).

I'm not sure how close this is to canon, but it works well for me.
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Unread post by Vidynn »

We use SDC in our campaigns, just as it is presented in the rulesbook. there were some hot debates with Vek and others and I can see their points too. but to me, SDC is when you take scratches and minor wounds, while hit points damage is the really hard one. you can take quite a lot until youre badly hurt.

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Unread post by Rpgpunk »

Hmm, thanks for all the imput. I'm not really sure what I plan on doing right now.

Our melees seem to take forever though and I was wondering on how to make them faster.
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Unread post by Rpgpunk »

Thats an idea, but I have one player who always fights to the death. He's kind of a sicko in a way. He gets off on killing and then doing things to them.

example: He once carried a dead Gnome (who begged for his life to be spared) around in sack just to only throw it off a cliff a few days later.
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Unread post by Rpgpunk »

Oh he was after that!
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Unread post by Rpgpunk »

Yeah, find creative players is hard to find. All they want to do is Hack and Slash.
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Unread post by Veknironth »

Well, as App said, without SDC it will take much less time for people to be bested in a fight. If you want ways to actually speed up the combat itself, try this link to an article I wrote for my Web page:

http://www.geocities.com/veknironth/Combat.htm

You can also check out the articles section from the link in my sig.

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Unread post by Veknironth »

Well, of course it answers the question Z! The monk wasn't moving at all, wasn't defending, wasn't dodging, parrying, or rolling with the blow. The strong orc rolled a successful attack with his battle axe, and it just scratched or bruised the monk. It all makes perfect sense.

Z, you going to Origins?

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debbin

Unread post by debbin »

MrGiggles wrote:I'm using SDC and not having any problems. I tend to use the optional damage rules for hit points to differentiate though.


what optional damage rules? are they in a book, or just house rules?
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Unread post by Carl Gleba »

I use S.D.C., and pretty much the way its stated in the book. Sure as Vek said, it is extra HP. That does not bother me in the least. In fact I even give a small S.D.C. bonus for different types of HTH. You see I like to beat on my players slowly, draw out their agony... :twisted: Serious damage like criticles get half applied to the HP and the rest to their S.D.C. I guess it all depends on how you play the game. I did play first edition for a while and when 2nd came out it was nice to have the S.D.C.

Vek, I like the quote about a mean GM not telling the P.C. how much damage they took. Gives me some ideas!

Carl
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Unread post by Veknironth »

Well, Carl, I hope you like that method. I've never tried it but I thought it up years ago. I know when I'm hurt I don't know how badly. I just sprained my ankle, but I don't know how many HP I have left. I doubt you'll find any PC's who'll like it though.

Zylo, I hope those uni's are worth it. I'm already signed up for KS' Palladium game and I'm in 2 other Palladium games and 2 Robotech games. That doesn't count anything else I might jump in that's not scheduled.

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Unread post by MADMANMIKE »

..I use the SDC, but I also use the optional Blood loss rules (I got them from Maryann's Compendium of Contemporary Weapons, but I think they've been printed elsewhere as well, maybe HU GM guide, or Rifts Game Master Guide..).

..Basically, any attack that does Hit Point Damage causes the character to begin losing 1 HP per round, and that's cumulative. In contemporary settings this would apply to gun shots, but in either any penetration wound, like a knife or sword stabbing as apposed to hacking, would do this.

..I also add that high strike rolls (16-18) cause 2HP loss per round, and critical (19-20+) do 3HP per round.

..This speeds it up and adds that life and death feel Vek loves so much.

..Vek, I'd be at that convention if I didn't now have a 2 week old baby girl. I am on vacation that weekend, but I just can't get away. Maybe next year.

-Mike >8]
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