VP/WP Questions [Archive] - Wizards Community

VP/WP Questions [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
ajb47
05-18-05, 08:43 AM Apologies if these have been asked to death but I have a few questions regarding the Vitality Point system which I have decided to use in my new campaign (having run Star Wars d20, I like it). I am looking to see how others handled these situations:

1) Attacks that do poison/disease damage. If VP represent luck and the "fatigue" of not getting hit, then do these attacks only work with Wound damage? That seems like it might make some creatures less of a threat.

2) Magic Missile. Unerringly strikes its target, yes? Is this something that should do damage direct to Wounds? Seems like it would make it a bit powerful. But since that is what Wound Points represent (actually getting hit), that's what the spell should do.

3) NPC classes (Warrior, Expert, etc.). In Star Wars, Thugs and such have no Vitality Points. But it also seems that at least the Warrior should have vitality points. I am thinking of giving Warriors vitality points, but the others just get Wound Points.

Thanks in advance for any answers.

AJ
Trask
05-18-05, 10:43 AM 1) Poison works when there's any hit (even vitality). Otherwise, it would be next to useless... just consider the "wound" that delivers the poison to not be significant enough to drop someone into wound points, but still enough to deliver the poison.

2) No. :) Magic Missle would be insanely powerful. Just pretend that your heroes are narrowly evading the magic missles.

3) Depends on what kind of campaign you want to run. If you want to run a campaign where heroes far, far outpace the ordinary NPC then just give them wound points. If you want a game where the heroes are a *bit* more ordinary and on scale with the average person, give them vitality. I personally prefer the first, with NPC classes not receiving vitality. Really lets you throw a ton of them at PCs, and gives a nice action movie feel. :D
icote
05-18-05, 04:04 PM Apologies if these have been asked to death but I have a few questions regarding the Vitality Point system which I have decided to use in my new campaign (having run Star Wars d20, I like it). I am looking to see how others handled these situations:

1) Attacks that do poison/disease damage. If VP represent luck and the "fatigue" of not getting hit, then do these attacks only work with Wound damage? That seems like it might make some creatures less of a threat.

2) Magic Missile. Unerringly strikes its target, yes? Is this something that should do damage direct to Wounds? Seems like it would make it a bit powerful. But since that is what Wound Points represent (actually getting hit), that's what the spell should do.

3) NPC classes (Warrior, Expert, etc.). In Star Wars, Thugs and such have no Vitality Points. But it also seems that at least the Warrior should have vitality points. I am thinking of giving Warriors vitality points, but the others just get Wound Points.

Thanks in advance for any answers.

AJ

1. According to the Star Wars version Poison and Disease only matter if WP are taken. I believe its in one of the Jedi Counselling articles.

2. Magic Missile needs to be tweaked... Nothing should go straight to WP other than Criticals except maybe falling damage. You could still just say they do VP, as they are force damage, you could just explain it away as stunning them slightly. In my mind spells are really the one reason I don't use VP/WP in D&D, I'd rather use tweaked out Hit Point & Massive Damage rules to get the same effect. See my thread on this page.

3. Why not just give that warrior a few levels of Fighter too to give them the vitality. In Star Wars if you wanted to make tough Stormtroopers, you just tack on a level or two of Soldier to their Thug levels.
ajb47
05-18-05, 05:00 PM 1) Poison works when there's any hit (even vitality). Otherwise, it would be next to useless... just consider the "wound" that delivers the poison to not be significant enough to drop someone into wound points, but still enough to deliver the poison.

I thought about this, but all I can picture in my head is that a character who goes through a fight with a spider comes away looking like he just bull-rushed his way through a sticker bush.

But yes, I am a little worried that poison and disease (delivered by injury) will be reduced in usefulness.

AJ
ajb47
05-18-05, 05:13 PM 1. According to the Star Wars version Poison and Disease only matter if WP are taken. I believe its in one of the Jedi Counselling articles.

I thought I had read it somewhere.

2. Magic Missile needs to be tweaked... Nothing should go straight to WP other than Criticals except maybe falling damage. You could still just say they do VP, as they are force damage, you could just explain it away as stunning them slightly.

Or giving a good bruise.

3. Why not just give that warrior a few levels of Fighter too to give them the vitality. In Star Wars if you wanted to make tough Stormtroopers, you just tack on a level or two of Soldier to their Thug levels.

That might make "thugs" a little tough. But I understand what you are saying. Since warriors are trained to fight, I think I'll just let them have VP and WP and the others will just get WP or some PC class levels.

AJ
Ranger REG
05-19-05, 03:33 AM 1) Attacks that do poison/disease damage. If VP represent luck and the "fatigue" of not getting hit, then do these attacks only work with Wound damage? That seems like it might make some creatures less of a threat.
It depends. And VP is much like what a boxer would endure (after head & body punches) before he runs out of luck. That's why no one fights more than 50 rounds. VP can also represent your body's energy (which is why people are drinking Red Bull).

Any ailments and toxins can sap your energy.

2) Magic Missile. Unerringly strikes its target, yes? Is this something that should do damage direct to Wounds? Seems like it would make it a bit powerful. But since that is what Wound Points represent (actually getting hit), that's what the spell should do.
Too powerful if it can bypass VP.

3) NPC classes (Warrior, Expert, etc.). In Star Wars, Thugs and such have no Vitality Points. But it also seems that at least the Warrior should have vitality points. I am thinking of giving Warriors vitality points, but the others just get Wound Points.

Thanks in advance for any answers.
That's up to you, but they're all basically the "redshirts" extras. If you prefer certain NPCs to survive, then go ahead and give them a hero class.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
ajb47 05-18-05, 08:43 AM	Apologies if these have been asked to death but I have a few questions regarding the Vitality Point system which I have decided to use in my new campaign (having run Star Wars d20, I like it). I am looking to see how others handled these situations: 1) Attacks that do poison/disease damage. If VP represent luck and the "fatigue" of not getting hit, then do these attacks only work with Wound damage? That seems like it might make some creatures less of a threat. 2) Magic Missile. Unerringly strikes its target, yes? Is this something that should do damage direct to Wounds? Seems like it would make it a bit powerful. But since that is what Wound Points represent (actually getting hit), that's what the spell should do. 3) NPC classes (Warrior, Expert, etc.). In Star Wars, Thugs and such have no Vitality Points. But it also seems that at least the Warrior should have vitality points. I am thinking of giving Warriors vitality points, but the others just get Wound Points. Thanks in advance for any answers. AJ
Trask 05-18-05, 10:43 AM	1) Poison works when there's any hit (even vitality). Otherwise, it would be next to useless... just consider the "wound" that delivers the poison to not be significant enough to drop someone into wound points, but still enough to deliver the poison. 2) No. :) Magic Missle would be insanely powerful. Just pretend that your heroes are narrowly evading the magic missles. 3) Depends on what kind of campaign you want to run. If you want to run a campaign where heroes far, far outpace the ordinary NPC then just give them wound points. If you want a game where the heroes are a bit more ordinary and on scale with the average person, give them vitality. I personally prefer the first, with NPC classes not receiving vitality. Really lets you throw a ton of them at PCs, and gives a nice action movie feel. :D
icote 05-18-05, 04:04 PM	Apologies if these have been asked to death but I have a few questions regarding the Vitality Point system which I have decided to use in my new campaign (having run Star Wars d20, I like it). I am looking to see how others handled these situations: 1) Attacks that do poison/disease damage. If VP represent luck and the "fatigue" of not getting hit, then do these attacks only work with Wound damage? That seems like it might make some creatures less of a threat. 2) Magic Missile. Unerringly strikes its target, yes? Is this something that should do damage direct to Wounds? Seems like it would make it a bit powerful. But since that is what Wound Points represent (actually getting hit), that's what the spell should do. 3) NPC classes (Warrior, Expert, etc.). In Star Wars, Thugs and such have no Vitality Points. But it also seems that at least the Warrior should have vitality points. I am thinking of giving Warriors vitality points, but the others just get Wound Points. Thanks in advance for any answers. AJ 1. According to the Star Wars version Poison and Disease only matter if WP are taken. I believe its in one of the Jedi Counselling articles. 2. Magic Missile needs to be tweaked... Nothing should go straight to WP other than Criticals except maybe falling damage. You could still just say they do VP, as they are force damage, you could just explain it away as stunning them slightly. In my mind spells are really the one reason I don't use VP/WP in D&D, I'd rather use tweaked out Hit Point & Massive Damage rules to get the same effect. See my thread on this page. 3. Why not just give that warrior a few levels of Fighter too to give them the vitality. In Star Wars if you wanted to make tough Stormtroopers, you just tack on a level or two of Soldier to their Thug levels.
ajb47 05-18-05, 05:00 PM	1) Poison works when there's any hit (even vitality). Otherwise, it would be next to useless... just consider the "wound" that delivers the poison to not be significant enough to drop someone into wound points, but still enough to deliver the poison. I thought about this, but all I can picture in my head is that a character who goes through a fight with a spider comes away looking like he just bull-rushed his way through a sticker bush. But yes, I am a little worried that poison and disease (delivered by injury) will be reduced in usefulness. AJ
ajb47 05-18-05, 05:13 PM	1. According to the Star Wars version Poison and Disease only matter if WP are taken. I believe its in one of the Jedi Counselling articles. I thought I had read it somewhere. 2. Magic Missile needs to be tweaked... Nothing should go straight to WP other than Criticals except maybe falling damage. You could still just say they do VP, as they are force damage, you could just explain it away as stunning them slightly. Or giving a good bruise. 3. Why not just give that warrior a few levels of Fighter too to give them the vitality. In Star Wars if you wanted to make tough Stormtroopers, you just tack on a level or two of Soldier to their Thug levels. That might make "thugs" a little tough. But I understand what you are saying. Since warriors are trained to fight, I think I'll just let them have VP and WP and the others will just get WP or some PC class levels. AJ
Ranger REG 05-19-05, 03:33 AM	1) Attacks that do poison/disease damage. If VP represent luck and the "fatigue" of not getting hit, then do these attacks only work with Wound damage? That seems like it might make some creatures less of a threat. It depends. And VP is much like what a boxer would endure (after head & body punches) before he runs out of luck. That's why no one fights more than 50 rounds. VP can also represent your body's energy (which is why people are drinking Red Bull). Any ailments and toxins can sap your energy. 2) Magic Missile. Unerringly strikes its target, yes? Is this something that should do damage direct to Wounds? Seems like it would make it a bit powerful. But since that is what Wound Points represent (actually getting hit), that's what the spell should do. Too powerful if it can bypass VP. 3) NPC classes (Warrior, Expert, etc.). In Star Wars, Thugs and such have no Vitality Points. But it also seems that at least the Warrior should have vitality points. I am thinking of giving Warriors vitality points, but the others just get Wound Points. Thanks in advance for any answers. That's up to you, but they're all basically the "redshirts" extras. If you prefer certain NPCs to survive, then go ahead and give them a hero class.