Imaginos
10-10-2008, 02:39 PM
This is more theorizing than an actual plan, but I thought I'd toss it out here anyway. I got to thinking on my way to lunch. One of the things a lot of people like about Mutants & Masterminds is the health level system. So how would you go about porting over a health level system to V&V. Here's what I was thinking...
A character has a number of health levels equal to their basic hits. They can take an amount of damage per health level equal to their hit mods. In effect, they have a similar number of hit points in theory as they do in the current system. As a character takes damage, there is a plateau effect. The damage has to equal or exceed the hit mod total for it to cause a health level of damage.
As an example:
Deadshot weighs 110 pounds, so she had 3 basic hits (3 health levels). I would definitely round up on figuring basic hits once someone crosses a threshold. Her hit mods total to 3.0576, again, I would round this up to 4 points of damage per health level. In current V&V stats, she has 10 hit points. In this system, she would have the equivalent of 12 hit points (3 health levels at 4 hit points per health level).
If Deadshot is attacked for 3 points of damage, she effectively brushes it off and does not take a health level. However, the 3 points must come off her Power score, simulating her heroism absorbing it. If she is then attacked for 5 points of damage, she takes 1 health level, and the extra point comes off her power score. If she is attacked for 10 more points of damage, she takes 2 more health levels, and the excess 2 points off her power score. Effectively, she is now unconscious. If her power score is exhausted, she would be dead.
This system will still allow for rolling with the punch, lessening the damage that actually counts. You just might take a larger hit to your power score due to any extra points beyond a health level threshold.
As you take health levels, you start suffering in combat. I would say 1 health level = no penalty (or maybe requiring 2 power per action on all actions). 2 health levels and above = -1/-5% per health level beyond the first (depending on whether a d20 roll or % roll). So after taking 3 health levels, your attacks are -2 to hit (free 1st health level, -1 for the second and -1 for the third). When you reach your last health level, you are unconscious or dead - depending on whether you have any power left.
I would say non-powered people do not count a power score for life or death. If a non-powered person (or a powered person with 0 power score) takes all of their health levels as damage, they have a number of minutes equal to their basic hits to receive medical attention.
With this, Joe average (10 scores all around), weighing 160 pounds, will have 4 health levels, and 1 hit point per level. So a bullet will kill him with one shot, but that is not a guarantee.
I would also continue to use the % chance to knock out from damage, to prevent everything from being the full beat down to near death.
So, thoughts? Ideas? Did I unconsciously crib this from someone else?
A character has a number of health levels equal to their basic hits. They can take an amount of damage per health level equal to their hit mods. In effect, they have a similar number of hit points in theory as they do in the current system. As a character takes damage, there is a plateau effect. The damage has to equal or exceed the hit mod total for it to cause a health level of damage.
As an example:
Deadshot weighs 110 pounds, so she had 3 basic hits (3 health levels). I would definitely round up on figuring basic hits once someone crosses a threshold. Her hit mods total to 3.0576, again, I would round this up to 4 points of damage per health level. In current V&V stats, she has 10 hit points. In this system, she would have the equivalent of 12 hit points (3 health levels at 4 hit points per health level).
If Deadshot is attacked for 3 points of damage, she effectively brushes it off and does not take a health level. However, the 3 points must come off her Power score, simulating her heroism absorbing it. If she is then attacked for 5 points of damage, she takes 1 health level, and the extra point comes off her power score. If she is attacked for 10 more points of damage, she takes 2 more health levels, and the excess 2 points off her power score. Effectively, she is now unconscious. If her power score is exhausted, she would be dead.
This system will still allow for rolling with the punch, lessening the damage that actually counts. You just might take a larger hit to your power score due to any extra points beyond a health level threshold.
As you take health levels, you start suffering in combat. I would say 1 health level = no penalty (or maybe requiring 2 power per action on all actions). 2 health levels and above = -1/-5% per health level beyond the first (depending on whether a d20 roll or % roll). So after taking 3 health levels, your attacks are -2 to hit (free 1st health level, -1 for the second and -1 for the third). When you reach your last health level, you are unconscious or dead - depending on whether you have any power left.
I would say non-powered people do not count a power score for life or death. If a non-powered person (or a powered person with 0 power score) takes all of their health levels as damage, they have a number of minutes equal to their basic hits to receive medical attention.
With this, Joe average (10 scores all around), weighing 160 pounds, will have 4 health levels, and 1 hit point per level. So a bullet will kill him with one shot, but that is not a guarantee.
I would also continue to use the % chance to knock out from damage, to prevent everything from being the full beat down to near death.
So, thoughts? Ideas? Did I unconsciously crib this from someone else?