Making combat less lethal.

[David Bofinger]

Originally Posted by pzmcgwire

My original proposal of knockdown and DX penalties for hits even if stopped by armor was to make things more cinematic. [...] The examples that prompted this for me are big hurly burly brawls such as in the recent D&D movie where the barbarian plows through a platoon of armored guards, not killing many that I surmise, but definitely reducing most of them hors de combat.

That sounds less like a general rule and more like an Advanced Combat Talent related to shield rushing. It's not like everyone can do it.

[David Bofinger]

Originally Posted by pzmcgwire

After winning a battle, combatants are often rushed and don't have time or inclination to finish off unconscious foes. You loot the bodies then move on.

It takes seconds to finish someone off, and no one wants them waking up and stabbing you during the looting. I think the decision on killing people is a real one, but not at all driven by time.

If you're in a dungeon, you're moving toward the objective since likely the noise of battle probably is alerting the denizens much more quickly than unconscious foes waking up to sound the alarm.

This would be realistic, but IMX most published adventures assume what happens in a room stays in a room.

[David Bofinger]

Originally Posted by Drakenbow

The issue with TFT is the need to rest for spellcasters to recover strength

This is an issue because it has far more impact in some campaigns than others. But if wizards get plenty of time to rest then they are better than fighters. So just reducing the restriction isn't the answer.

perhaps there should be an ambient fatigue recovery rule that fatigue recovers at 1 ST per 30 minutes of light exertion

Only relevant to hexcrawls, and in a hexcrawl wizards are already very powerful.

[Axly Suregrip]

Originally Posted by David Bofinger

This is an issue because it has far more impact in some campaigns than others. But if wizards get plenty of time to rest then they are better than fighters. So just reducing the restriction isn't the answer.

Only relevant to hexcrawls, and in a hexcrawl wizards are already very powerful.

Both points completely true.

When traveling outdoors when you get 1 encounter per day (according to ITL guidelines), wizards dominate. They know after the encounter they will get all the rest they need.

But then wander into a cavern where it might not be easy to find enough time without an interruption. Certainly not enough time if you spent 10 ST in the last fight.

[David Bofinger]

The kind of battle most biased in favour of wizards is the gladiatorial duel, but hexcrawls come close.

The kind of battle most biased in favour of wizards is the extended battle (one huge long battle in a single room with enemy reinforcements trickling in) or what I call the dungeon assault (battles in many rooms but the enemy know you're coming so you can't waste time). Something that runs for many turns with less than fifteen minute gaps within it.

The most traditional RPG is something we might call the dungeon siege, where each room is an independent fight and you can to some extent rest between them. Perhaps wizards and fighters are supposed to be balanced for that fight.