tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1958522416503442248.post5798795156676492420..comments2024-03-28T01:02:01.844-06:00Comments on Coins and Scrolls: OSR: Hireling Morale and FearSkerpleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06393779599461560431noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1958522416503442248.post-2352194283930766712020-09-22T12:58:33.143-06:002020-09-22T12:58:33.143-06:00All extremely good ideas. If only they applied to ...All extremely good ideas. If only they applied to PCs...Skerpleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06393779599461560431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1958522416503442248.post-66343185750893818622020-09-22T12:13:03.806-06:002020-09-22T12:13:03.806-06:00The downside to impacting HP directly is that a 1 ...The downside to impacting HP directly is that a 1 HD hireling has 1-8 HP (and I typically use 4). In some ways, that's automatic panic.Skerpleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06393779599461560431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1958522416503442248.post-87858258669663665252020-09-21T02:24:51.313-06:002020-09-21T02:24:51.313-06:00I like the 'penalty for every terrible thing y...I like the 'penalty for every terrible thing you can see' idea and just having it impact HP directly.<br /><br />My only addition would be the follow up to what happens them; perhaps:<br />1 - Fleeing hireling stumbles into deadly trap, other monster, is eaten on their own<br />2-5 - Finds a nook to hunker down in, returns once the combat is over<br />6 - Once out of immediate view of the horrors (next round) gets to re-test against raw morale. Failure is as 2-5 above, pass means they come back the next roundXaosseedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16921003959109753612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1958522416503442248.post-89079622917128166492020-09-18T00:08:55.483-06:002020-09-18T00:08:55.483-06:00I'm a fan of making the cleric class play more...I'm a fan of making the cleric class play more of a social role and this sounds like a great place to implement that.<br />It also sounds like a good match for "blood and grit" health systems where grit is the portion of you hp that relates to your stamina or fighting prowess (and now morale) and blood's the part that represents physical health (and is much harder to recover).TPmanWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08415910295872695542noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1958522416503442248.post-20837680137114292892020-09-16T09:03:52.878-06:002020-09-16T09:03:52.878-06:00Hey, that's pretty good! I had never heard of ...Hey, that's pretty good! I had never heard of that before but I want to steal it.Joshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11103061574208320331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1958522416503442248.post-14499774099348033972020-09-16T07:05:33.148-06:002020-09-16T07:05:33.148-06:00Great post!
I don't like the idea of having ...Great post! <br /><br />I don't like the idea of having a morale score (another number track! ...damn torches and rations...) for hirelings, henchmen or NPCs in general. That, unless you make them using totally different rules than the PCs, who already have many scores to track.<br /><br />I like abstracting morale into HP. HP as "hit protection" or "hero's poise" [1], rather than "health points". HP as willpower. Fear spell depletes HP, as fighting with terrible foes or falling into dark pits do. Trained individuals have HP, poor peasants don't. Peasants bleed to death in the first stabbing, or they run away when they see a bandit. Peasants are level 0 characters, characters of 1+ levels can sustain some stress because they have HP. <br /><br />If HP is hero's points, then it doesn't make sense it being bound to CON. It makes more sense for CON to be related to surviving wounds rather than resisting stress.<br /><br />If HP relates to morale and stress, then healing spells are boosting the mind/soul, instead of boosting health. Religion elevates the soul as it recovers the HP of the faithful. Resting, eating and entertainment would do the same thing. Healing wounds would be much more miraculous feats.<br /><br />[1] http://goblinpunch.blogspot.com/2020/05/blood-sweat-and-tears.html<br />Dehumanizerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00488674541635211335noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1958522416503442248.post-50279147516884040132020-09-16T03:22:49.909-06:002020-09-16T03:22:49.909-06:00i like morale tests for dicipline like
-dont get ...i like morale tests for dicipline like <br />-dont get drunk when you find booze in dropped baggage<br />-dont torment prisoners despite your predjudices<br />-dont run after money on a side quest <br />-dont accepr bribesKonsumterrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18170560484656800416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1958522416503442248.post-75693484313285555912020-09-15T19:13:19.644-06:002020-09-15T19:13:19.644-06:00Like if you suffer fear for 1d6 rounds, spending t...Like if you suffer fear for 1d6 rounds, spending the round cowering reduces the time remaining faster.Spwackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07247063374457045751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1958522416503442248.post-24863598390998549022020-09-15T16:19:04.104-06:002020-09-15T16:19:04.104-06:00Rounds remaining until what?Rounds remaining until what?Randohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07051785965103327520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1958522416503442248.post-68813469976636953792020-09-15T14:59:15.087-06:002020-09-15T14:59:15.087-06:00I like the "morale as part of HP" approa...I like the "morale as part of HP" approach. I haven't explicitly done that, but in effect that's basically what I do in many of my games, I just didn't even think of it as morale since I always just ignore morale rules lol. Anyway, it's the most parsimonious way to deal with it imo, if you take "HP isn't just meat points" to its logical conclusion.maxcan7https://www.blogger.com/profile/12504030224075149157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1958522416503442248.post-80783462100473516512020-09-15T11:51:33.337-06:002020-09-15T11:51:33.337-06:00I've always been a fan of the idea that PC'...I've always been a fan of the idea that PC's in OSR games are superhuman in subtle but notable ways. Infinitely patient (really, who would search a room top to bottom for 2 hours, then do it again on the next room), unflinching in the face of death (no morale rolls), skilled in many useful areas (literate, able to tie knots that hold perfectly), disciplined as a cohesive unit (carrying out a plan in the time of one round requiring precise coordination), and slow to tire.<br /><br />Having a Saving throw versus mundane fear seems like nice reminder that a normal person would turn into jelly at the sight of some of the things that happen in D&D, but I'd like a less mechanical check on fear. Spwack's fear suggestion sounded pretty good.WrongOnTheInternethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10307593854612561638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1958522416503442248.post-91956447850066774852020-09-15T10:00:58.206-06:002020-09-15T10:00:58.206-06:00My favourite Fear mechanic that I've seen so f...My favourite Fear mechanic that I've seen so far has been "take x2 damage while suffering from Fear. Every round that you can't see (etc.) the source of your fear, reduce the rounds remaining by 2". So, rather than the *character* being afraid, the *player* is now afraid, because they could die from it! And they can easily freak out in a number of ways: retreat and regroup, run and hide, use magic to protect themselves, or just sit down cover their eyes and weep.Spwackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07247063374457045751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1958522416503442248.post-64252934783429693032020-09-15T08:22:08.589-06:002020-09-15T08:22:08.589-06:00Excellent post! I might have to try the save again...Excellent post! I might have to try the save against fear. I've tried some other approaches with varying levels of success. The easiest one to apply was a penalty to attack rolls. You are afraid and your performance is affected so it's harder to hit is the thinking. The player then gets to decide whether or not to run. <br /><br />I keep track of "loyalty" for hirelings and henchman. The basic idea is that certain things increase loyalty and other things decrease loyalty. Pay, what kind of treatment they get in general, does the party have them open sketchy doors, does the party heal them when they are wounded, do they get some sort of extra compensation when bad things happen... It's arbitrary honestly. The mechanic is the same as a morale check. When it seems like the henchman/hireling might have their loyalty tested, I do a 2d6 roll vs the current loyalty number. If it fails, then I consider what the most likely response of the hireling might be in the moment. They might just leave, backstab the PC (if things are really bad), steal the horses and run away with the loot, resign and tell all the local men looking for work to steer clear of the party etc. I should formalize it more than I have but you get the idea.Travis Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08462669235840448896noreply@blogger.com