Skidding damage

[flamewolf393]

I had a player that was being carried at a speed of 240 feet/round, but fell off. He took a d6 for falling to the ground, but how much damage should he take for skidding along the ground from the forward momentum?

[herrhauptmann]

Technically? By the rules? None.

You get skidding damage if you get hit with a spell that says it drags you and deals X damage for normal terrain, or Y damage for rough terrain.

[CaladanMoonblad]

I'd rule that as nonlethal damage for another 1d4 or 1d6 until they grind to a halt.

People have been dragged to death, behind a horse or an automobile. It's a terrible way to die.

[White_Drake]

Determine velocity, and then how quickly they would accelerate, base it off the falling damage rules... Hang on, let me get my catgirl killing boots...

[herrhauptmann]

I'd rule that as nonlethal damage for another 1d4 or 1d6 until they grind to a halt.

People have been dragged to death, behind a horse or an automobile. It's a terrible way to die.

Yup, it is pretty bad. But the character isn't being dragged, he just fell off. By the rules, he doesn't even leave his square after falling off his dragon or whatever it is. Even when a quick physics equation says he should've traveled a few squares in the time between falling off, and landing.

[nedz]

Yeah, momentum isn't a thing in the rules, unlike physics.

[Shyftir]

So rule 0 something appropriate and use the DM's Hand of Doom if they get upset.

[Slipperychicken]

Skid damage = 1d4/10ft skidded? That sounds about right. Gives enough leeway that a normal person could survive it.

[TheIronGolem]

If it were my game, I'd treat the character as having fallen half the "skidded" distance and roll damage appropriately.

[Ravenica]

I'd go 1d4 for every 5 feet, but you'd only skid 2 more squares

abstracting the math you'd lose about 80% velocity per square (we're making assumptions about mass and friction here, bare with me) initial fall would drop you to 48 ft/rnd first skid to 9.6 and finally dropping to 1.92 (not enough to move another square)

I'd also give them an additional DC 20ish acrobatics check to turn the skid into a roll, successful check means ignore the first 1d4 and the second becomes nonlethal, and if they beat DC 25 have them come up on their feet, otherwise end prone.

[Octopusapult]

Depending on the terrain I don't feel like skidding would cause sufficient enough pain to inflict character damage.

Smooth dungeon tiles? Nah, you're fine.

Rocky, uneven, or carpeted terrain? And you're taking a small roll at least.

[Flickerdart]

240ft per round is only 43 kilometres per hour, which is slower than a car in the city drives. Falling out of such a car, even onto concrete, is very survivable, and once you remember that most of us are commoners or 1HD humanoids and don't have all that much in the way of hit points, I wouldn't assign any more than 1d6 damage for the impact.

[Tvtyrant]

240ft per round is only 43 kilometres per hour, which is slower than a car in the city drives. Falling out of such a car, even onto concrete, is very survivable, and once you remember that most of us are commoners or 1HD humanoids and don't have all that much in the way of hit points, I wouldn't assign any more than 1d6 damage for the impact.

But it can also completely destroy you. I would make it a 4d6 (for 40 km/h) and a very low reflex save to drop it to 4 (minimized damage.)

[Flickerdart]

But it can also completely destroy you. I would make it a 4d6 (for 40 km/h) and a very low reflex save to drop it to 4 (minimized damage.)
4 damage drops a full health commoner down to the brink of unconsciousness. That's far too much damage for the minimum.

[Ravenica]

4 damage drops a full health commoner down to the brink of unconsciousness. That's far too much damage for the minimum.

and yet it "could" kill, if you landed wrong ect, your assessment of my method?

heck many falls from horseback at lesser speeds often result in broken bones or serious injury...

edit: actually yeah, looking back at my post, reduce both those DC's by 5

[Flickerdart]

2d4 seems about right, but I'd make it a Reflex save for half damage rather than skill checks.

[Ravenica]

2d4 seems about right, but I'd make it a Reflex save for half damage rather than skill checks.
hmmm both then, acrobatics as written if they have it, reflex otherwise

[Fouredged Sword]

240ft a round is roughly 25 miles an hour.

Any character in body armor would bounce with little damage other than maybe a few scrapes.

Unless he caught a limb in an odd position and dislocated/broke the joint/bone.

People commonly get slid off a motorcycle at speeds above 40 miles an hour and get up afterwards fine.

I would give the character a reflex save to tuck and roll. If they fail the save they get 1d6 damage per 30ft/round they are moving as they twist a limb. If they make the save they successfully roll and take 1 point of non-lethal damage per 30ft of movement speed.

[Ashtagon]

d20 Apocalypse had rules for injury from falling off vehicles.