Escalating Conditions, and a d6 Countdown clock

[johnbragg]

Single-roll save-or-die or save-or-suck is bad game design. So say we all. Whether it's knocking a PC out of the fight with a single blown save, or bringing down the Big Bad the same way.

3rd edition had ladders of conditions, especially for fear effects (shaken / frightened / panicked, with cowering on the side). 5e has 6 levels of Exhaustion, counting death.

Escalating effects on the same theme are very dramatic. They also provide players decision points as the tension escalates.

So I want to generalize a system of escalating conditions, from 1 (no effect) to 6 (encounter-ending condition). Each character puts a D6, 1-side-up, on the table as their "Condition D6." (Fear d6, exhaustion d6, insanity d6, sleep d6--the idea is to have a mechanic that applies to a variety of condition ladders)

Each round, characters roll against the source of the condition. On a failure, increase the die and the condition gets more severe.

For example, using the 3rd edition fear conditions:
1. No effect.
2. Shaken
3. Shaken
4. Frightened
5. Frightened
6. Panicked

Or you could use "cowering" at 3 & 5.

5E has fewer conditions, but we can invent some without much difficulty

1. No effect
2. Cannot approach the source of the fear effect.
3. On any roll with Advantage, save vs the fear effect or lose that Advantage. (Multiple sources of Advantage count separately)
4. Frightened condition--Cannot approach the source, Disadvantage on attack rolls & ability checks
5. Character must use their full movement to get away from the fear source.
6. Character must use the Dash action to move as far away from the fear source as possible

Increase the difficulty: Roll twice per round, move up zero, one or two conditions per round.
Decrease the difficulty: Roll twice. 2 failures, move down one. 2 successes, move up one. 1-and-1, status quo.

[JeenLeen]

I think that's really cool for things that cause a continual, passive effect, like a gas or a dragon's fearful aura. But I don't think it'd work as well for things that require an enemy's action each round.

Unless you intend for it be that, once afflicted, it can get steadily worse. That would actually be a neat ability, since it makes something kinda a wasted action at first, but it can slowly take an enemy out of commission. As long as other things can't kill it faster via HP damage, it's a valid route of fighting.

And that is a really cool mechanic.

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If you wanted it to have a little more oomph on the first save, but still not be save-or-die situation, you could take a page from Mutants & Masterminds and have the starting affliction level be based on how badly you fail the save. Something like, within 5 points is +1, within 10 is +2, and more than 10 is +3. But then just a "save or +1" for increasing rank.

[johnbragg]

I think that's really cool for things that cause a continual, passive effect, like a gas or a dragon's fearful aura. But I don't think it'd work as well for things that require an enemy's action each round.

Yes, this is for boss monster stuff like Legendary Actions and Lair Effects. Although it could work at lower levels with one caster chanting full-time and a bunch of mooks meatshielding the caster and wearing down the party's HP and attack spells and such.

If you ever want to hear your players say "oh crap, the goblins have a bard!" this would be the mechanic to make it happen.


Unless you intend for it be that, once afflicted, it can get steadily worse. That would actually be a neat ability, since it makes something kinda a wasted action at first, but it can slowly take an enemy out of commission. As long as other things can't kill it faster via HP damage, it's a valid route of fighting.

It does also work as something the Big Bad does at the beginning of the combat, that then runs until either BBEG is dead or his doohickey is disabled.


And that is a really cool mechanic.

Thanks.


If you wanted it to have a little more oomph on the first save, but still not be save-or-die situation, you could take a page from Mutants & Masterminds and have the starting affliction level be based on how badly you fail the save. Something like, within 5 points is +1, within 10 is +2, and more than 10 is +3. But then just a "save or +1" for increasing rank.

YMMV, but I think this works best as a thing that lets the players know about some impending DOOM that they then have to work around, run away from, or hurry up and nova to death. It shouldn't do anything at first besides make the players start rolling saves. "I failed. What happens? Nothing... yet" If you just want your baddies to have more oomph, just give them better numbers or more attacks etc.