Greywander
2020-09-19, 07:31 PM
So I know there are some people who find the binary nature of resistance and vulnerability too simple. It's easy to use, but makes it difficult to distinguish between monsters that are just a little resistant or vulnerable vs. a lot resistant or vulnerable. Usually this involved adding an extra trait that causes some kind of effect when they take damage of that type. And those can be interesting, too, but in terms of straight up damage reduction/increase, I think we can do something with a bit more depth.
Resistance and Vulnerability
A creature with resistance to a particular damage type has damage of that type reduced by first a fraction (rounded down), then a flat amount. There are three levels of resistance. The same is true for vulnerability, except that the damage is increased, rather than reduced.
Minor Resistance
A creature with minor resistance will take one tenth less damage of that type, and then have that damage further reduced by 1. An easy way to find one tenth is to simply remove the one's place. For example, one tenth of 127 is 12. If a creature with minor resistance took 127 damage of the type they are resistant to, that damage would first be reduced by one tenth (12 damage), and then by 1, for a final total of 114 damage taken.
Moderate Resistance
A creature with moderate resistance will take one quarter less damage of that type, and then have that damage further reduced by 3. An easy way to find one quarter is to cut the number in half, and then cut it in half again. For example, half of 127 is 63, and half of 63 is 31. Remember to always round down. If a creature with moderate resistance took 127 damage of the type they are resistant to, that damage would first be reduced by on quarter (31 damage), and then by 3, for a final total of 93 damage taken.
Major Resistance
A creature with major resistance will take one half less damage of that type, and then have that damage further reduced by 5. If a creature with major resistance took 127 damage of the type they are resistant to, that damage would be reduced by half (63 damage), and then by 5, for a final total of 59 damage taken.
Minor Vulnerability
A creature with minor vulnerability will take one quarter more damage of that type, and then have that damage further increased by 1. If a creature with minor vulnerability took 127 damage of the type they are vulnerable to, that damage would first be increased by one quarter (31 damage), and then by 1, for a final total of 159 damage taken.
Moderate Vulnerability
A creature with a moderate vulnerability will take one half more damage of that type, and then have that damage further increased by 3. If a creature with moderate vulnerability took 127 damage of the type they are vulnerable to, that damage would first be increased by one half (63 damage), and then by 3, for a final total of 193 damage taken.
Major Vulnerability
A creature with a major vulnerability will take twice as much damage of that type, and then have that damage further increased by 5. If a creature major vulnerability took 127 damage of the type they are vulnerable to, that damage would first be doubled, then increased by 5, for a final total of 259 damage taken.
Why both a fraction and a flat reduction/increase?
These each affect damage rolls differently, with the greatest contrast being seen between damage rolls that are very high versus damage rolls that are very low. If the damage is high, then the flat reduction or increase has a negligible effect, whereas if the damage is low then the fractional reduction or increase becomes negligible compared to the flat reduction or increase. The flat reduction on creatures with resistance helps that creature completely ignore insignificant amounts of damage without being immune to more powerful attacks of the same damage type. Likewise, the flat damage increase against a creature with vulnerability means that creature is in danger even against a much weaker foe. By exploiting the weakness of a powerful monster, it can be brought down even by inexperienced adventurers, and the monster will take greater pains to guard itself against that weakness.
Alternatively, we could split the flat reduction/increase off into a separate trait. Say, "protection" for reduction, and "susceptibility" for increase. These could also come in minor, moderate, and major flavors; alternatively, damage protection might just reduce damage of that type by an amount equal to your CON mod.
Anyway, I think that by splitting resistance and vulnerability into three distinct levels, we can add more depth to the system without making it too much more complex. I think three is also a good number, since it gives us some variety while still keeping things limited to a fairly narrow set of possibilities.
Resistance and Vulnerability
A creature with resistance to a particular damage type has damage of that type reduced by first a fraction (rounded down), then a flat amount. There are three levels of resistance. The same is true for vulnerability, except that the damage is increased, rather than reduced.
Minor Resistance
A creature with minor resistance will take one tenth less damage of that type, and then have that damage further reduced by 1. An easy way to find one tenth is to simply remove the one's place. For example, one tenth of 127 is 12. If a creature with minor resistance took 127 damage of the type they are resistant to, that damage would first be reduced by one tenth (12 damage), and then by 1, for a final total of 114 damage taken.
Moderate Resistance
A creature with moderate resistance will take one quarter less damage of that type, and then have that damage further reduced by 3. An easy way to find one quarter is to cut the number in half, and then cut it in half again. For example, half of 127 is 63, and half of 63 is 31. Remember to always round down. If a creature with moderate resistance took 127 damage of the type they are resistant to, that damage would first be reduced by on quarter (31 damage), and then by 3, for a final total of 93 damage taken.
Major Resistance
A creature with major resistance will take one half less damage of that type, and then have that damage further reduced by 5. If a creature with major resistance took 127 damage of the type they are resistant to, that damage would be reduced by half (63 damage), and then by 5, for a final total of 59 damage taken.
Minor Vulnerability
A creature with minor vulnerability will take one quarter more damage of that type, and then have that damage further increased by 1. If a creature with minor vulnerability took 127 damage of the type they are vulnerable to, that damage would first be increased by one quarter (31 damage), and then by 1, for a final total of 159 damage taken.
Moderate Vulnerability
A creature with a moderate vulnerability will take one half more damage of that type, and then have that damage further increased by 3. If a creature with moderate vulnerability took 127 damage of the type they are vulnerable to, that damage would first be increased by one half (63 damage), and then by 3, for a final total of 193 damage taken.
Major Vulnerability
A creature with a major vulnerability will take twice as much damage of that type, and then have that damage further increased by 5. If a creature major vulnerability took 127 damage of the type they are vulnerable to, that damage would first be doubled, then increased by 5, for a final total of 259 damage taken.
Why both a fraction and a flat reduction/increase?
These each affect damage rolls differently, with the greatest contrast being seen between damage rolls that are very high versus damage rolls that are very low. If the damage is high, then the flat reduction or increase has a negligible effect, whereas if the damage is low then the fractional reduction or increase becomes negligible compared to the flat reduction or increase. The flat reduction on creatures with resistance helps that creature completely ignore insignificant amounts of damage without being immune to more powerful attacks of the same damage type. Likewise, the flat damage increase against a creature with vulnerability means that creature is in danger even against a much weaker foe. By exploiting the weakness of a powerful monster, it can be brought down even by inexperienced adventurers, and the monster will take greater pains to guard itself against that weakness.
Alternatively, we could split the flat reduction/increase off into a separate trait. Say, "protection" for reduction, and "susceptibility" for increase. These could also come in minor, moderate, and major flavors; alternatively, damage protection might just reduce damage of that type by an amount equal to your CON mod.
Anyway, I think that by splitting resistance and vulnerability into three distinct levels, we can add more depth to the system without making it too much more complex. I think three is also a good number, since it gives us some variety while still keeping things limited to a fairly narrow set of possibilities.