Re: Nethack variant idea

On Apr 21, 7:36 pm, Ray Dillinger <b...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Hm.  Okay.  I guess you really need to have some kind of limit on
regeneration.  I would handle it by having regeneration not apply
to acid or fire damage, incur a steep hunger cost, work slower if
the creature is hungry, and stop entirely if the creature is
starving.  That ought to put on enough brakes that there are good
ways to attack such creatures even with minor damage-dealing
abilities and create a good set of tactical considerations even
if you have regen.

Or get rid of passive regen altogether! My personal favorite, which
I'm happy to see many roguelikes doing. High passive regen encourages
a lot of (what I feel are) degenerate behaviors like pillar dancing,
which I don't think have a lot of value. I'm strongly prefer explicit
systems (powder?) where only spells and potions restore HP or rest
systems (incursion) where you only heal with a long and potentially
dangerous period of inactivity.

I really like the discussion that started here. I agree with virtually
all the problems that have been brought up around the D&D style HP
system. Its been around for a long time, and it is used heavily in the
RPG genre. It is, for the many reasons suggested, a system that is so
odd in execution that is requires very strained explanations to
accept. It also is responsible for power creep, which I actually think
is intentionally, but perhaps not necessary.

I wonder, though, how people would feel about a game where HP are
fairly static throughout a players 'life'? I personally like the idea
where levels gain very few or no HP... where a hero starts with 15,
perhaps, and at level 10 a tough character has only gained 5-10 HP and
a less sturdy one much fewer. Survivability would primarily be
increased by equipment and skills, which I feel is very appropriate in
this genre. It does not fully address the scaling problem with healing
pots/spells on its own, but it does lessen it considerably. It also
mitigates a lot of surreal situations... like wondering why a new
character get killed with one hit of an axe while an old one can
survive tens of consecutive blows, or why a skilled dagger fighter
will probably barely damage a peer if he uses an unenchanted blade.
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Fast healing and regeneration
    ... >> the creature shouldn't wait for it's turn. ... > FAST HEALING ... > REGENERATION ... Damage dealt to the creature is treated as nonlethal damage, ...
    (rec.games.frp.dnd)
  • Re: Vulnerability
    ... the extra effect of a flaming sword on a cold-based creature ... points of fire damage per hit are doubled. ... Current skeletons have immunity to cold because of their lack of fleshy ... So a skeleton would not be affected by the ice portion of an ice storm ...
    (rec.games.frp.dnd)
  • Re: Vulnerability
    ... the extra effect of a flaming sword on a cold-based creature ... points of fire damage per hit are doubled. ... Current skeletons have immunity to cold because of their lack of fleshy ... So a skeleton would not be affected by the ice portion of an ice storm ...
    (rec.games.frp.dnd)
  • Re: Confused about mutually dependant classes
    ... each of whom has a number of hit points. ... > of damage they receive. ... > unrelated to the creature itself. ... So Creature A zaps Creature B with a flame-thrower. ...
    (comp.object)
  • Re: Perception and AI (and log messages)
    ... Where do the messages that describe events in the game come from? ... In the case of damage reports, ... AIs friendly to the player and the rest ... would make its creature run away if it has too little health, ...
    (rec.games.roguelike.development)