D&D (2024) RIFTS mdc

[GMforPowergamers]

So as long as we are talking about updated rules I wonder if we could get a better structure system.

Right now we have a system where somethings have 'threshold' and there is an amount that if you don't do it, you do 0... but if you deal that threshold you do full damage. Some monsters (and I think some items) deal damage to structures at double or tipple damage (siege monsters)

However way back in the 90's RIFTS had an interesting way to deal with this. Most weapons deal Standard Damage but some big 'structure ones' deal Mega Damage (SDC/MDC) where if you deal SDC to something with MDC you do 0... but if you deal MDC to an SDC thing (like use an anti tank missle on a person) the MDC is x100 then done as SDC.

So a 1d4+1 MDC weapon can cut through walls, but if it hits a person does 200-500 damage.

now those numbers are HUGE, and rifts is WAY over the top... but the idea of a structure point instead of a hit point intrigues me and could lead to some fun interactions. Instead of a seige monster dealing double or tripple damage...

what do you thinks?

 

[tetrasodium]

It could work but I've run rifts. 3.x had DR & IMO that worked better. The dmg damage threshold things even work pretty well if you just swap in dr/- for the DT numbers listed. There would need to be a lot of things to consider & build around to attach MDC to d&d, having a dual HP+sdc AC & MDC+mdc AC set in the statblocks might allow it for easily allowing a single monster to represent different challenges at different tiers of play rather than just shrugging off PC efforts or being wtfpwned. Applying it to tohit values similarly might or might not work too

 

[Clint_L]

Not a terrible idea for a house or optional rule. Power scaling is weird, so that at 20th level something like the Tarrasque is not dealing that much more damage than a tricked out fighter. Realistically, it should be hitting exponentially harder. So if realism is your thing, I could see the appeal here.

I don't play enough games at those levels have a very informed opinion.

 

[dave2008]

So as long as we are talking about updated rules I wonder if we could get a better structure system.

Right now we have a system where somethings have 'threshold' and there is an amount that if you don't do it, you do 0... but if you deal that threshold you do full damage. Some monsters (and I think some items) deal damage to structures at double or tipple damage (siege monsters)

However way back in the 90's RIFTS had an interesting way to deal with this. Most weapons deal Standard Damage but some big 'structure ones' deal Mega Damage (SDC/MDC) where if you deal SDC to something with MDC you do 0... but if you deal MDC to an SDC thing (like use an anti tank missle on a person) the MDC is x100 then done as SDC.

So a 1d4+1 MDC weapon can cut through walls, but if it hits a person does 200-500 damage.

now those numbers are HUGE, and rifts is WAY over the top... but the idea of a structure point instead of a hit point intrigues me and could lead to some fun interactions. Instead of a seige monster dealing double or tripple damage...

what do you thinks?

Wildjammer, a 5e Spelljamer conversion use Mega HP and Damage. Where Mega = x100.
So does Dark Matter (also called Mega HP and Damage), a 5e space setting.

I am doing something similar in my 5e Immortals rules, though it starts at Macro (x10), the Mega (x100), Giga (x1000), etc.

Here is a ship statblock from Dark Matter (yes, that would be 15,500 HP):

And a statblock from Dark Matter for a Mega-Creature (nothing quite like a 9,000 HP average damage breathweapon):

 

[Horwath]

damage reduction with fixed amount would work better IMHO, but this could work also.
anything is better than flat, uniform half-damage resistance.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

damage reduction with fixed amount would work better IMHO, but this could work also.
anything is better than flat, uniform half-damage resistance.

yeah the 'half or none' is a limit the system puts on that I am not happy with... both threshold and resistance I think need tweeks