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Amazing Larry Profile
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Hero

Registered: 04-2010
Posts: 43
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Alternate Poison/Plague rules


So in our group's new campaign, we've been trying out new rules for poison and plague. I never liked the original rules for these abilities. It does not make sense that the monster has to almost kill the warrior to inject their venom/disease. Instead we've been using this rule.

At the end of any turn where a warrior has suffered wounds from a monster with poison attacks/stings or plague attacks, the warrior must roll d6+toughness, and score a 7+. If the score is less than 7, the warrior takes a poison/plague counter. If the warrior ever has more poison counters than their strength, they are dead. If they ever have more plague counter than toughness, they are dead.

We've only come across Plaguebearers thus far, but the rule really seems to work quite well. Our brave Barbarian actually tried to break pinning (which he never does, this friend always prefers to go out fighting) to escape a Plaguebearer who had sickened him to within an inch of his life. Definitely ramps up the tension. Thoughts? Comments?
19/Aug/2011, 3:26 pm Link to this post Send Email to Amazing Larry   Send PM to Amazing Larry
 
Littlemonk Profile
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Registered: 07-2008
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Re: Alternate Poison/Plague rules


I think they made these Monsters in WHQ with those abilities in order to ensure that the Warriors don't stand around and do what we do in our current session:

Hack and slash, Dwarf, Elf, EX-Player, and Assassin drop, Wizard was in the corner protected and cast Healing Hands. Indeed our most difficult session was with Mummies and their Fatal Damage. We used bandages and provisions left and right to ensure that we didn't drop.

In your method, Larry, it's not dependent upon you reaching zero Wounds and that really changes the dynamics of Plague.

And i'm assuming that your counters replace the permanent deduction of Toughness that Plague usually does to the Warriors?

I also think that dropping a Warrior to zero Wounds is the equivalent of like when your immune system gets low. As long as you're up, you're not susceptible to these plagues, venoms, etc.

(You are a hero after all, able to absorb blows that would kill a normal human, able to withstand pain and agony that would drive another mad, and a constitution that can ward off illness and disease that would turn normal people into lepers!)

You get my drift.

Do let us know how that works out for you in playtesting!

- LM

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19/Aug/2011, 3:48 pm Link to this post Send Email to Littlemonk   Send PM to Littlemonk
 
thecustodian Profile
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God

Registered: 04-2003
Location: The Temple
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Re: Alternate Poison/Plague rules


I like the existing rules inasmuch as they complicate the somewhat cheesy if necessary only-heal-at-zero-wounds tactics for lower-level Warriors.

However, I am interested at your rules too. I wonder if they can reduce their number of plague/poison tokens with settlement visits, or even discard them after each adventure?
21/Aug/2011, 4:47 am Link to this post Send Email to thecustodian   Send PM to thecustodian
 
Amazing Larry Profile
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Hero

Registered: 04-2010
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Re: Alternate Poison/Plague rules


As far as the poison/plague rules go. No the Warrior does not get -1 strength/toughness penalties when poisoned/diseased, that would make it too rough. The poison/plague clears up at the end of the dungeon. I wanted the poison/plague thresholds to be tied to strength/toughness without reducing it.

We got another session in last night, and ran into quite a few plaguebearers & scorpions emoticon. I like the rule, as most warriors start with 3 toughness, so they have a 50/50 chance of resisting the poison/plague effects. So far the rule works out nicely, plague/poison monsters are now feared by the party. Even a toughie like the barbarian with a crap-load of wounds, can only suffer so many failed toughness tests, after being struck by a poisonous/plague-bearing monster.
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OldWarrior Profile
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Registered: 04-2006
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Re: Alternate Poison/Plague rules


Do you have or propose any change to the Escape Table in regard to this new method?

The reason I ask is that I can see many Warriors/Warrior Parties deciding just after getting their second to last poison or plague token to just run away to avoid that last deadly strike or infecting blow.

I don't have any serious opinion on your rules yet. It certainly seems a plausible alternative to me -- though play-testing over a long period of time will probably be the best way for me to decide. emoticon

Last edited by OldWarrior, 22/Aug/2011, 7:56 am


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22/Aug/2011, 7:55 am Link to this post Send Email to OldWarrior   Send PM to OldWarrior Blog
 
Amazing Larry Profile
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Hero

Registered: 04-2010
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Re: Alternate Poison/Plague rules


Oddly enough, we generally don't use the escape table. I don't see it being a particular problem, as the escape table is pretty risky to use. Our group seems to prefer a death in combat.

I have though about adding venom antidote to our treasure deck, and maybe giving the holy water treasure card an alternate use as a cure for disease. However, seeing as poison/plague monsters really aren't that common, I'm rather satisfied going without antidotes. I was going for added tension when making this rule, and thus far it has worked nicely.
23/Aug/2011, 12:23 am Link to this post Send Email to Amazing Larry   Send PM to Amazing Larry
 
lord mavik Profile
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Hero

Registered: 08-2011
Posts: 45
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Re: Alternate Poison/Plague rules


Not sure where, but one of the optional rules I read for a tougher game was to give poison the added ability of doing D6 damage if at least 1 wound is done to the target.

This can make a monster with the poison ability a truly fearful creature if you use it with the rule of 6. Where a to hit roll of a 6 does a auto 1 wound.

Course, in general, monsters with any type of poison ability usually do less damage then other types of monsters of their level. This option brings them more in line with the damage and makes poison wielding monsters the bane of high toughness characters.
26/Aug/2011, 4:39 am Link to this post Send Email to lord mavik   Send PM to lord mavik Blog
 
QuestingKnight Profile
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Lord

Registered: 06-2009
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Re: Alternate Poison/Plague rules


Amazing Larry: I really like the sound of your alternative Plague / Poison rules, I might suggest my regular gaming group start using them.

On a side-note, I wrote up rules for a new special location call The Healer (http://imperialvault.co.uk/warhammer-quest-special-location/healer/).

Here, you can buy antidotes for poison and plague that can be carried into your next game; you can also have the effects of plague or poison (or other rules that affect your stats permanently) reversed. This takes time and money, of course...

It would be good if under your rules there were some permanent consequences of contracting plague or poison... perhaps a solution would be that instead of losing all plague and poison tokens at the end of the game, you can make a Toughness Test for each plague/poison token at the end of the game, and have that token removed if you pass. That gives you some ongoing problems for the Warriors to cope with.

I might also be tempted to grant a -1 Toughness penalty if the warrior has ANY plague tokens (and the equivalent Strength penalty for poison). It seems odd that you'd contract plague or be poisoned by a deadly beast and not feel a bit off-kilter, but that's just my opinion.

Lord mavik - I like your alternative rules for poison as well. My gaming group already uses a version of the min damage on a 6 To Hit (a minimum of 1 point of damage per damage dice of the attacker), so that really would make Monsters with the Poison Special Rule quite fearsome!

Last edited by QuestingKnight, 2/Sep/2011, 12:04 am


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