Shields and Light

Shields should be more interesting. Shields weren't popular for centuries because they gave +1 AC.

+1AC is boring.


  • You can sacrifice your shield to avoid the damage of one hit that could conceivably be blocked.
  • You can try to sacrifice your shield to avoid all damage. 1 in 6 chance to block all damage, either way your shield breaks.
  • Force your opponent to roll to hit again, 3 in 6 chance your shield breaks and you still get hurt.
  • Force your opponent to re-roll damage. 3 in 6 chance it breaks.
  • Sacrifice your shield to re-roll incoming damage. Capped at the previous total.
  • Your shield doesn't give you an AC bonus, it has HP (4/6/8 small/med/large) and you can choose to put some damage on it but it breaks if it goes over (HP can be kept secret from players)
  • Shields don't give an AC bonus, they reduce damage by 1/2/3 against shots it could block.

Light sources are a nuisance to track as in-game time. Players find it tedious, the GM has enough to think about.

  • Light has a "fuel" rating (torch 6/ candle 8/ lantern 12). Reduce this by 1d4 every room/encounter/when you remember. Don't let the players know how much they have left.
  • Light as literal time. If a torch lasts an hour, it lasts an hour of game time. A 4 hour session would need 4 torches.
  • Every time you think "those lights have been up for a while" roll every encounter from then on. 3/2/1 in 6 chance they run out.
  • D10 plus the number of encounters. 10/12/18+ the lights go out. 
  • Every dungeon has "murk" rating 1- 20, 1 being insane and 20 being lame. When you feel like being a bastard roll the area's murk like a normal save throw. Torches go out on the first failed save, candles 2, lanterns 4.



Anyone have any other ideas?

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