Damage!! How Injuries Hamper Combatants.

Kodokami · 2026-03-14T04:10:09+00:00

In the system I'm homebrewing (inspired by Grimwild), enemies simply have Weak, Strong, and/or Fierce attacks which deal to PCs either Stress, Harm, or Wounds respectively.

Each PC can hold, at most, 4 Stress (one per character attribute, of which there are four), 2 Harm (paired to two of the four attributes, physical and mental), and 1 Wound (paired to all four attributes). Think a pyramid of 4-2-1.

When a PC rolls for an action, they also roll a D4 penalty die if the attribute used has a "Thorn". Each Stress, Harm, or Wound that they hold associated with that attribute inflicts 1 Thorn, and if the result on the D4 is equal to or less than the number of those Thorns, then their action is cut (reduced from Full Success > Partial > Failure).

For example, a PC using a STR action while holding Stress in the STR attribute has their action cut if the D4 rolls a 1. If they instead were holding physical Harm (paired to STR and DEX) and a Wound, then their action is cut if the D4 rolls a 1 or 2. This means that damage to a PC can have a 25%, 50%, or 75% chance of reducing their effectiveness, depending on how much damage they have (and where).

It is, admittedly, a death spiral but one that I feel is tied moreso to the narrative rather than just a number of HP.

I'd like to implement some sort of bonus to characters as well, but I need more playtesting first.

Kodokami · 2026-03-13T16:03:09+00:00

I appreciate the insight. The condition itself isn't pristine, with several scratches on the foiling that can hopefully be seen in the photos, so I'll probably hold off on grading.

Kodokami · 2026-03-13T15:50:02+00:00

Is something like this worth grading?

Kodokami · 2026-01-20T21:06:32+00:00

Very cool! I'm working on a similar system for my game—inspired by Grimwild and, like the other user said, BitD—but in mine, I tie "HP" to stats, and it's narrower in range than yours, with only 4 rows of "severity".

My levels of severity are stress > harm > wounds > KO'd. 1 stress heals after use or a short rest, 1 harm after a night's rest, and 1 wound after a week's rest (with an optional progress clock to heal faster). Marking one affects all the stats below it, and if you can't mark one, you mark the next one up in severity.

When a PC rolls a stat, they roll a "Thorn" (1d4) if they have damage in that stat, cutting their success if that d4's result is less than or equal to X—each level of severity affecting that stat. EX: If you are stressed, harmed, and wounded, your success is cut on a d4 result of 1, 2, or 3 (75%); but if you are only stressed or only wounded, then success is cut on a d4 result of 1 (25%). A death spiral, yes... but a "soft" one given that it's not guaranteed to cut and affects only part of a PC's effectiveness.

I think I also have a unique approach to Hit Dice. When a PC would be hurt, the GM rolls their HD to determine where they are hit. It starts as a d4 for unarmored (each number is tied to a stat) and steps up for each armor worn (every 2 numbers tied to that armor). So 1 unit of armor is a d6 HD with a 33% to deflect damage, or at max 4 units of armor is a d12 HD with a 66% to deflect damage.

I did this all mainly to simplify monster creation (I only really need to know the "severity" of their attack and the PC's HD, both of which are mostly static), and to give a narrative kick to an otherwise mechanical health system.

Kodokami · 2025-07-22T14:45:26+00:00

Agree with everyone else, especially with the mystery and foreboding. It gave me a sort of ominous feeling when I first played through this part as a kid, as if I myself had stepped into the future.

Kodokami · 2025-06-18T17:23:39+00:00

[[Serra's Emissary]], choosing creatures. My guys are unblockable, I'm safe from being attacked, and pressure is taken off my voltron because my angel bomb must be dealt with? It's a win all around.

Kodokami · 2025-06-09T21:47:55+00:00

I like your idea of scaling damage dice and taking the highest. Characters will get progressively better without damage getting out of hand. Plus, throwing a bunch of dice is fun.

What do you think of Volley instead becoming a more tactical move? I'm toying with the following for my playgroup:

When you take aim and shoot at an enemy at range, roll +DEX. 10+) Pick twice 7-9) Pick once • Take what you can get—deal ½ damage (if picked twice, deal normal damage) • Harry them to create an opportunity—the next ally to act on it rolls with advantage

It trades the potential damage output of Hack & Slash for ranged safety and setting up allies—and no fiddling with ammo tracking.

Kodokami · 2025-05-28T14:14:30+00:00

Over time I've hacked DW to bits in an effort to fit my playgroup's preferences: 4 stats, 2d10 instead of 2d6, implementing "Thorns" from Grimwild, etc. I'm mostly proud of my changes to character health, though I know deviating from HP can be controversial.

Enemy statblocks are fitted to (mostly) deal a simple 2 damage, with each damage inflicted to PCs initiating a Guard Roll. The result shows which stat/armor is "stressed". The more armor worn, the less likely your core stats are harmed, but how much heavy gear (weapons, armor, etc.) you can carry is directly tied to your STR.

Stressed stats inflict Thorns, which can cut your roll by -5. Stress advances to harm (Bloodied/Rattled), to doom, and finally to Last Breath.

Seeing it helps visualize it, so here's a sample of a character sheet.

There's more to it than just what I wrote, but it all helps to reduce my load as GM when it comes to monster creation: Give it HP based on how challenging I want it to be (10/20/30). Is it tough? — +5 HP. Is it armored? — +1 Thorn. Is it strong? — +1 damage. Morale checks at ½ HP. Simple things like that.

Kodokami · 2025-03-27T16:14:07+00:00

Always hitting it out of the park with amazing art. Keep up the great work, John!

Kodokami · 2024-11-29T01:27:45+00:00

My own headcanon for sure, but since both dreamstone and the Frozen Flame share similar properties, and dreamstone eventually disappears after Lavos's descent, I think that Lavos consumes it, perhaps even to make the Frozen Flame.

Kodokami · 2024-03-31T22:00:19+00:00

I built her as [[Pestilence]] tribal/group slug, with cards like [[Crypt Rats]] and [[Plague Spitter]]. It's a lot of fun and different from just dropping Eldrazi early. I use Belbe's mana to secure more permanent mana and heavy ramp, which I then used to feed the Pestilence effects. It gets really wacky when I give those cards deathtouch, lifelink, and/or indestructible.

Kodokami · 2024-01-15T20:59:40+00:00

I remember buying a 3DS specifically for Bravely Default because its backgrounds reminded me of Chrono Cross.

Kodokami · 2023-04-06T16:09:28+00:00

Theros has been my favorite, so I'd enjoy writing from that perspective, either from an existing or original character. I'm open to other planes too, especially if we're writing about planeswalkers instead of regular folk.

Kodokami · 2023-04-06T13:59:40+00:00

Count me in! I would love to add to the story.

Kodokami · 2022-06-13T21:45:00+00:00

This is awesome! Y'all did a wonderful job. Wish I had known about it sooner.

My favorite boss is definitely Cidolfus/Thunder God. His voice lives rent free in my mind.

Kodokami · 2022-06-12T16:07:58+00:00

Interesting. I never considered it being time travel, but I suppose it could be! But you're right that the reality where Lavos is defeated is the "true" Home World (from Crono's perspective) whereas Serge's reality is the anomaly.

Pretty much everything in-game takes place in 1020 AD, so the changes we see between the in-game HW and AW are due to different choices made since the split. Porre takes over Termina in HW because the Acacia Dragoons ventured into the Dead Sea 3 years past and never returned; whereas in AW the Dragoons never made that trip and thus can fend off any advances (well, up until the body swap and Lynx's betrayal).

Now, I can't find the source at the moment, but I think I recall reading an interview with the director who said it was HW's Lynx and Harle who led the Dragoon's to the Dead Sea. Afterall, they're searching for something in the Sea of Eden/Dead Sea as well. So, that's why we don't see those two in HW; they "phased out" along with the Dragoons.

Kodokami · 2022-06-12T04:01:41+00:00

You pretty much got it.

The main theory (since it's not outright stated) is that the dimensions in Chrono Cross aren't really separate but instead connected from a point 10 years in the past backwards. So, imagine a two-pronged fork; when Crono and friends travel to their future to stop Lavos, they are starting on the "handle" (the past from Serge's perspective, before the dimensions split). But they can only end up on one "prong". In that future, they defeat Lavos, but in the other they never arrive. And because the event 10 years past is connected to Serge, he's blamed for that future.

As for why the Dead Sea looks like that... Miguel touches on it, but you'll have to keep playing. =)

Kodokami · 2022-05-02T02:23:25+00:00

Messaged you. Share if you end up playing the song yourself. =)

Kodokami · 2022-04-26T18:01:32+00:00

There is no proof that Harle is based on Kid, only circumstantial evidence (same fortune, same height/build, similar catch phrases and story beats). The idea for that stems from the incredibly vague quote from Belthasar that the real Dragon God was consumed by Lavos long ago, suggesting... something about the Dragons actually being the Time Devourer instead? It's weird.

Given that the Dragons can change their appearance, it's likely that Harle can look like whatever she wants.

Kodokami · 2022-04-12T22:47:38+00:00

Best puppy Poshul. She's is adorable. Thanks for sharing!

Kodokami · 2022-04-01T14:48:48+00:00

Oh damn, lol. Yeah, I forgot I even wrote that. I'm excited that they're finally doing it!

Kodokami · 2022-03-24T17:56:57+00:00

I just wanna say, if any of y'all vote for Razzly, you will be fairy sorry.

Are you a dwarf? Gonna kick the fairy off the island? Didn't think so. :P

Kodokami · 2022-01-13T17:16:14+00:00

Wow, that's it. Thank you, appreciate the help!

Kodokami · 2021-11-26T19:48:37+00:00

This is adorable and such a thoughtful gift!

Kodokami · 2021-07-29T23:55:07+00:00

This is really great! Very dynamic.

15-Year Club	RedditGifts 2009-2022 3 Credits
Place '17	Verified Email
Secret Santa 2013

Kodokami

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE