In the real world, disease is a big deal. In literature, disease is a big deal. Disease is a cool thing to work with -- it has been imbued with supernatural import (the wrath of God, as it were), moral import (a sign of corruption), and horrific value. Whether it's the bubonic plague, the Red Death, or a zombie plague, disease is a trope that seems to have great value.
But from the appearance of disease rules in Supplement II: Blackmoor, disease rules in D&D have left me lukewarm, either with too much detail or seeming to focus on combat effect rather than feeling like illnesses. Now granted, rules for poison also suck (save or die? Ability damage?What about writing in agony? Slow lingering death? Seeming illness and weakness?), so this isn't much of a surprise.
So, since I am 1) working on a city campaign and 2) recently watched Black Death, I need to come up with some rules for disease that are interesting and simple (even though a cleric of 5th or 6th level or higher, depending on your flavor of rules, could easily cure the disease.) Anyone know of a simple way to put diseases in play (I admit, I am a mediocre rules designer at best)?
I may just wing it, writing up a narrative description of symptoms and some notes on how it may be communicated, then think of ways to use disease as a mystery or puzzle to solve, and then happily avoid disease from then on.
I'm interested in making diseases have more color and effect in the game too. I think you probably need to effect the players in game somehow but in old school D&D there aren't a lot of mechanical places to latch on to. Combat is the main place, make them always attack last, do less damage. Permanent scarring or sterility might get players' attention. Maybe just a countdown "you will die in a fortnight if you don't find a cure."
ReplyDeleteThings to hurt players
ReplyDeleteStat reduction
HP reduction - PCs work with 1/2 Hps or 1/4 Hps
Slow Drain of Stats or Hps
Move reduction - PCs shamble 1/4 or 1/2 move rate
Writhe = Prone
Negative Combat mods
High fevers run the risk of neurological damage :) perm wis and int loss :)
Kill or reduce Dex Adjustments
Reduced Saves
All of the above!
It spreads - who wants to be near the sick PC
Contagion is your friend.
I really like 4th Ed's disease rules. Basically each disease has a incubation period, and a serries of stages. If a character fails their save to resist the disease they start at stage one (which usually has minor effects, such as shakes, that give a -1 to hit, etc) and after the incubation period they make a save. Failing the save increases the Stage by one (each stage having progressively worse effects,) while success lowers the stage by one (at stage zero the disease is beaten.)
ReplyDeleteread Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
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