Sliding Damage Scale, ...its just better not to get hit. Options

[Pollux710]

So, I've been browsing the forums and I can't seem to find what I need. I'm looking for a way to increase the damage (or lethality) of all weapons across the board based on a sliding scale. Simply because I would like a tougher game, and I think that surviving a hit from an assault cannon is realistically a miracle, even if you're a troll. I've been trying to do this by upping the ante on the DV and manipulating the AP on weapons to reflect their "real world" lethality. So far, I haven't been pleased, I've been trying to do this according to weapon type i.e. Light pistols +2 DV, Heavy Pistols +3 DV and (-1 AP), just as an example. Anyone have any better ideas?

[Ramorta]

Have you taken a look at the optional rules in Augmentation? Page 120 - Severe Wounds

[Pollux710]

Aye, something else that I've been thinking about.

[Ramorta]

After looking over the optional rules in Augmentation. I came up with something that might fit your "more lethal" world. Most of the time, getting shot isn't what kills you. Its the blood loss afterwards. As a house rule, you could say that anything larger then a light pistol (maybe heavy pistol and larger) will cause you to start bleeding out (See stabilization p244 SR4). That takes the whole "hitpoint" feel out of the game, because a single shot can kill you, if left untreated.

[Pollux710]

GREAT IDEA I LOVE THAT!!! Should I have that based on a sliding scale too? or just each hit bleeds one point per round?

[Neurosis]

Realistically it should be one point per minute. Considering that first aid can take 5 or more rounds to apply, and that healing requires similar amount of time to become permanent. Also, attacks that inflict a DV > Body should cause bleeding wounds (same rule used for knockdown).

Since the problem is Damage Resistance rolls, I can't help but think you might be better served by having DR rolls succeed on a 6 only.

[Ramorta]

They already have rules in place (page 244 stabalization) for bleeding out. You lose 1 box every (body) rounds. Which is fast enough for me. Your average human is going to be taking 1 box of damage every 9 seconds (3 rounds). A grazing shot with a light pistol is going to be 5 boxs, so it'll take an additional 45 seconds for him to bleed out. That gives you enough time to drag yourself behind a corner and bust out your first aid kit.

As for determining what attacks cause you to start bleeding, I would go with anything that causes physical damage (and is a heavy pistol or larger. You could start at light pistols if you want it to be REALLY deadly).

[Pollux710]

I keep thinking about attaching a threshold to that, as in, if the target takes damage greater than their body attribute then they start to bleed out, or maybe double their body attribute, just to make sure firefights don't end in a quick bloodfountain.

[Ramorta]

I guess it really depends on how often you want the effect to take place. I don't know about your table, but at mine. Combat typically doesnt last more then 3 rounds. So that is at most 1 extra box of damage you take (provided you got shot in the first round). If that one extra box of damage is ending in a "blood fountain" your party probably had more to worry about then just bleeding out. Though if I had to put a threshold on it, I would go with 3-4 boxs of (physical) damage after the resistance test. Linking the threshold to body or body X 2 is a little high (in my mind) because a troll (or other character with 5 or more body) is never going to bleed out. It would take a panther cannon to make them bleed at that point. A 10 body troll is only losing 1 box every 30 seconds. That troll, after taking a 3DV attack (after resistance) would take 5 minutes to bleed out (100 combat rounds). To put things into perspective.

The optional rule in Augmentation lists 7 or more damage as triggering the effect. You could try that and see how it works for you, but I have a feeling it will almost never come up.

[Pollux710]

Interesting, I'll have to take a look at Augmentation, that is a good idea though, having a damage threshold in terms of damage taken in total as opposed to damage immediately received.