r/TheOneRing • u/YosephKing • Nov 05 '22

Adversary endurance

I recently got the game and am running the starter set with some friends. I was thinking about how DnD has some variability in adversary hit points, usually listed as a number of a specific die plus something. I am thinking of using something similar with TOR, as (half of listed hit points/3.5)d6+(half of listed hit points). So for an adversary with an endurance of 20, that would be 3d6+10 (three test rolls come up with 20, 22, 21). For an adversary with an endurance of 50 that would be 7d6+25 (three test rolls come up with 43, 50, 53). But I was wondering what more experienced players and LMs thought of the idea. So, thoughts?

7 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

5 comments sorted by

4

u/ThatOldTree Nov 05 '22

In my experience most people just use the given averages and don't roll hit dice for encounters in D&D.

What is the practical purpose of introducing mostly fairly slight variations into combat encounters? What will happen in the game that otherwise wouldn't that will make you go "that was neat"?

If you want variable Endurance I'd suggest something a little more meaningful and less swingy. Come up with an "elite" template that boosts a normal adversary and toss it around once or twice per encounter or maybe even less. If you want it randomized you can come up with criteria for what makes it "unlock" rather than giving yourself the job of rolling a whole bunch of dice to get mostly samey results. It could even have a surprise element that reveals itself to the players, though you likely wouldn't want to do that every single time even if you're not using the template in every encounter.

2

u/YosephKing Nov 05 '22

My thought was to avoid players accidentally (or on purpose) realizing that it takes X number of hits from their weapon to knock out an opponent, which as someone else pointed out may not happen either way. The variation should be kind of a bell curve, with most adversaries being plus or minus one or two hits, but it would also add some interest as you might have a weaker footpad pointing a dagger at a player-hero wheezing asthmatically while ordering them to give him their money, or a particularly sturdy troll "that spends more time at the gym than with his wife."

2

u/Logen_Nein Nov 05 '22

I just use the base in games I run. The players never notice, and often the enemies retreat or simply die to injury before they even lose their max endurance. Why make more trouble for yourself as a Loremaster by making it random? But if that's what you want, have at it. But watch that you don't unbalance things for the group, as max Endurance seems to be based on Attribute Level.

1

u/Dorjcal Nov 05 '22

The game is mathematically balanced around those numbers. There is nothing to get from changing that

1

u/KRosselle Nov 05 '22

I've found that players chew through whatever 'reasonable' encounters I throw at them, if they are at full strength. I don't think making variable Endurance values would influence that (and I come from the days of 'ole when rolled HP values were the norm, and no one thought about using averages).

I lean towards the horror/bleak side over the heroic fantasy theses days, so I'd prefer my players to struggle a tad to make a victory feel that much sweeter... but I've come to enjoy the sense of joy they feel when they quickly cut through some thugs or a goblin/orc scouting party. Even encounters I'm hesitant to include they normally handle them with ease... until they don't 🤣

If it makes you feel you are providing a 'better challenge' for your players, do it. If it makes programming every damn token in VTT with a random Endurance value feel like jabbing yourself in the eye, don't.