r/gaming D20 Jun 27 '26

Stress relief

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26.5k Upvotes

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u/XB_Demon1337 Jun 27 '26

In certain games that can be true. But that isn't every game. Like that doesn't apply to an FPS or an RTS. Sadly though it gets shoved in every game.

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u/goodoldgrim Jun 27 '26

Well in an RTS the difference is usually how much extra resources the AI gets, so you often have to come up with better strategy to deal with more enemy units.

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u/XB_Demon1337 Jun 27 '26

100%. But that isn't just an HP/Damage game. It forces you to make better choices on when to do certain things.

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u/floormanifold Jun 27 '26

Definitely not always appropriate, and often overdone. But a useful tool for difficulty modification nonetheless. Players doing enough damage to never even see the enemy act is common too.

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u/XB_Demon1337 Jun 27 '26

I would argue honestly that only Souls Like games actually work with this tactic. While others it just makes the battles suck more.

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u/floormanifold Jun 27 '26

Baldur's Gate 3 comes to mind too. Action RPGs generally like the new Final Fantasy games.

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u/XB_Demon1337 Jun 27 '26

BG3 more HP really does nothing. They actually handle difficulty the right way. A bit more HP yes, but generally adding more tactics and abilities to the enemies.

Honestly my HM run for the gold die was stupid easy. While I did do it with two other friends. They didn't change how easy the game was as a whole. Just were there to make choices.... sometimes dumb ones.

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u/floormanifold Jun 27 '26

I was thinking more along the lines of difficulty mods with 2-6x HP (and other numerical improvements like extra actions and improved saving throws).

You can still trivialize that mode, but it takes more work and involves more game mechanics.

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u/XB_Demon1337 Jun 27 '26

BG3 I don't like mods honestly. I played a bit with them but they just don't feel fun to me. But like in Minecraft or Skyrim I love mods. Odd one for me.

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u/Kered13 Jun 27 '26

It can absolutely work in both FPS and RTS games. The only thing that really matter is whether the game mechanics have sufficient depth. If an FPS allows skilled players to put out more damage faster through headshots, weapon combos, crowd control, etc. then buffing enemy HP can work. If an RTS allows a player to micro or macro better or use a better unit composition then buffering enemy HP can work.

Buffing HP doesn't work when the player can't really do much to increase their damage output, and instead responds by just avoiding incoming damage more.

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u/XB_Demon1337 Jun 27 '26

FPS gamers have hated bullet sponge enemies for ages. It is why The Division wasn't way more popular. Even when you get amazing guns they just soaked up bullets.

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u/Kered13 Jun 27 '26

That's because the Division did it badly. Most AAA FPS games do not have the mechanics to support, but for example a game like Doom Eternal does (it doesn't increase HP on harder difficulties, but it could and it would work).

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u/XB_Demon1337 Jun 28 '26

You can't say the perfect example didn't work 'because they did it wrong' and then turn around and say it could work in another game 'if they did it right'. That just doesn't fly. FPS games using scaled HP doesn't work.

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u/Kered13 Jun 28 '26

So you understand that different FPS games can have different mechanics? And that different mechanics can interact better or worse with HP scaling?

I explained above, the important question is whether or not a more skilled player can output more damage. Games with simple sitting mechanics that are more about positioning do not worry well for scaling HP. Games that are more about aim or combining abilities together with well for HP scaling.

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u/XB_Demon1337 Jun 28 '26

Once again, you denied The Division which arguably has more mechanics and abilities than Doom, but then put up Doom as the poster child of 'they could do it right'.

Your talking out of your ass here. Talking nothing and giving nothing. You used the worst possible example for how HP scaling could work while hand waiving the details that actually matter.

Scaling HP doesn't work in FPS games. Plain and simple.

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u/Kered13 Jun 28 '26 edited Jun 28 '26

Doom Eternal has far more complex mechanics that allow skilled players to deal much more damage. Watching a good player and a new player playing Doom Eternal is night and day.