LotFP: Cannon Damage?

RPGPundit · September 09, 2011, 05:56:46 PM

So, the castle my PCs in the Albion campaign are about to be involved in the siege of is one of the few in Albion that has a Bombard!

How should I handle the damage from cannon-fire in the LotFP game?

RPGPundit

The Butcher · September 09, 2011, 07:11:21 PM

How do you want artillery to compare to offensive arcane magic?

Use the classic offensive spells as a start. If a cannonball does 5d6, it means a 5th-level magic-user is a walking cannon once per day.

The siege weapon damage tables in the RC (which I don't have handy right now) should also offer some perspective.

Hope that helps.

RPGPundit · September 10, 2011, 12:11:29 PM

I'm thinking of doing something, with this small bombard (the first encountered in the campaign), like 2d10 damage in an area of effect, 10s "explode", and a saving throw avoids damage. You don't need to roll to hit with the bombard, it automatically affects everything in its area that fails to save against it.

RPGPundit

Premier · September 10, 2011, 01:49:32 PM

You might want to make a roll nevertheless, to see if it even hits the correct general area.

bombshelter13 · September 10, 2011, 05:06:58 PM

If the firer is a trained artillerist I could see skipping a roll, sure. But for any random PC I'd certainly have an attack roll - not because the shot won't go where the bombard is aimed, but because someone who isn't a trained artillerist may simply not calculate their aim correctly in the first place assuming they have a clue how to calculate it at all.

RPGPundit · September 10, 2011, 05:21:03 PM

I would require using a Specialty check: Artillery, mathematics, Architecture, or Engineering, to calibrate the shot.

RPGPundit

Fiasco · September 10, 2011, 08:22:21 PM

I like the idea of both exploding dice and save for no damage. Reflects the randomness of such a device. As for aiming, something like that targets an area but usually needs a couple of shots to calibrate range. So either you have the PCs holed up in a small areas with the shots getting closer or they have to march through an area which the bombard has been specifically set up for.

nezach · September 10, 2011, 10:26:02 PM

Quote from: RPGPundit;477807I'm thinking of doing something, with this small bombard (the first encountered in the campaign), like 2d10 damage in an area of effect, 10s "explode", and a saving throw avoids damage. You don't need to roll to hit with the bombard, it automatically affects everything in its area that fails to save against it.

RPGPundit

Do you mean 'explode' as in roll again (exploding dice), or as a misfire type of thing? I like the idea of 'exploding dice' for sure.

RPGPundit · September 11, 2011, 03:38:33 AM

As in, exploding dice; you roll the highest number possible on the die, that means you roll another die of the same kind to add to the damage, and theoretically this can keep going indefinitely.

RPGPundit

DavetheLost · September 11, 2011, 01:46:07 PM

Exploding dice is excellent. A save for partial or no damage also helps reflect that this is by no means a sure fire technology.

A random burn length on the fuse after launching and before exploding could be fun. Especially if you don't tell the players about it first.

"Where's the Kaboom? Surely there was supposed to be an earth shattering kaboom. Well, must be a dud then. So, let's-" KABOOM!

RPGPundit · September 12, 2011, 04:41:54 PM

As it turned out, I didn't really need to figure this out, since in the adventure the PCs saw the Bombard, but didn't actually get to use it or have it used on them, or even see it in use, only its consequences.

RPGPundit

RPGPundit · September 13, 2011, 12:20:49 PM

Anyways, yes, I tend in D&D to reserve the "exploding dice" mechanic for gunpowder weapons; I find that this gives them a particular character.

RPGPundit