If I were to do a fantasy heartbreaker

 

Was talking with a couple of folks I used to game with a great deal back in the day. Of course at some point we got around to systems we used to play. What we liked or disliked about them. Why we walked away from some and all that.

Of course we got onto the subject of older Dungeons and Dragons editions before the 3rd one. The one game we all walked away from for at some point or the other. What rules really just irked us and didn't set right in our heads. Two big ones were hit points that just keep going up to where you can take more damage than massive monsters out there and how armor made you harder to hit. 

Now I've seen the things about how hit points were supposed to represent your ability to dodge attacks and move so damage is minimalized and the armor roll was showing the hits that went through and did damage not just all hits. But still just doesn't work for us. Mainly because it means an endless flow of bad guys with bigger armor and bigger hit points with weapons that do more and more damage with no real end in sight.

So I suggested how I would fix that if I were to ever make a fantasy heartbreaker type of system. All of which has most likely been done in multiple ways and variations that there is no way to keep count. 

First very little hit point increase. At the most one point per level. This way you could scale the power creep of bigger and badder monsters and weapons down a whole lot. You don't end up with characters that have more hit points than a heavy damn warhorse by level four or five. 

Second armor would just reduce the amount of damage taken. Either a static amount or maybe even another die roll for those who want to use their clicky clack math dice even more (I know sometimes I do). It would not factor in to your ability to be hit except as a negative for big heavy suits as they slow you down making your PC much easier to hit.

Finally the target number for something to hit you would be based on class and attribute bonuses. This number would get a boost as you level up. So you would have a base 'to be hit' number. Then you would add any attribute or other enhancement (magic, items, etc) bonus. Finally subtract your negatives for the armor you are wearing if there are any. 

Now this is just me spilling out onto my blog the stuff that went through my head today. The chance of me doing any sort of fantasy heartbreaker is pretty slim to none. But sometimes I just need to spit out ideas here to make my brain shut up.