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Status: Open for discussion and playtesting feedback

Proposal

Current System

Player Character Starting Health:

  • Formula: 20 + Body value + Lineage modifier
  • This is fixed for all generation packages (6D, 9D, 12D)

Threat Health:

  • Formula: 20 + Body value + Tier modifier
  • Scales by threat tier: Minion (+5), Standard (+10), Elite (+15), Champion (+25), Legendary (+50)

The Problem

Asymmetry. Threat difficulty is directly tied to Health scaling (a Legendary has 50 more Health than a Minion because they're supposed to be 10× tougher), but PCs all start with the same baseline regardless of campaign power level.

  • A gritty 6D campaign (max Attributes 3D) often feels more fragile than intended
  • A cinematic 12D campaign (max Attributes 5D) might feel too durable
  • Mid-power 9D campaigns work fine, but groups choosing extremes don't have that knob to turn

The Proposal

Tie starting PC Health to the Generation Package, mirroring how Threat Health scales with tier.

New Formula

Starting Health = Package Base + Body value + Lineage modifier

Package Max Attribute Package Base Example (Body 3D, Lineage +1)
6D (Gritty) 3D 10 10 + 3 + 1 = 14 Health
9D (Standard) 4D 15 15 + 3 + 1 = 19 Health
12D (Cinematic) 5D 20 20 + 3 + 1 = 24 Health

Effect on Typical PC

Package Typical Health Range vs. 9D Baseline
6D 18–20 −5 (more frail)
9D 23–26 Baseline
12D 28–31 +5 (more durable)

This does NOT change:

  • Fortitude calculation (still 1D6 + Lineage modifier per die)
  • Advancement Health gains (still tied to Fortitude only)
  • Threat Health calculation (no change)

Why This Works

✓ Matches intent. Gritty campaigns are fragile; cinematic campaigns are durable. Health scales to match.
✓ Keeps Fortitude meaningful. Talent investment still drives late-game survivability.
✓ Simple math. One base number (10/15/20) replaces the fixed 20, applied at creation.
✓ Mirrors Threat design. Threats already scale Health by tier. Same principle.

Playtesting Questions

  1. Does the fragility/durability curve feel right? A 6D PC has ~19 Health vs. a Standard Threat's ~23. Is that the intended gap?

  2. Does this change how character concepts play? A 6D rogue vs. a 12D rogue are now mechanically different in durability. Is that exciting or frustrating?

  3. Alternative bases. Should the package bases be 12/20/28 (wider spread) or 18/20/22 (narrower), or is 15/20/25 right?

The evaluation also asks: Should Threat Health base scale by tier rather than using a fixed +20?

Example: Threat Health = Tier Base + Body value + Tier Modifier

Tier Current Formula Alternative
Minion 20 + 2 + 5 = 27 15 + 2 = 17 (lighter)
Standard 20 + 3 + 10 = 33 20 + 3 = 23 (lighter)
Elite 20 + 4 + 15 = 39 25 + 4 = 29 (lighter)
Champion 20 + 5 + 25 = 50 35 + 5 = 40 (lighter)
Legendary 20 + 6 + 50 = 76 50 + 6 = 56 (lighter)

Question for playtest: Does scaling the base by tier make Threat progression feel more natural, or is the fixed +20 baseline the right call?

Next Steps

Playtest one or both of these in your next session: 1. Apply the Package Bonus to PC starting Health 2. (Optional) Experiment with alternative Threat baselines 3. Report back: Did it feel like a meaningful tuning knob?