TT Ep 81 Wounds Are Not HP - How Savage Worlds Wounds and Damage System Works

Carl talks about how Savage Worlds wounds are different from Dungeon and Dragons (D&D) and other Hit Point based games. He explains how the wound and damage system in Savage World works and the implications of this mechanism. Information for Game Masters (GM) and players. #SavageWorlds

[brianberg]

Initially I was put off by the perceived ineffectiveness of many attacks in Savage Worlds. Then I started narrating better. Every hit narrates as a wound, a cut, a slice, a bullet graze. But you are tough heroes, and those don't always slow you down. A wound is more like a critical hit in my narration and serve to give players pause. Likewise, I never let them know if they have wounded an opponent. All attacks that hit are seemingly effective. That way the players never feel like their actions have no effect. That changed everything and Savage Worlds has become one of my favorite games.

[ASavageWorldsGM]

Google ate a great comment somehow (don't know why). They mentioned that the values for attacking are "equal to or greater". Sorry I wasn't clearer on this point. If you made the comment and see this, I would love it if you post it again.

[aps-cal]

The wound system is what attracted me to savage worlds. I’m even thinking about implementing gritty damage.

[garfjaconsen]

I like wounds better than HP but I typically houserule in the damage system from Deadlands or WoD.

[JGWombat]

Thanks, Carl! Just found your channel and your videos are giving me a different perspective about how to run SW =)

[erikbuchanan]

Great video as always but i wanted to point out that to hit in melee the target number=the parry and shaken=toughness, not over those stats.

[sergiop]

D&D had the Massive DMG thingy but I get your point and agree with it xD

[j-]

Shaken increases the window of taking your first Wound.

[Magicwillnz]

Oh yes, hit points are my least favorite part of D&D. I hate recording hit points, I hate that combat is a mathematical certainty, I hate that two characters fight like it's 1917... it is just so weird to me that the whole gaming community has latched onto this weird, illogical system.

[kiillabytez]

Personally, I can’t stand hit points. They really bog down the game and combat takes forever. A set number of wounds lets combat be more deadly and uncertain. Way more exciting that rolling for damage for the 10th time against the same opponent.

[BobSmith-ooei]

So having listened to this my take aways are all anything attacking me with a gun in Savage Worlds has to do to connect a shot, is roll 4 or better to hit, that I will automatically take a penalty when they do that completely take's me out of the fight by itself unless I spend an extremely limited resource on it that the game assure I'll have for other things, but I really dont have it because I have to reserve it for removing this crippling Debuff, and the only possible ways around this require's high system mastery to even know, and thats to either prioritze toughness above all else and if you do sometimes maybe you'll survive an enemy with a ranged weapon, or build a none combatant and never ever fight anything ever.

I got talked into a Savage Worlds game. I should of known anything with fans as cult like about it as the dude who pushed the GM to run Savage Worlds was couldn't possibly be good. This is gonna suck.