I was rereading the Far Realms article last night after running a session of Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil in which I introduced the Sanity rules from CoC and UA to my campaign and found myself struggling with adjudicating points for losing and gaining sanity. After reading the Far Realm article, I noticed a simple rule that was buried in the article. Make a Will save against a DC and lose one point of Wisdom upon failure. I'm curious what others think about this simplified system in comparison to the complex Sanity rules in UA.
As an additional supplement to the simplified version, I thought of incorporating temporary insanity results (UA) based on extreme failures of the saving throw compared to the DC. Temporary insantiy would be a result of failing the result by four or more or by rolling a 1 (an automatic failure).
Thinking about this more, it might be a bit much to base sanity on a key ability score. The idea of using a seperate score makes sure it doesn't interfere with a character's abilities.
But at the same time, a character that depends on a Wisdom score and has a high Wisdom modifier should be able to make the Will saving throw.
Another option might be to use something like this:
Instead of using a sanity stat, use an INsanity stat. Every time the character fails the Will save vs Sanity, he gains an Insanity point. Every time he gains an insanity point, he must make an insanity check. The DC is equal to the number of insanity points the character currently has. Once failed, the character goes insane. The character may make another sanity check every hour to regain control of himself. While insane, each failed sanity check adds 1 to the DC. A character who gains 21 insanity points is insane until he receives some form of restorative magic.
Insanity points may be removed by a lesser restoration or greater spell.
Have to play test that, but it might work.
Rest to define what the "Insane" state implies for a character...
Taping directly into WIS score is ugly as WIS score directly impacts the Will Save. That would mean the more you fail your save, the more chances you have to fail the next ones. Though the idea of a gradual descent into madness is seducing, this system tends to accelerate the fall.
Taping directly into WIS score is ugly as WIS score directly impacts the Will Save. That would mean the more you fail your save, the more chances you have to fail the next ones. Though the idea of a gradual descent into madness is seducing, this system tends to accelerate the fall.
The same issue could be said for the Sanity system presented in Unearthed Arcana. Whenever you roll percentage dice higher than your current score, you lose sanity points. As you lose sanity points, the probability of rolling higher than your current score becomes more likely.
Taping directly into WIS score is ugly as WIS score directly impacts the Will Save. That would mean the more you fail your save, the more chances you have to fail the next ones. Though the idea of a gradual descent into madness is seducing, this system tends to accelerate the fall.
The same issue could be said for the Sanity system presented in Unearthed Arcana. Whenever you roll percentage dice higher than your current score, you lose sanity points. As you lose sanity points, the probability of rolling higher than your current score becomes more likely.
It's been years since I played Call of Cthulhu (I don't remember what edition was current at the time...'89-'91-ish) but wasn't that how CoC designed Sanity Points? The more you lost the higher probability of you losing your mind? Wasn't there also a chance of snapping if you lost too many points at once (like a massive damage roll?) I was thinking of incorporating a SANity score whenever I get around to running a campaign. I like the idea of the PCs running into monsters that are a little too monsterous and having to wrap their minds around it. Also throwing some of Monte Cook's Chaositech stuff in. The book has all sorts of info on mad, chaotic cults, perfect for steering the PCs down the path to madness.
- Chris Shadowens
It's been years since I played Call of Cthulhu (I don't remember what edition was current at the time...'89-'91-ish) but wasn't that how CoC designed Sanity Points? The more you lost the higher probability of you losing your mind? Wasn't there also a chance of snapping if you lost too many points at once (like a massive damage roll?)
Yes, yes, and yes. The Sanity system in Unearthed Arcana was a reprinting and slight update to the CoC version. In fact, it evenhas a sidebar titled "It Came from Cthulhu."
I take it no one likes my concept. Ah well, guess that's why I don't write games. :))