Health State Rework
As we all know, Survivors have three Health States: Healthy, Injured, and Dying. The 'Deep Wounds' Status Effect also acts as a 'buffer' between the Injured and Healthy states, only existing in certain situations like from a Killer's Power (Feral Frenzy and The Redeemer) or from a Survivor's Unlockables (including but not limited to the 'Borrowed Time' Perk and the Med-kit Add-on 'Syptic Agent').
Another Status Effect--'Broken'--acts as a 'buffer' in a similar way, preventing the survivor from entering the Healthy state by blocking off healing interactions while in the Injured state. Several Unlockables, as well as the Plague's Power 'Vile Purge', can induce the Broken effect. One that I'm sure we all know is 'No Mither', a Teachable Perk from David King. Like the Plague's Vile Purge, No Mither does not have a timed duration. There is no waiting it out. Unlike Vile Purge, No Mither cannot be removed in the Trial. So, effectively, you only have two Health States. Permanently. Survivors can cleanse themselves of Vile Purge to regain access to their Healthy state, and can simply wait out the timed durations of other effects causing them to be Broken, but they cannot do so with No Mither.
Why am I talking about these two Status Effects? Because they directly go against the Healthy-Injured-Dying playstyle we're all accustomed to. Other Killer Powers do something similar, as well. The Trickster's Showstopper acts as its own special Health State. It cannot be healed like other injuries, and it takes multiple hits to actually sustain an injury.
It would make sense, considering all of this, to think that the Developers are limited by their Healthy-Injured-Dying playstyle. They've created various things that try to work around it but have to lose potential in order to fit in with what has been established.
My suggestion is that we 'remove' the Healthy, Injured, Dying Health States, in a sense. Survivors would have a pool of 'Health Points', let's say 150, and when they enter certain ranges, they would gain certain negative effects.
150-135: Healthy. No special effects.
135-110: Injured. The Survivor bleeds and produces grunts of pain as they move, making it easier to track them.
110-80: Mortal. The Survivor stumbles, slightly slowing them down (3.5m/s); the Survivor may not perform Fast Vaults. They Repair, Heal, and Sabotage 25% slower, and any Skill Check they face has a considerably reduced success zone. Their bleeding rate increases, causing them to lose 1 Health Point every 10 seconds. Their grunts of pain are more delirious, causing them to be louder.
80-0: Dying. The Survivor is forced to crawl, tremendously slowed down. They leave a trail of blood behind them. They cannot perform interactions. The Survivor loses 1 Health Point every 2 seconds and will bleed out when they reach 0. The Survivor does not lose Health Points when picked up by the Killer, on a Sacrificial Hook, or in a Cage of Atonement. The Survivor may Recover, gradually slowing the rate at which they lose Health Points to 0.25 seconds. Recovering also increases the rate at which the Survivor regains Health Points when healed, to 3 Health Points per second until they leave this Health State range.
Now that the Health State ranges and their effects have been laid out, we must look at how Killers' means of injuring Survivors is affected. I will also include any other circumstances that would affect this, such as the Endurance Status Effect.
Now that the Health State ranges have been laid out, I will describe how Killers' means of injuring survivors is affected. I will also include Healing here, as well as any other circumstances that need mention.
Basic Attack: Reduces a Survivor's Health Points by 35.
'Insta Down Attack '(Not the Exposed Status Effect): Reduces a Survivor's Health Points by 70.
Healing: The Survivor regains Health Points at a rate of 1.5HP/Second.
Broken Status Effect: The Survivor may not heal Health Points past 135.
Deep Wounds Status Effect: If the Survivor has more than 135 Health Points, they will immediately be set to 135 Health Points. The Survivor loses 1 Health Point every 1.5 seconds. Increases other reductions of the Survivor's Health Points by 10%, up to 85 Health Points. If the Survivor heals a total of 35 Health Points while this Status Effect is active, the Status Effect is removed.
Endurance Status Effect: Reduces the reduction of a Survivor's Health Points by 50% (halving it).
Exposed Status Effect: Increases the reduction of a Survivor's Health Points by 100% (doubling it) up to a reduction of 80 Health Points.
Haemorrhage Status Effect: If this Status Effect was caused by a Basic or Insta Down Attack, the reduction of the Survivor's Health Points is increased by 10%, up to a reduction of 75 Health Points. The Survivor's bleeding rate is increased (Stacks); if the Survivor would bleed at a rate equal to or greater than that of the Mortal or Dying Health State range, they will lose Health Points at the rate of that Health State range.
Mangled Status Effect: If this Status Effect was caused by a Basic or Insta Down Attack, the reduction of the Survivor's Health Points is increased by 10%, up to a reduction of 75 Health Points. When healing, the Survivor regains Health Points moderately slower (Stacks).
Bear Traps: When a Survivor is trapped, they immediately lose 10 Health Points and will lose an additional 2 Health Points for every failed escape attempt.
Padded Jaws: Survivors lose slightly less Health Points when first trapped (-5HP) and lose no Health Points when failing to escape a trap.
Honing Stone: Survivors who free themselves from a trap lose 50 Health Points.
Bloody Coil: Survivors who disarm a trap lose 5 Health Points.
Jigsaw's Baptism: Ambush reduces a Survivor's Health Points by 40. Survivors who fail a Jigsaw Box skill check lose 5 Health Points as well as facing a progression penalty.
Interlocking Razor: Survivors who fail a Jigsaw Box skill check lose 10 additional Health Points.
Amanda's Letter: Ambush reduces a Survivor's Health points by an additional 20.
Feral Frenzy: Survivors attacked while in Feral Frenzy immediately lose 15 Health Points and become afflicted by the Deep Wounds Status Effect. If a Survivor with Deep Wounds is attacked while Feral Frenzy is active, they lose 5 Health Points (not affected by the Deep Wounds increase) and Feral Frenzy deactivates.
Nasty Blade: Slightly increases the healing necessary to remove the Deep Wounds Status Effect (+5HP).
Stab Wounds Study: Moderately increases the rate at which a Survivor loses Health Points while affected by Deep Wounds (-0.25 seconds per Health Point).
Frank's Mix Tape: Survivors with Deep Wounds lose an additional 10HP (not affected by the Deep Wounds increase) when hit with Feral Frenzy.
Filthy Blade: Moderately increases the healing necessary to remove the Deep Wounds Status Effect (+10HP).
Vile Purge: When a Survivor is infected, they begin to gain Sickness Points. An infected Survivor loses Health Points at a rate of 0.01-1HP/Second, depending on how many Sickness Points they have.
Of the Abyss: Shred reduces a Survivor's Health Points by 35-45, depending on how charged it was.
The Redeemer: When a Survivor is speared, they immediately lose 5 Health Points.
Blood Bond: Victor's Pounce reduces a Survivor's Health Points by 40. Victor attaches to Survivors he pounced on if his attack does not reduce their Health Points to 80 or lower. While attached to a Survivor, Victor reduces their Health Points at a rate of 1HP/Second; if the Survivor is attempting to crush Victor while he is attached, this reduces to 0.5HP/Second. If the Survivor is reduced to 80 Health Points by Victor while he is attached, Victor will enter his regular Idle state.
Showstopper: Blades reduce a Survivor's Health Points by 5; this increases to 10 if Main Event is activated.
T-Virus: Tentacle Strike reduces a non-Contaminated Survivor's Health Points by 15. Zombies' attacks reduce a non-Contaminated Survivor's Health Points by 20. Tentacle Strike reduces a Contaminated Survivor's Health Points by 35. Zombies' attacks reduce a Contaminated Survivor's Health Points by 40.
Anti-Haemorrhagic Syringe: The Survivor regains Health Points at a rate of 1.5HP/Second until they have full Health Points or are injured in any way.
No Mither: The Survivor starts the trial with full Health Points, but will slowly (1HP/0.25Seconds) lose them until they reach 135, where they will then stop losing them from this Perk and become afflicted by the Broken Status Effect for the duration of the Trial. The Survivor's bleeding frequency is tremendously reduced (90%), and their grunts of pain are moderately reduced (50%). While Mortal, the Survivor's base running speed is slightly increased (to 3.6/3.7/3.8m/s), they may perform Fast Vaults at a slightly decreased (5%) speed, and they Heal, Repair, and Sabotage 15% faster (still have a 10% penalty from being Mortal). When Dying, the survivor can Recover indefinitely, able to slow the rate at which they lose Health Points below 1HP/0.25Seconds and even to the point of regaining Health Points. When the Survivor leaves the Dying Health State Range, they stop regaining Health Points.
Soul Guard: When the Survivor enters the Mortal Health State Range from the Dying Health State Range, they are affected by the Endurance Status Effect for 6/8/10 seconds. While afflicted by a Hex, the Survivor may Recover indefinitely, able to slow the rate at which they lose Health Points below 1HP/0.25Seconds and even to the point of regaining Health Points. When the Survivor leaves the Dying Health State Range, they stop regaining Health Points.
Tenacity: While Dying, the Survivor crawls 50/75/100% faster and may Recover while crawling. When Recovering and crawling at the same time, the Survivor does both at a slightly reduced (30/20/10%) rate.
Unbreakable: When Dying, the survivor can Recover indefinitely and at an increased (10/20/30%) rate, able to slow the rate at which they lose Health Points below 1HP/0.25Seconds and even to the point of regaining Health Points. When the Survivor leaves the Dying Health State Range, they stop regaining Health Points. The Survivor may only leave the Dying Health State Range in this way once per Trial.
Obviously, all numbers are just examples to give a feeling for the rework I'm suggesting, and it is a pretty hefty rework. Regardless, I hope this can be an interesting discussion.
Edit Log
Edit 1: Added the Anti-Haemorrhagic Syringe change
Edit 2: Added No Mither, Soul Guard, Tenacity, and Unbreakable changes
Edit 3: Added a Health Point penalty to failing Jigsaw Box skill checks. Added Trapper's Padded Jaws, Honing Stone, Bloody Coil; Pig's Interlocking Razor, Amanda's Letter; Legion's Nasty Blade, Stab Wounds Study, Frank's Mix Tape, and Filthy Blade changes
Comments
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This is a well thought out idea, but it would be more suited for a new game. DbD is way too far into the games cycle to completely rework such a base system.
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This sounds overly complex for no reason. What problem are you trying to solve?
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Thank you so much! I agree that DbD is probably way too far into development for this to be implemented--if the Devs would ever even consider it at all--and that it would be better for a new game, competitor or sequel. I really wanted to get my thoughts out, though, because I've been thinking about this for a while. Again, thank you for your (almost immediate) feedback.
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You're right, I guess I didn't make that overly clear. I think the best way I'd describe it is "Players have wanted variety in the game for a while now, even asking for different game modes, and the Developers have introduced Killers and other effects that 'mess with' the standard Health State system." So I tried putting the two together, suggesting something that would potentially shake up the META by adding more strategy to facing different Killers. And yeah, it can seem a little complicated at first, but I think it's just like any other game that features a 'Combat' system. I used the 'HP' term to try and reflect that, giving people something to connect this change with to make it easier to digest.
Thank you for your feedback!
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