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*Pathfinder & Starfinder
Death & Dying - a better (and simple!) system.
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<blockquote data-quote="eamon" data-source="post: 3592756" data-attributes="member: 51942"><p>Previously I'ld tried different approaches which I thought were "more fair", and these involved various modifiers and not losing HP but scaling saves, and being dependent on the amount of damage received in "the last hit". However, I've found that simple is definitely good, esp for a mechanic you rarely use. If you object to people losing two HP per round (i.e. 10 in total), then I'ld probably just remove the loss entirely and say take a fort save equal to the negative hitpoints. This, however, is definitely more lethal at low levels. The 1/2 factor was chosen carefully to be somewhat survivable at all levels even when seriously hit. A tenth level character might get hit for 35 damage from a fireball and drop to -34 (DC 17 in other words). A character with at least a +7 fort can survive that 50% of the time (reasonable, but he'll almost never, <1%, survive five saves). A serious tank might have a +12 modifier and has a better chance. In any case I hope it's a very serious risk, but that you're only an "instant+certain" goner if you're really hit very strongly, and that you have a very good chance if it's "trivial damage"</p><p></p><p>If you're really considering using it in a game, a number of issues (nothing serious) to consider in advance:</p><p> - if a person is dropped "right before" his turn this means two saves in short succession. You might allow him changing his init to his attacker's so that the victim always has a full round in between those scary saves</p><p> - this impacts Diehard and some other odd feats and class abilities; so should anybody want those (not common).</p><p> - especially (part of DIEHARD) automatic stabilization must go (you could "never" die!)</p><p> - some effects drop you instantly to a certain negative HP, and for extremely precise balance you could change those (probably not worth the bother though).</p><p> - for the rest, the domino effects to other rules look pretty limited to me.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Nobody's actually wanted to use it, but my diehard variant:</p><p>DIEHARD [GENERAL]</p><p>You remain conscious after attacks that would fell others</p><p>Prerequisites: Endurance</p><p>Benefit: Whenever reduced to negative hit-points, you automatically become stable (thus you only need to roll the first fortitude saving throw). Furthermore, if you succeed on this saving throw, you may choose to act as if disabled and remain conscious. If you do, you may make one move action or one standard action per turn. At the end of any round in which you perform a standard action, you take 2 damage and must succeed on another fortitude saving throw.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="eamon, post: 3592756, member: 51942"] Previously I'ld tried different approaches which I thought were "more fair", and these involved various modifiers and not losing HP but scaling saves, and being dependent on the amount of damage received in "the last hit". However, I've found that simple is definitely good, esp for a mechanic you rarely use. If you object to people losing two HP per round (i.e. 10 in total), then I'ld probably just remove the loss entirely and say take a fort save equal to the negative hitpoints. This, however, is definitely more lethal at low levels. The 1/2 factor was chosen carefully to be somewhat survivable at all levels even when seriously hit. A tenth level character might get hit for 35 damage from a fireball and drop to -34 (DC 17 in other words). A character with at least a +7 fort can survive that 50% of the time (reasonable, but he'll almost never, <1%, survive five saves). A serious tank might have a +12 modifier and has a better chance. In any case I hope it's a very serious risk, but that you're only an "instant+certain" goner if you're really hit very strongly, and that you have a very good chance if it's "trivial damage" If you're really considering using it in a game, a number of issues (nothing serious) to consider in advance: - if a person is dropped "right before" his turn this means two saves in short succession. You might allow him changing his init to his attacker's so that the victim always has a full round in between those scary saves - this impacts Diehard and some other odd feats and class abilities; so should anybody want those (not common). - especially (part of DIEHARD) automatic stabilization must go (you could "never" die!) - some effects drop you instantly to a certain negative HP, and for extremely precise balance you could change those (probably not worth the bother though). - for the rest, the domino effects to other rules look pretty limited to me. Nobody's actually wanted to use it, but my diehard variant: DIEHARD [GENERAL] You remain conscious after attacks that would fell others Prerequisites: Endurance Benefit: Whenever reduced to negative hit-points, you automatically become stable (thus you only need to roll the first fortitude saving throw). Furthermore, if you succeed on this saving throw, you may choose to act as if disabled and remain conscious. If you do, you may make one move action or one standard action per turn. At the end of any round in which you perform a standard action, you take 2 damage and must succeed on another fortitude saving throw. [/QUOTE]
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