A question about knocking a character out.

[BrickBronze_E-Genasi]

Ok, I' rather new to D&D yet i have to DM all the time and while one of the players elven character was completely drunk on dwarven spirits, are large character with 32 strength punched him in the face with the intent to know him out. And the characters player was trying to say that that wouldn't knock him out. Was ruling that it was enough to knock him out the right decision?

 

[Dandu]

Check the rules for characters dealing nonlethal damage. That should just about cover it.

 

[Cor_Malek]

As reference - it's as if he got punched by an adult golden dragon (33 str), or a whale (35 str). Not knocking someone out would require surgical precision, not simply an intent. He should be happy he's alive, especially that I suspect the other character was drunk as well.

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

Here's the SRD section on basic attacks, and here's the bit on non-lethal damage. If you haven't seen it, an online SRD can be a big help.

Usually unarmed attacks like punches deal non-lethal damage rather than normal damage. When a character has taken more non-lethal damage than he has hitpoints, he falls unconscious. So if the STR32 character did more damage than the target's current hitpoints, he knocked out the target.

But you're the DM, so really it's ok to make a ruling even if it's not "correct" by the rules. Like Cor_Malek said, a STR32 guy is REALLY strong. And what's more, in your example, the target was drunk, so that's an additional consideration.

Honestly, don't worry too much about the "correct" ruling. You'll figure out all the rules and how to make good, quick rulings with a little practice.

 

[radmod]

I've seen many house rules people use for this situation. For example, I have played that a char gets so many damage points (based on Con and a little on level). In special circumstances like yours, exceeding the dps knocks the character out.

In the end though, I agree with the_orc_within, you're the DM. If you feel he should've been knocked out, then there you go.

 

[Vegepygmy]

Was ruling that it was enough to knock him out the right decision?

It depends on what kind of game you and your players want to have. If you want a "rules light" game with lots of ad hoc rulings by the DM, you did great. If you want a consistent game where players can make informed choices based on the established "reality" of their world, you probably set a Very Bad Precedent.

How did your players like the ruling? If the elf's player wasn't pleased, I'd guess he leans toward a more consistent game. (Or maybe he's just a crybaby.)

 

[Persiflage]

Personally, I'd be having the alcohol impose a Dex and Con penalty: say, -1 per unit, recovered at the rate of 1 per hour. Alcohol is, after all, a drug. I've done this in the past and it works well without being horribly difficult to keep track of. This makes barroom fights significantly more dangerous, as the characters' hit-point totals are significantly lower than they're used to, and a good smack in the face from a high-Str thug can lay even a mid-level character out if they haven't been keeping an eye on their consumption.

I don't have access to it right now, but doesn't the Book of Vile Darkness have more detailed rules for various forms of substance abuse, alcohol included?

 

[Dandu]

Alcohol is in the Arms and Equipment Guide.

 

[HoboGod]

As I see it, roleplaying and combat are entirely different ball games.

In combat, the players are on equal footing with the DM. The DM's monsters and NPCs must roll their dice to make any engagement with the PCs.

Outside of combat, the DM is God. The DM no longer needs to roll her dice to affect ANYTHING relating to the players. Storms may blast down doors, dung beetles may fall from the sky, and NPCs may score multiple critical hits without the DM touching her dice.

However, your players must trust that what you do outside of combat is fun, exciting, and even in misfortune shall grant them a piece of the spotlight. If a commoner has knocked them out with one punch, then make it entertaining. The player neglected to notice that the tavern floor was wet with ale and slipped in the exact instance that the commoner threw his punch. The commoner broke his hand on the player's jaw but it gained him some respect in the tavern. The next day, the commoner comes to the player, his henpecking wife dragging him by the ear, and apologizes in front of the WHOLE tavern for causing a fight. Alternatively, if a tough-as-nails SOB knocks one of the players out with one punch, play this guy out like he chews razor blades and treats his wounds with sawdust. Make it seem like the characters were lucky they pissed him off on a good day. You know any Chuck Norris jokes? The tavern folk talk about this guy like that.

 

[Persiflage]

I'm right with you for DM fiat in things that the rules don't cover or that the players aren't involved in, but in what way is "getting punched in the face" not "combat"? There's a word for making that sort of decision arbitrarily when there are rules to cover it, and that word is "railroading".

No way would I put up with a random bar-room brawler automatically making a character of mine unconscious with a single punch, regardless of my current hit points or abilities. Nor would I subject my players to such an indignity.