Azure Trance
First Post
Might I ask for links?
Adult: GUCK development forum III
- Thread starter Death By Surfeit
- Start date
brevdravis
First Post
Birth and Labor, 2nd draft
Okay, thanks for your patience folks,
Here's my first take on the labor and delivery. It's based off the stuff on the site, but has a few changes made.
Childbirth
Giving birth is not without risk for either the morther or the child. Labor duration is 4d6 hours. Some people believe that labor will be shorter for the second and subsequent pregnancies, but this has been proven false through experience.
During the first half of labor, a woman is considered to be staggered unless she makes a concentration check at DC20. This represents that although early labor can be painful, it is nothing compared to what is to come.
During the second half of labor, the mother is considered to be staggered unless she makes a concentration check at DC40. This check does not allow free action, since the mother needs to make another check every 2 rounds. (They call them contractions, because if they called them "Horrible pains that make you wonder why you ever wanted children" there wouldn't be any kids.)
Once labor is completed, the mother has to succeed at a constitution check. The Standard DC is 10, which means that a totally average woman will have a problem 1/2 of the time. From a historical perspective, this is sadly true. However, there are numerous modifiers that can help or hinder the process.
Environment
Good conditions. (Clean, well lighted, comfortable) +2
Uncomfortable environment. -1
Unhygenic conditions (Stacks with uncomfortable) -2
Helpers
Midwife (Prof: Midwife, Check DC10) +6
Healer (Heal Check, DC10) +4
Layman (Heal Check, DC5) +1
Special children and potential crossbreed problems should be handled on a case by case basis. Generally if there is a special modifier, it will be listed in the Race category.
Success on the check indicates that the birth was successful for both mother and child. The mother and child are both considered Exhausted. Bed rest and recuperation time are Highly recommended.
Failure on the check indicates a problem. Due to the huge number of possibilities, this is represented by damage to the mother. The mother takes a point of damage by each point the check was failed by. If this is enough to kill the mother, she dies giving birth.
The child needs to make a simple constitution check in this case. If successful, the child lives. Please note that this is especially tragic if there is no wet nurse nearby to take care of an orphan.
Failure by the child results in another death.
One other case needs to be addressed. If the mother takes 1/2 her hitpoints in damage from a birth, there is a strong chance the child will die during birth. Make a constitution check for the child. If successful, the child lives, if not, the child dies.
It's A....!
Naturally, once the mother has gone through several months of labor, the appearance of the little one will be of much interest.
For standard races roll a die. If the roll is high, it's a girl. If low, a boy.
Variations by race are handled by the DM or addressed in the Races chapter.
Stats.
After birth, the child no longer has the protection of the mother's womb. Generate stats of the newborn and apply the age modifiers from table 5-xx (Don't have it yet...). Over the years, general social circumstances and training will determine which class the child will adapt.
A child starts with NO skill points,
No feats, no Move speed,
and 1 hitpoint. Everything else must be learned.
To determine physical appearance, a blending of the parental features are appropriate.
Mutations:
Personally, I think this area doesn't need too much, but that's just me....
Stuart
Okay, thanks for your patience folks,
Here's my first take on the labor and delivery. It's based off the stuff on the site, but has a few changes made.
Childbirth
Giving birth is not without risk for either the morther or the child. Labor duration is 4d6 hours. Some people believe that labor will be shorter for the second and subsequent pregnancies, but this has been proven false through experience.
During the first half of labor, a woman is considered to be staggered unless she makes a concentration check at DC20. This represents that although early labor can be painful, it is nothing compared to what is to come.
During the second half of labor, the mother is considered to be staggered unless she makes a concentration check at DC40. This check does not allow free action, since the mother needs to make another check every 2 rounds. (They call them contractions, because if they called them "Horrible pains that make you wonder why you ever wanted children" there wouldn't be any kids.)
Once labor is completed, the mother has to succeed at a constitution check. The Standard DC is 10, which means that a totally average woman will have a problem 1/2 of the time. From a historical perspective, this is sadly true. However, there are numerous modifiers that can help or hinder the process.
Environment
Good conditions. (Clean, well lighted, comfortable) +2
Uncomfortable environment. -1
Unhygenic conditions (Stacks with uncomfortable) -2
Helpers
Midwife (Prof: Midwife, Check DC10) +6
Healer (Heal Check, DC10) +4
Layman (Heal Check, DC5) +1
Special children and potential crossbreed problems should be handled on a case by case basis. Generally if there is a special modifier, it will be listed in the Race category.
Success on the check indicates that the birth was successful for both mother and child. The mother and child are both considered Exhausted. Bed rest and recuperation time are Highly recommended.
Failure on the check indicates a problem. Due to the huge number of possibilities, this is represented by damage to the mother. The mother takes a point of damage by each point the check was failed by. If this is enough to kill the mother, she dies giving birth.
The child needs to make a simple constitution check in this case. If successful, the child lives. Please note that this is especially tragic if there is no wet nurse nearby to take care of an orphan.
Failure by the child results in another death.
One other case needs to be addressed. If the mother takes 1/2 her hitpoints in damage from a birth, there is a strong chance the child will die during birth. Make a constitution check for the child. If successful, the child lives, if not, the child dies.
It's A....!
Naturally, once the mother has gone through several months of labor, the appearance of the little one will be of much interest.
For standard races roll a die. If the roll is high, it's a girl. If low, a boy.
Variations by race are handled by the DM or addressed in the Races chapter.
Stats.
After birth, the child no longer has the protection of the mother's womb. Generate stats of the newborn and apply the age modifiers from table 5-xx (Don't have it yet...). Over the years, general social circumstances and training will determine which class the child will adapt.
A child starts with NO skill points,
No feats, no Move speed,
and 1 hitpoint. Everything else must be learned.
To determine physical appearance, a blending of the parental features are appropriate.
Mutations:
Personally, I think this area doesn't need too much, but that's just me....
Stuart
Loren Pechtel
Explorer
Re: Birth and Labor, 2nd draft
For an unassisted birth this seems awfully lethal. An awful lot of such women are going to be Com1/Con 10's. She will die on a 5 or less--in other words, 25% of the time.
brevdravis said:
For an unassisted birth this seems awfully lethal. An awful lot of such women are going to be Com1/Con 10's. She will die on a 5 or less--in other words, 25% of the time.
Death By Surfeit
First Post
Wotcher all,
I've come back from a somewhat extended vacation, and its nice to see the ideas you've all come up with. I lack (for the moment) the time to go into detail about every outstanding issue, but will formulate a long and waffling rant at some point in the near future.
The current thread is looking a little heavy, so I will be posting the 'Adult: GUCK development forum IV' on Sunday-ish. The enclosed 'Full Mechanics v2.0' need very little tweaking, as I merely have to acquire and adapt the current rulings on pregnancy, childbirth et al. I lack your email address, Sorn, but ould otherwise be delighted to send you my copy at the time. No, the Full Mechanics aren't a definitive ruling, any more than any of my other adaptations, and my editing is open to as much criticism as you can throw at me.
Brevdravis, I like your childbirth rules, despite the high commoner mortality. Alzrius, I eagerly await your effects on the unborn child, and if posted over the next few days it will be worked into the v2.0. Sorn, Loren, Psyckosama et al, thanks for your valid comments and contributions.
I'll have the new topic up at the end of the weekend; in the meantime continue to discuss outstanding issues, as nothing here is final and I want as broad a consensus as possible for the v2.0 mechanics.
Cheers,
DbS
I've come back from a somewhat extended vacation, and its nice to see the ideas you've all come up with. I lack (for the moment) the time to go into detail about every outstanding issue, but will formulate a long and waffling rant at some point in the near future.
The current thread is looking a little heavy, so I will be posting the 'Adult: GUCK development forum IV' on Sunday-ish. The enclosed 'Full Mechanics v2.0' need very little tweaking, as I merely have to acquire and adapt the current rulings on pregnancy, childbirth et al. I lack your email address, Sorn, but ould otherwise be delighted to send you my copy at the time. No, the Full Mechanics aren't a definitive ruling, any more than any of my other adaptations, and my editing is open to as much criticism as you can throw at me.
Brevdravis, I like your childbirth rules, despite the high commoner mortality. Alzrius, I eagerly await your effects on the unborn child, and if posted over the next few days it will be worked into the v2.0. Sorn, Loren, Psyckosama et al, thanks for your valid comments and contributions.
I'll have the new topic up at the end of the weekend; in the meantime continue to discuss outstanding issues, as nothing here is final and I want as broad a consensus as possible for the v2.0 mechanics.
Cheers,
DbS
brevdravis
First Post
Addendum to the pregnancy rules...
You guys make a good point about the lethality on Com1's BUUUUT..... Historically many women did die in childbirth without help. Usually their first child...
How bout this modifier....
2nd and subsequent births: +3 to con check
That makes it more likely that a woman who has had children before will be able to do so again.
Stuart
You guys make a good point about the lethality on Com1's BUUUUT..... Historically many women did die in childbirth without help. Usually their first child...
How bout this modifier....
2nd and subsequent births: +3 to con check
That makes it more likely that a woman who has had children before will be able to do so again.
Stuart
Loren Pechtel
Explorer
Re: Addendum to the pregnancy rules...
It's still way too lethal, though. There's still plenty of women who don't make it to the hospital in time. Many of them would be Com1/Con 10's--yet a quarter of them don't die or even suffer any serious problems.
brevdravis said:
It's still way too lethal, though. There's still plenty of women who don't make it to the hospital in time. Many of them would be Com1/Con 10's--yet a quarter of them don't die or even suffer any serious problems.
brevdravis
First Post
not modern setting tho...
I still think the figures are good. Even a layman improves the odds, and once again, historically, childbirth did tend to kill women off regularly.
Stuart
I still think the figures are good. Even a layman improves the odds, and once again, historically, childbirth did tend to kill women off regularly.
Stuart
Psyckosama
First Post
I recomend you put in aditional modifiers for births assisted by magic or technology. Even a low level Cleric, Adept, Druid or even a Paladin with Lay on Hands around to help would <I>greatly</i> increase chances for a sucessful birth and survival of both mother and child.
Loren Pechtel
Explorer
Psyckosama said:
I don't see that it's much of an issue. Anyone with magical healing is going to be able to heal damage and at least stabilize her even if they can't heal enough to bring her positive. In anything other than extreme conditions the birth can't do enough damage to send her below -10hp.
Loren Pechtel
Explorer
Re: not modern setting tho...
But 25% of unattended births resulting in death?! I've heard of plenty of incidents of women having babies in odd places because they didn't make it in time. I've never heard of one dying because they didn't make it in time.
The real killer wasn't birth in the first place but post-partum infection anyway.
brevdravis said:
But 25% of unattended births resulting in death?! I've heard of plenty of incidents of women having babies in odd places because they didn't make it in time. I've never heard of one dying because they didn't make it in time.
The real killer wasn't birth in the first place but post-partum infection anyway.
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