Analogues of System Shock Survival?

[Mark]

What do game systems that do not have system shock survival use in its place, if anything? Did you use system shock survival when it was part of the game system? How did it work for you?

 

[coyote6]

Ability checks (in GURPS, a HT roll to avoid dying from a heart attacks or the like) or saves (e.g, 3e's DC 15 Fort save for massive damage).

I don't know if they are used for precisely the same types of things as system shock checks in AD&D, though.

 

[JRRNeiklot]

I used it. It's the only way to make death feared. I use a dc 15 fort save in 3e/Pathfinder for anything that would require a system shock roll in 1e, except for haste since it's been nerfed.

 

[Stormonu]

I used it once or twice in AD&D, but when a player lost his character to system shock roll during a "mundane" polymorph, I threw it out of the game.

I suppose Fortitude would be used in 3E/Pathfinder. 4E uses the "death saves", I guess. Savage Worlds uses a Vigor roll, it appears. Don't remember what other systems use right now, but it would be my guess just about every system has something that approximates what System Shock/Ressurection Survival roll do in AD&D.

 

[JRRNeiklot]

Polymorph is never mundane. It gives significant power with an even more significant risk. Anyone who goes around polymorphing himself or his allies willy nilly is going to die irrevocably someday. Polymorph should be used ONLY when when the crap has hit the fan and there's a good chance you'll die without it. Same with old school haste. Anyone who goes around throwing those type of spells as sop deserves what they get.

 

[Janx]

Polymorph is never mundane. It gives significant power with an even more significant risk. Anyone who goes around polymorphing himself or his allies willy nilly is going to die irrevocably someday. Polymorph should be used ONLY when when the crap has hit the fan and there's a good chance you'll die without it. Same with old school haste. Anyone who goes around throwing those type of spells as sop deserves what they get.

I can agree with that.

While I support a playstyle that discourages frequent PC death, when the spell has a warning from the Surgeon General that use of this spell will cause a System Shock roll and potential death, that is the PLAYER directly choosing to take that risk.

 

[Stormonu]

Polymorph is never mundane. It gives significant power with an even more significant risk. Anyone who goes around polymorphing himself or his allies willy nilly is going to die irrevocably someday. Polymorph should be used ONLY when when the crap has hit the fan and there's a good chance you'll die without it. Same with old school haste. Anyone who goes around throwing those type of spells as sop deserves what they get.

Sorry, there is no way I can agree. Turning into a sparrow should never kill a 9th+ level wizard.

 

[Ariosto]

Sorry, there is no way I can agree. Turning into a sparrow should never kill a 9th+ level wizard.

And it won't, either, if he or she uses Polymorph Self instead of Polymorph Other.

 

[circadianwolf]

I was really hoping this thread was about a System Shock RPG. Alas!

 

[Grazzt]

I used it. It's the only way to make death feared. I use a dc 15 fort save in 3e/Pathfinder for anything that would require a system shock roll in 1e, except for haste since it's been nerfed.

We used it in 1e, 2e, and 3.x as well (DC 15 Fort save here as well). Same for the Resurrection Survival chance too.

That one, Res Survival, cost my brother his paladin..rolled legally in 1e (which was next to impossible to get, even using 4d6, drop lowest). Paladin got swallowed by a remorhaz, and after it was killed, the party cut the remorhaz open, pulled the paladin out, and had the cleric attempt to restore him to life. He needed a 99 or less to survive. He rolled 00. First time I'd seen that. We actually paused the game briefly to think about that, and then moved forward with the game.