Anyone plays with instant kill?

[Crothian]

We tried it, and rejected it. It was too deadly for the PCs, in my opinion.

I agree, plus it creates situations were Bard kills a buffed out giant.

 

[Mr Fidgit]

i do a variant insta-death variant. (originally from the-thread-would-not-die, about house rules in House Rules)

http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1924

(a variant of the instant kill variant) natural 20 rolled is a critical threat. natural 20 rolled again confirms critical, and is a threat do even more damage (critical muliplier +1). if a natural 20 is rolled again (critical multiplier+1) is confirmed, and now threatens (critical + 2), etc. (i've never had a player confirm a critical multiplier + 1, so it doesn't come up often - and still gives the opportunity for an 'instant kill' via lots and lots of damage)

 

[Humanophile]

I've never used the insta-kill rules. The party can take approximately 400 possible attacks before one lands home, and considering the number of times enemies swing at the party, someone's going to get creamed by sheer bad luck sooner or later. And random "you die, no save" is never fun.

OTOH, I like DMWaV's rule, and actually planned on using it myself next time I get a game together. Still gives the opportunity for an Empowered, Maximized, Major Ouch without the random "sorry, yer ded" downside.

 

[Tewligan]

We use it in the campaign I play in, to my ranger's delight. Our party was fighting a small group of drow slavers, and their wizard was scuttling around out of reach on the cavern ceiling. I popped a desperate shot off at him with my heavy crossbow, and watched the dice come up 20, 20, and 17. The wizard plummets to the ground with a crossbow bolt buried in his eye socket, and my ranger gives the drow cleric a curt "you're next" nod as he's busily cranking his crossbow for another shot. I'm pretty sure that the rest of my bolts missed their mark that battle, but oh, that one that hit...

 

[Jaws]

I like it!

In the 2+ years of playing 3e, PCs have only succeeded twice performing an instant kill. Both times is was very dramatic. It added to the heroic feel.
The DM that runs the most for me, always rolls out in the open when the situation has come across against us. We have been lucky so far.
I have seen the DM roll 4 Nat 20s in a row once. Thank goodness it was for skill checks. So it didn't instant kill us but got us in mega trouble.

Peace and smiles

j.

 

[Corinth]

I use it by default in any D20 game that I run. In my DNW game, it cropped up again recently when one NPC slew a mook instantly and thus--through a total fluke of the dice--did the villainess get her way in the end despite the PCs winning the day.

 

[Kaji]

<BeginRant>

To me, the whole things of may be the greatest evil of all time, Rolemaster. If you never played RM, it was famous for an escalating crit system that ALWAYS (mild exaggeration) resulted in a wizards familiar throwing a rock at Demon Prince and slaying him/her and all the legions of Hell to boot. Crothian's example of his Bard killing a Cloud Giant or the other about 2 powerful fighters getting smacked on by devils they had well under control just seems so messed up to me. Under the normal Crit rules, the Bard would have been mighty happy with the crit he scored, and the Dwarven fighter example would most likely have suddenly been in serious trouble, but that adds drama and excitement. A scenario where my 6th level fighter is accidentlly killed by a non-classed kobold or some such crap just drives me crazy

<EndRant>

Sorry, it's late and I might be cranky...

 

[Oni]

I just have this funny picture in my head of dragon keeling over dead from a sorcerer's Ray of Frost.

 

[kibbitz]

Oh? I have visions of 1001 Sorc-o-Dinners, courtesy of people who start trying out this kinda stuff

 

[Melan]

I use them in my campaign. They are extremely rare and when they happen, it usually results in either triumphant celebration (like when the PCs do it) or shocked silence (like when a su-monster instantly killed a badass wolf-riding fighter with one blow). IMO they are a lot of fun for both DM and player.