Changing the effects of "save or die" spells

[hong]

This is an interesting idea. One quick question: how would you handle a TPK using this mechanism?

Two options come to mind:

- They all wake up, having been left for dead by their enemies.

- They wake up in chains, having been captured.

All the mechanic really means is that instead of dying, the DM finagles things so that you get to keep playing the character. How this translates into in-game events is something under the DM's control.

 

[FireLance]

I've been thinking about a system where failing a save against a save or "die" spell means that you take ability damage per round until the score in question reaches 0 - then the effect happens.

Examples:
Finger of death deals 1d6 points of Constitution damage.
Flesh to stone deals 1d6 points of Dexterity damage.
Baleful polymorph deals 1d6 points of Charisma damage.
Disintegrate deals 1d6 points of Strength damage.
Phantasmal killer deals 1d6 points of Wisdom damage.

At any time before your ability score reaches 0, a successful dispel magic, break enchantment or similar magic halts the process but does not repair ability damage.