Cold Damage and Checks

[kmdietri]

I'm not sure if this has been asked before since the search function is down. So here goes.

Under Cold Danger in the DMG (P.86)
Starting with the third paragraph:
An unprotected character in cold weather (below 40 F) must make a Fort saving throw each hour (DC 15+1 per previous check). or sustain 1d6 points of subdual damage. A character who has the Wilderness Lore skill.....
In conditions of extreme cold or exposure (below 0 F), an unprotected character must make a Fort save once every 10 mins (DC 15 +1 per previous check) taking 1d6 points of subdual damage on each failed save. A character who has the Wilderness Lore skill...... Characters wearing winter clothing only need check once per hour for cold and exposure damage.

I'm wondering about the correct interpretation of this rule. In my mind the first time I read this I took it to mean that if a character is wearing winter clothing they have to check every hour for temps of 0 F and lower but do not have to check at all for temps between 40 F and 1 F.

However after looking at it a couple more times it seems that that might not be the case.

I guess my question is does a character in winter clothing need to check for subdual damage when the temp is above 0 F.

If they do it seems that characters will eventually freeze to death any time there out in weather below 40 F for extended periods of time. Which to me doesn't seem quite right.

Thanks for any thoughts or a point to a prior thread.

 

[Deadguy]

Winter Clothing - A Must-Buy for Cold Climes!

Hmmm.... I can see where you are coming from. And I agree that it could have been phrased better. I suspect (but do not know) that your first intuition was right, and that characters in Winter Clothing do not make rolls in the 0 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit (dammit, learn Celsius - 4.5 degrees to minus 18 degrees Celsius!).

That way, PCs have a good reason to invest in that cold weather gear rather than trying to brazen it out like a bunch of idiots.

 

[Ferox4]

I also think that you were right the first time, kmdietri. It is the dead of winter in my campaign right now and the party has been having a hard time with the cold exposure. They all have winter gear, but the temps are well below zero. I don't make them save if the temp climbs above 0 (F) -- that's what the winter gear is good for. Remember though, that ANY Healing spells automatically remove ALL subdual damage.

 

[Vanye]

Remember though, that ANY Healing spells automatically remove ALL subdual damage.

Not true. As per the SRD (emphasis mine):

Healing Subdual Damage
A character heals subdual damage at the rate of 1 hit point per hour per character level. When a spell or a magical power cures hit point damage, it also removes an equal amount of subdual damage, if any.


Thus, if a character has taken 15 points of standard damage, and 7 hp of subdual damage, and gets CLW'd for 5 points of healing, he's at 10 points of standard and 2 of subdual.

 

[Ferox4]

Really? Hmmmm..... I must be misremembering. I stand corrected. Thanks for the clarification, Vanye.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Thus, if a character has taken 15 points of standard damage, and 7 hp of subdual damage, and gets CLW'd for 5 points of healing, he's at 10 points of standard and 2 of subdual.

Now, what about the other way around?

If he's taken 7 points of standard damage, and 15 points of subdual damage.

He gets CMW'd for 20 points of healing. But since he's only taken 7 points of damage, the spell only cures 7 points. By the letter of the description, shouldn't the spell only cure 7 points of subdual damage?



-Hyp.

 

[frankthedm]

Officially:
Damage
5 lethal / 15 subdual

Cure light wounds for 10 HP

The healing cures an equal amount of subdual damage as lethal damage

So;
0 lethal/5 subdual

Now to be honest I an not a very generous DM, but I would say that if all normal damage is healed and the Cure spell has healing strength left it will heal double subdual.

Damage
5 lethal / 15 subdual

Cure light wounds for 10 HP

5HP Lethal is healed along with 5 subdual leaving 10 subdual

The rest of the healing [5] cures double of subdual. Thus all is healed.

Otherwise you would be better of with 10 lethal and 10 subdual damage