Coup de grace: am I doing this wrong?

[Wotansman]

From the Recent Dungeon Column (The Coup De Grace)http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dued/20080606 :

Early in the campaign, Garrot wandered into an ambush against eight orcs. They rose from hiding and all speared him simultaneously. Garrot dropped. And that was the surprise round. Initiative rolls determined that the orcs went first. The first orc's action? Coup de grace. There were other targets in the area, but no, Chris felt that the orcs would make sure Garrot was dead. Afterward, Chris, in his creative fashion, came up with a fantastic story reason for Garrot to return. He's been with us for another five levels.

Ok, have I been doing this wrong? I mean I'd be lynched by my players if I allowed a Coup de Grace along with a surprise round. I haven't seen anywhere that in certain surprise rounds the ambushed folk are helpless also. I mean that is vicious. Anyone got anything on this, or am I just absolutely unsure of the rules?

 

[Victim]

Umm, that's not what I read as happening. The orcs attacked the character, reducing him to zero HP from their attacks. Then the character was finished off while unconscious. The coup de grace was only because the character was already down.

 

[Wotansman]

LOL, oops, ok. I see that. Brain Fart, totally. Thanks.

 

[VannATLC]

You may only, according to the rules, Coup De Grace when somebody is Helpless.

This, generally, only happens during unconsciousness.

I expect the orcs did enough damage to knock him unconscious, then Coup De Grace'd him. (Actually, it states this.)

Ninja'd.

 

[Wotansman]

Yah, miss read on my part, and further rereading didn't help for whatever reason. Thanks. My head is up my... um... nether regions.

 

[Lurker37]

Edit - NM. darn, this forum is moving fast...

 

[hong]

You missed the REALLY goofy part, which is that CdG now is only an auto-crit for max damage, as opposed to auto-crit for x2/x3 damage plus save or die.

 

[Boarstorm]

You missed the REALLY goofy part, which is that CdG now is only an auto-crit for max damage, as opposed to auto-crit for x2/x3 damage plus save or die.

If that max damage is more equal to or more than your bloodied value, you die outright. Leaving that out felt wrong.

 

[hong]

If that max damage is more equal to or more than your bloodied value, you die outright. Leaving that out felt wrong.

Ahh, they fixed that! Awesome!

 

[ObsidianCrane]

Well that's the default for dying, no need to respecify it.