How would you feel about this Returned from Death-rule?

[Frostmarrow]

In lieu of losing a level the character receives an xp-debt. The xp-debt is represented by a 50% xp-penalty that lasts until the character levels up the next time.

Example:

A 9th level character dies but is raised or resurrected. He has 36,000 xp. From now on until he reaches 10th level (and 45,000xp) he has a 50% xp-penalty. That means that if the character receives 5,000 xp from a particulary nasty encounter he can only use 2,500 of those. The rest goes to paying his xp-debt.

If a character with an xp-debt dies the xp-penaly lasts for another level.

Example:

The 9th level character from the example above dies for a second time and is brought back. Now his 50% xp-penalty will last until he levels up to 11th level (55,000 xp).

The differences from the normal rules are as follows:

* You don't have to erase and recalculate your character. You don't lose spells or hitpoints.
* The character that is about to level up is not punished as severly as the character that just levelled. (The opposite is true from the normal rules.)

 

[Nonad Cabbagebane]

I really like it. But I might be biases cause I hate loosing levels. I'd rather just not receive any XP for however long it would take me to get to me previous level. Anything is better then loosing a level. I hate it I tell you, HATE IT!!!!!! AAAAAH!

 

[Frostmarrow]

This has been an issue with my gaming group for as long as I can remember. But it's not as much as losing a level that bugs my players. It's that they have to erase their character sheets and recalculate the whole thing that bothers them.

The majority of the group decided to have characters who died lose a point in a randomly determined ability score instead. I think that that variant punishes the players more and want it replaced with something else. So I'd like to hear what you think of this variant.

 

[Nonad Cabbagebane]

Personally I would think that the losing an ability point would be worse. Especially if it dropped you from an even to an odd, resulting in a loss of -1 to your modifier.

A variant I would like to use would be something like...the character makes a Fort save at some DC (could be raised or lowered depending on level of cleric casting resurection, and/or level of character being raised) If the character makes the save then nothing happens. If not then they lose an ability score or level or get the XP debt, whichever you choose to use.

 

[Frostmarrow]

Interesting suggestions. I think it's a good idea to base the DC on the clerics ability rather than the dead characters affinity for something.

By the way. Welcome to the EN-Boards Nonad! I'm glad it was my thread that lured you out of lurkerdom

Previously I made this huge elaborate system for character death. It had 20 items on a list that you could suffer if you died. Then you could invest xp to get rid of those afflictions. Afflictions included for example: Scarred. You suffer a -2 to all charisma based skill checks or ability checks (2000 xp). Or Rigor Mortis. You suffer a -1 to your BAB (4000 xp).

This variant made it possible to keep advancing or to pay off your afflictions. For example if you are a wizard you might think that a -1 to BAB is not such a big deal and decide to keep the affliction (could make for an interesting character). An eye-patch could be used instead of buying off the -2 to Dex checks.

 

[Nonad Cabbagebane]

thanks for the welcome!

If you could/have the time id love to see all of the different afflictions you came up with. I really like the idea. After years of gaming im finally going to start running my own this saturday and am interested in using that method of returning from death.

 

[Frostmarrow]

thanks for the welcome!

If you could/have the time id love to see all of the different afflictions you came up with. I really like the idea. After years of gaming im finally going to start running my own this saturday and am interested in using that method of returning from death.

When raised, reincarnated or resurrected (not true resurrection or reincarnation) from the dead roll 1d3 times on the following afflictions list.

1. -2 Str (4 000 xp)
2. -2 Dex (4 000 xp)
3. -2 Con (4 000 xp)
4. -2 Int (4 000 xp)
5. -2 Wis (4 000 xp)
6. -2 Cha (4 000 xp)
7. -2 Str checks (3 500 xp)
8. -2 Dex checks (3 500 xp)
9. -2 Con checks (3 500 xp)
10. -2 Int checks (3 500 xp)
11. -2 Wis checks (3 500 xp)
12. -2 Cha checks (3 500 xp)
13. ½ speed (3 000 xp)
14. ½ initiative (3 000 xp)
15. -1 BAB (2 000 xp)
16. -1 Fort save (2 000 xp)
17. -1 Ref save (2 000 xp)
18. -1 Will save (2 000 xp)
19. Special sensitivity (On a failed save takes double damage from acid, electricity, fire, cold or sonic. Pick one) (1 000 xp)
20. Light sensitivity (as Drow elf) (1 000 xp)

Provide an explanation for the affliction. Does the penalty come from a bad cough, a fever, a bad limp or are you blinded in one eye? If you invest the listed number of xp in the affliction it is removed completely. Afflictions stack.

Optional I: If you are returned from the dead more than once the same afflictions apply as the last time. Old wounds rip open. For example, if you get two afflictions the first time you die and three the second time you die you should first pick the original two and then roll for one additional.

Optional II: If you return to the plane to which you went when you died, as a living being, any and all afflictions are temporarily removed until you leave that plane. For example, a Cleric of Kord with a bad limp (½ speed) suffers not from the limp while on Ysgard (the outer plane.)

 

[Nonad Cabbagebane]

thanks a bunch! Im more then likely gonna use this in my game. i like it alot

 

[Cloudgatherer]

I also created a house rule for "losing a level." Losing a level not only sucks for PCs, but kind of breaks the consistency of the game. If Joe the wizard dies and is brought back, exactly why can't he throw a fireball anymore if it really is Joe?

To remedy this, you do not lose a level when you die and come back in my game. Instead, you suffer an "XP debt" equal to 500 * character level. No changing the character sheet, you just need more XP to level now (on average, the same as if you had actually "levelled down"). You must "pay off" the debt before the character can level, but you can continue to gain experience as normal.

 

[Jerrid Al-Kundo]

Well, besides rarely granting death cures, I'm not for taking levels away either. Rather, I lower their Experience Points as if a level has been lost. In this manner, the character needs (Current Level x 2)-1000 Experience Points to go up in level. Rather simple, stays rather close to the Core Rule, and solves the consistancy issue.