I pray you to bear me witness that I meet my fate like a brave man.-Dying in D&D

[neth123]

I'm not really satisfied with the way death and dying is handled in D&D, there's very little room for cinematic death or last words, or final heroic acts.

I'd like to change things around to be a little bit more like this:

-1 to -9 :Each round you have the same chance as stabilizing or taking damage as stated in the RAW, however you're not guaranteed to fall unconscious. Something like 5% per hit point under zero, checked after each time you take additional damage.

You may speak, but anything more than a soft whisper will deal you an additional point of damage at the end of the round.

You may make a move action, but it deals you 3 points of damage at the end of your turn.

You may make a standard action, but it deals you 6 points of damage simultaneously with the action. So potions won't react with your body fast enough to save you, but you could make a dying attack, or if your conscious and only at -1 you could blow a potion and hope to roll high enough to get you back on your feet, and at the very least stop you from dying.

Of course if the potion isn't in your hand, you'll have to draw it for another 3 points of damage.

I'd like some feedback and suggestions before I implement this, I run a really lethal game, and I'd like some way for the players to get a little closure with their characters instead of just sighing in defeat and grabbing the stat rollers.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I think we don't really need rules for this- its more about role-playing.

I've had PCs who burst through a locked door in an underground complex, only to find a 6" ledge and yawning chasm on the other side...and roll a 2 on their save to avoid the plunge. Last words? "Yaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!*splat*

OTOH, I've had a simple-minded warrior PC who held off the City Watch at a narrow bridge to protect his buddy (who stole something very important) and died after several (subjective) minutes of combat. He didn't have any last words except "Run!"- his actions spoke for him.

If you want to have a cinematic PC death, make it so through role-play, not rules.

If you really want to inspire/allow your players to be more cinematic in how they handle PC death, ask them why they haven't up to this point.

They may tell you that they're just not that into their PCs- your game may be so lethal that they don't develop enough of an emotional attachment to the PCs to even contemplate a thespianic approach to their characters' demise.

They may tell you they simply never thought of it. It may not be their thing.

 

[aboyd]

Why isn't this in house rules?

 

[neth123]

I'm sorry I'm still new to the forum, it definitely should be, where do I send a request to have it moved?

 

[NewJeffCT]

I'm not really satisfied with the way death and dying is handled in D&D, there's very little room for cinematic death or last words, or final heroic acts.

I'd like to change things around to be a little bit more like this:

-1 to -9 :Each round you have the same chance as stabilizing or taking damage as stated in the RAW, however you're not guaranteed to fall unconscious. Something like 5% per hit point under zero, checked after each time you take additional damage.

You may speak, but anything more than a soft whisper will deal you an additional point of damage at the end of the round.

You may make a move action, but it deals you 3 points of damage at the end of your turn.

You may make a standard action, but it deals you 6 points of damage simultaneously with the action. So potions won't react with your body fast enough to save you, but you could make a dying attack, or if your conscious and only at -1 you could blow a potion and hope to roll high enough to get you back on your feet, and at the very least stop you from dying.

Of course if the potion isn't in your hand, you'll have to draw it for another 3 points of damage.

I'd like some feedback and suggestions before I implement this, I run a really lethal game, and I'd like some way for the players to get a little closure with their characters instead of just sighing in defeat and grabbing the stat rollers.

I think most of the characters in my group have been down below 0 at least a few times during the campaign... if they had been giving death monologues each time, we'd likely be a few sessions behind where we were right now. And, early in the campaign, we had a running joke about which PC would fall to exactly 0 that session, since it happened like 5 out of 6 sessions for us one time, and it happened to one guy 3 times. (And, as a DM, I don't track player hit points that closely, I just roll damage on the table and what happens, happens.)

Sometimes, though, when the evil blackguard crits you for 80 points of damage and you only have 40 hit points left, you go way beyond 0 to -9, you're just dead. (of course, when you get up to higher levels, you can also immediately get Revivified if you're with earshot of the party cleric...)

As a DM, I consider it a good battle if I knock a few players down below 0 in the battle and/or -10, but don't kill anybody. (The party cleric has used Revivify several times in game, which I like better than using a Raise Dead or Resurrection afterward.)

Forgot to add - In closing, I would say that I would allow a death "speech" if the situation was appropriate. However, if you get decapitated by a balrog's vorpal sword, anything beyond "Gak!!!" is not happening. I don't think it calls for a new mechanic. It's also been rare in my game for a player that makes it to negative hit points for them not to be saved somehow, at least via stabilization, or immediate action healing spells.

 

[Varianor Abroad]

... I run a really lethal game, and I'd like some way for the players to get a little closure with their characters instead of just sighing in defeat and grabbing the stat rollers.

Have they done any final soliloquies before? Any good experiences that you might draw upon?

I think what you're hoping for is a grand exit. This is actually an interesting notion I've reflected upon occasionally. If you plan for it, no problem. Of course, if the player just likes to sit there, roll dice, and announce his damage, he's never going to give forth a magnificent Braveheart moment.

The problem is that the damage leading to death is inherently random. One crit and you're facing a spontaneous random exit. The classic reaction is shock, followed by frantic scrabbling through character sheets and rulebooks trying to find a way to avoid the PC death.

Think of this like a once/day ability. Do your players remember to use those unless you remind them? (We're not talking 4E where you get cards full so you remember to shuffle through them.) A death is hard to plan for. Otherwise you get accused of roleplaying.

Have you considered asking your players to write down some possible exit speeches? Then they are "in the can" so to speak. Alternately, I can see allowing a Final Exit Point, which, if the player can deliver a good speech, lets them take one final action upon departure. Said action could turn the tide of the battle, but hey. At least it provides a mechanic.

 

[Nimloth]

While I agree with the goal of the OP, I dislike the numerous details of the new rule ("How many hp's do I take for yelling again?"). Why not just give all heroes (and maybe major villains) the Die Hard feat. Maybe make death at -Con instead of -10 too.

 

[Michael Silverbane]

I usually allow dead characters to say things and cough up blood for a few rounds after they've been officially slain.

 

[roguerouge]

House rule: you're not unconscious, you're helpless and dying. You may only take free actions which do not include spell casting.

 

[Bungus]

That's a pretty good idea - allow them to speak as a free action, but not cast any spells or take any other actions. "Don't save me, seeing you kill the lich will be my reward as I die!"