Longer dying: more negative HP before death

[Phlebas]

Cool idea with Con + Level. I wouldn't use the disabled part; Endurance & Die Hard need to have some use.

Die hard means you are disabled all the way down to death (which could be as much a 40hp if you play con + level)

Disabled 0 to -con bonus would give you 0 : -5 for a 20 con, I'd still see the benefit of the Die hard feat, especially the automatic stabilisation (which you don't get for normal disabled) even playing this rule. I Hadn't thought of using toughness (as per CROTHIAN) or endurance to increase this range, as it would impact on Die-Hard - but then I only go down to - con, if you add in HD then it makes sense to spread out the ranges a little more evenly...

I brought it in as we realised that in 3 months of game, with lots of PC falling over, no-one had EVER been disabled. and the chances of being disabled were too small for it to be a useful rule. Funnily enough, a few weeks after we changed the rule, the Ranger with Die-Hard was reduced to 0hp exactly..... Murphy's second law of rule changes

 

[RainOfSteel]

The magic in the my setting is rather limited. The high level PCs are currently at ~19th level with zero DR on most physical attacks.

A low-magic setting where 50hp of damage is dealt with reliabity 4/rnd and it is done often enough successfully to be a continuing problem?

What is doing that so often that it is an ongoing problem?

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Hmm. Adding DR of 1 or 2 to chain and plate isn't going to help much with that much dam/att, and adding higher inherent DR to ordinary armor would skew too much.

 

[RainOfSteel]

The following is mostly complete speculation on my part:

Perhaps you need custom feats in your game to support this issue.

Maybe Toughness needs to give hp equal to the character's HD-type when the feat is taken (though even that is small with these large numbers). I confess this is the way I would run Toughness, as otherwise it is worthless.

Perhaps there needs to be a DR feat-tree that grows larger as more feats are taken so that it does not skew too much at low levels.

Feat #1: DR 1
Feat #2: DR 3
Feat #3: DR 6
Feat #4: DR 12
Feat #5: DR 18

I realize that these numbers are quite large in comparison to extant feats regarding DR, but you seem to have a tough situation.

Or perhaps a lower curve of DR on the feat-tree combined with specialist items?

If chain and plate have inherent DRs of 1 and 2 (there is an SRD option allowing it, IIRC), then you can extrapolate additional DR points for masterwork armor, special materials, and you can also introduce a grand-masterwork concept for yet more cost and DR points.

Then, you would allow the non-magical DR from the feat-tree and the armor and the materials to stack. (The materials may be magical, but they weren't enchanted.)

So, perhaps masterwork armor adds DR 3, so that chain and plate DR goes up to 4 and 5.

So, perhaps, grand-masterwork armor adds DR 6, so that chain and plate DR goes up to 7 and 8.

So, perhaps, adamantine adds 5 (or more), so that chain and plate DR goes up to 12 or 13.

Combined with the feat-tree on the 3rd feat, that's DR 18 or 19. This would seem to somewhat alleviate your problem without resorting to drastic magical effects.

Of course, you make it very expensive. 19th level characters should be able to afford it.

And yes, I realize that 19th level characters cannot suddenly pick up three feats out of nowhere.

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The only other thing I can think of is force-field type spells, activated via contingency-type spells, such as I invented for my last campaign.


Sorcerer's Shield, Basic (Abjuration)
Level: 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: 1 hour/level or until discharged
Spell Resistance: Will negates (harmless)
Saving Throw: Yes (harmless)

Description: This spell creates an invisible force field around the sorcerer. Whenever any object or spell strikes the exterior surface of this field, a ripple of light-distortion radiates outward in a circle. The spell provides +4 AC (armor bonus), DR 5, ER 5, and can provide this resistance for up to 100hp worth of damage, at which point the spell will collapse. The material component is a polished sphere of rock crystal worth at least 50gp.

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Further versions:

6th level: +6 AC, DR/ER 10/10, 150hp, 250gp rock crystal sphere
9th level: +8 AC, DR/ER 15/15, 200hp, 1,000gp diamond sphere

 

[Angel Tarragon]

My house rule.

 

[SteveC]

I think this is actually an interesting option. It seems like once you get above, say 6-7th level, being unconsious seems to never happen: you take so much damage that you go from conscious to death without a pause.

Have you considered the Death and Dying rules? They may also do much of what you're looking for.

--Steve

 

[Destil]

I allow peope to go down to 10 - level HP before death. I don't like using Con as it makes that score even more important, and it's allready #1 or #2 in combat.

 

[BobbyMac]

I extend the disabled range down to the negative of the highest mental bonus out of Wisdom or Charisma. A mentally stronger person should be able to stay conscious longer.

I use Constitution score instead of -1 to -10.

Applying the Diehard feat simply extends the range of Disabled to either -10 or to the lowest point of negative Constitution score whichever is less negative.

 

[Phlebas]

I extend the disabled range down to the negative of the highest mental bonus out of Wisdom or Charisma. A mentally stronger person should be able to stay conscious longer.

Hmm, interesting approach, i'm tempted to go for wisdom as its often used as a dump stat - You'd need a very high wisdom before you got to the stage of staying conscious past the point of death...... - maybe thats how ghosts get created?

 

[Nifft]

maybe thats how ghosts get created?

Cool idea. If it's ghosts, Charisma would probably be the thing, given how many of their abilities are keyed off of it.

-- N

 

[el-remmen]

Here are all the rules for dying in my game: http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Wound+Categories#death - but it includes stuff involving my system of crits.

The relevant part is here:

Death: When a character reaches a negative hit point total of 10 + Base Fort Save + CON mod, they must make FORT save (DC 15 +1/ additional check) each round or die. If a character is brought beyond this maximum negative hit point total from a blow or other wound, then an immediate save is made as above modified by the difference between their current effective negative hit point total, with an additional save each round afterward (as above). If still suffering recurring damage each round (such as from a spell or critical effect) the amount is added to the DC each round (non-cumulative). A character making saves against dying each round cannot stabilize on his own.

Example: A 10th level fighter with a Con score of 16 would potentially die when reaching -20 hit points (10 + 7 (base FORT) + 3 (Con mod). If the fighter were brought to -25 hit points in one fell swoop his saves each round would be suffer a +5 to the DC (25 - 20 = 5).

I also changed stabilization to a DC 18 Con check.