Looking for save or die variants

[Sadrik]

I want to remove save or die mechanics. Anybody have any good variants other than simply removing them?

 

[Presto2112]

My upcoming campaign will have save or die changed to save or dying. SoD effects will bring a character to -8 hit points, so PCs will have a round and a bit do do something about their fallen comrade(s).

 

[Bladesong]

My upcoming campaign will have save or die changed to save or dying. SoD effects will bring a character to -8 hit points, so PCs will have a round and a bit do do something about their fallen comrade(s).

Similar here; drops you to -1, 2d6 temporary Con damage, and one negative level until restored. Effectively takes them out of combat if things are busy. If someone does raise them above 0 hit points, they are still woozy from the other effects. Players cannot complaign too much either because it still drops a foe and they can finish it off if they wish.

 

[Sir Brennen]

My upcoming campaign will have save or die changed to save or dying. SoD effects will bring a character to -8 hit points, so PCs will have a round and a bit do do something about their fallen comrade(s).

Nice idea, but I'm having problems with the visual of this for someone that failed their save vs. disintegrate.

 

[Sadrik]

Slay living
Blasphemy/dictum/holy word/Word of chaos
Destruction
Symbol of death
Implosion

Finger of death
Phantasmal killer
Circle of death
Trap the soul
Imprisonment
Power word kill
Weird
Wail of the Banshee

Plus:
Assassin ability

Should I deal with them all separately? Is there truly a one size fits all rule?

Also, what about spells that are virtually like death- baleful polymorph, flesh to stone- Should these be treated any differently?

 

[Hammerhead]

The Death Touch of a Cleric with the right domains isn't really a death effect. It just does 1d6 dmg per level; if it doesn't kill them, then they don't take any of it. Disintegrate is also a damaging effect instead of a save-or-die effect.

 

[Sadrik]

I am still looking for suggestions. Someone mentioned a staggered save or die mechanic where you can shake off the effects. I guess like hold person. Any ideas there?

 

[The Truth]

In my campaign, I will be using a homebrew action point variant where my players (and boss monsters ) can spend a point to shrug off the effects of a failed save (I'm still working on the details). My players really hate spells like hold person removing them from a fight, and I don't like the same taking out my my memorable villians. It's probably more drastic of a change than you're looking for, but it may be worth considoring.

Bladesong's variant (-1 hp, 1 neg level, 2d6 Con damage) looks like a good substitute.

(Action points appear in Unearthed Arcana, among other books).

 

[Cheiromancer]

I've done some calculations that indicate that death effects could be treated like maximized disintegrates that only affect creatures subject to death magic. That's 12 hp/caster level. But that's mostly to explore the notion that a really tough creature or character would only be hurt, not killed, by a failed save.

Since disintegrate is a 6th level spell, you could try a formula like damage = spell level x caster level x 2. A phantasmal killer cast by a 7th level wizard would do 4 x 7 x 2 = 56 hit points if it takes effect. Kinda nerfs it, but I suppose that's the intent.

An implosion cast by a 20th level wizard would do 9 x 20 x 2 = 360 hp damage. An old red dragon has 378 hp, so this is pretty significant.

To nerf it further, you could say that only 10% of damage applies once the creature is reduced to zero hit points. So a 20 hp character who fails vs a phantasmal killer is reduced to -3 hp. A 300 hp dragon who suffers the full effect of an implosion is at -6, and so on.

 

[Ltheb Silverfrond]

Heres one if you dont want it to be "Save or take tons of damage": Instead of Cheiromancer's suggestion, make those effects like the death domain; Save or, if you have xxx hp, you die/drop to -1. If they dont have xxx hp, treat them as if they had made the save instead. It gives an added comfort zone to the Fighter, but keeps the chance for death possible.

It may even be too easy shurg off death this way though.