Making it easier NOT to kill people...

[MerakSpielman]

Perhaps an easy way to extend life would just be to extend the number of negative HP? Dogbrain is kind of suggesting this, but only folks with a CON higher than 10 will benefit, which isn't everybody. KB seems to want a system that universally makes combat less deadly, not just for the lucky folks with high CONs.

Why not something simple? Just double the -hp range from -10 to -20. Increase the stabablization chance to one in four. Instant non-deadly combat!

 

[Plane Sailing]

A guy who DM's for me sets everyones dying threshold at -(con+level), so my 8th level sorcerer will currently die at -22hp. This is effectively increasing the range in which you are dying rather than dead quite nicely.

Another option (inspired slightly by d20Modern):

If a blow does more damage than the targets CON, they have to make a DC15 Fort ST. If they succeed they are dazed for one round (optional), if they fail they are KO'ed.

Another option - the simplest of them all, involving NO rule changes at all...

As a DM you tell the PCs when opponents are "on their last legs" (i.e. lowsingle digit hit points) and they can then choose to make a single subdual attack with the normal penalties to attempt to finish them off (or grapple them into submission if low level PC's are facing plate armoured foes and couldn't touch them with a -4 penalty to hit).

Since the combination of subdual and lethal damage they've taken is what counts for knocking them out... Bingo.

Cheers

 

[Bendris Noulg]

A guy who DM's for me sets everyones dying threshold at -(con+level), so my 8th level sorcerer will currently die at -22hp. This is effectively increasing the range in which you are dying rather than dead quite nicely.

Oh! Oh! Taking this one.

If a blow does more damage than the targets CON, they have to make a DC15 Fort ST. If they succeed they are dazed for one round (optional), if they fail they are KO'ed.

I'm not as up on Modern as most folks... How does it's Crit Ranges & Multiples compare to 3E? This would also make Rogues natural knock-out experts. Perhaps this would work better (in 3E) as Con+Level (as with the Death Threshold)?

Another option - the simplest of them all, involving NO rule changes at all...

As a DM you tell the PCs when opponents are "on their last legs" (i.e. lowsingle digit hit points) and they can then choose to make a single subdual attack with the normal penalties to attempt to finish them off (or grapple them into submission if low level PC's are facing plate armoured foes and couldn't touch them with a -4 penalty to hit).

Kinda makes sense, but runs the risk of killing them (via the crit multiple) prior to even having a chance to try non-lethal capture.

 

[Spatula]

I'm not as up on Modern as most folks... How does it's Crit Ranges & Multiples compare to 3E?

No weapon has more than a x2 crit. Weapons need a natural 20 for a threat (aside from a handful of melee weapons). Additionally, Improved Crit isn't a feat, and there's no sneak attack.

 

[Bendris Noulg]

Well that's a completely different environment, isn't it..?

Yeah, that knock-out chance deal is too low given D&D's Crits. Probably should find a way to scale it up.