Massive Damage Alternate Ruling

[Tovec]

This idea sprang from my mind when reading one of Water Bob's threads (specifically being Clobbered).

Anyway, my general question is. I (nor any of my fellow DMs in my area) don't like the massive damage rule as it is. I've found it too silly to use at higher levels for one reason and too silly to use a lower ones for another. I do understand and appreciate the idea of it but the practice just underwhelms.

My proposal, or idea is..
Instead of having to make a roll vs killing you outright, why not instead cause them to become Staggered (as if they were at 0 but not actually at 0) and "Dying" if they perform more than a Standard Action or Move Action per round.

The upshot of this would be that if they perform more than a SA or MA after becoming staggered then they start bleeding out (taking 1 damage a round until stabilized). Any form of healing would remove this effect. Please note that when they are Dying they aren't technically dying but they would actually be Staggered (as if they were 0).

If parts of this are not clear that is not surprising just let me know if confused about any aspect of how the rule would work. I'm having internet connectivity problems and I'm unable to check the SRD for proper descriptions of the abilities I'm citing.

 

[Jimlock]

sounds ok..

everything is better than the actual rule...!

I think it would be more appropriate if you could post this message in Water Bob's thread... I think its quite relevant and people might want to comment both variants...

 

[AuraSeer]

So if I have 100 hit points, and get hit for 50, I can still act normally but will lose 1 hit point per round? That seems negligible to me. If I'm fighting a monster that dishes out 50 points in a shot, a few rounds of 1-point losses are the least of my concerns. I have plenty of time to find healing, or to finish the fight and take twenty on my Heal check.

 

[Tovec]

So if I have 100 hit points, and get hit for 50, I can still act normally but will lose 1 hit point per round? That seems negligible to me. If I'm fighting a monster that dishes out 50 points in a shot, a few rounds of 1-point losses are the least of my concerns. I have plenty of time to find healing, or to finish the fight and take twenty on my Heal check.

As to the plenty of time to find healing - yes, exactly. Its meant to give some benefit to the guy dealing massive damage and to simulate taking that much damage in a single hit that you are wounded and bleeding out.

I may be wrong but it seems like massive damage was supposed to only ever really a problem at lower levels - when you Don't have 100 hp and readily available healing. And of course when creatures score a crit and do 50+ damage.

However if you start leaking out all over the place, and don't happen to be a front line fighter (rogue, mage) or you are a lower level character, then it starts to become more deadly.


@Jimlock
Its 4am here, I'll post it under Water Bob's tomorrow but this is meant to be a separate idea instead of a recommendation to his request.

 

[Rhun]

I wouldn't have a problem with your rule, if that is the one you wanted to use. I don't have any issue with the RAW either.

 

[AuraSeer]

But if you're low enough level that 1 hp/rd is any kind of serious concern, you're probably low enough level that the 50 hp attack was fatal anyway.

The massive damage rule was invented to inject some minimal amount of realism into high level play. It's what prevents a high level fighter from jumping off a tall building, landing head first on solid stone, then dusting himself off and walking away.