New "Death's Door" method

[el-remmen]

Using the heal skill to stabilize someone takes 10 rounds (5 rounds if someone is aiding)

Characters can go to a negative hit point total equal to 10 + their base fortitude save + Con mod* (thus a 10th level fighter with an Con of 16 would not potentially die until reaching -20 hit points).

In order to stabilize you must make a Con check against DC 18.

Once reaching your maxiumum negative hit point total you can no longer stabilize on your own. Instead each round you make a FORT save (DC 15 +1/additional check) or die.

And if you're curious, my group and I were using a similar system for 5 years, but the heal skill use time was 1d10+10, the max neg was 10 + 1/2 max. hps, and there was a straight up 5% chance of stabilization.

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* Yes, if your Con is buffed it affects when you die, but if the spell's duration ends and your con drops you back down to normal you may die even if you are stabilized.

 

[Fieari]

Hrm. Interesting. My group has been doing:

From zero to negative con mod = staggard (same as simply being at 0 hp regularly)
Negative con score = dead

The problem with your system, as I see it, is that it could potentially lead to the Frenzied Berzerker syndrome, in which you simply can't kill some things no matter how hard you try. I'm thinking about extensions into epic levels here, where con scores themselves can easily get above 40, meaning that you could do thirty million damage to the guy, but he still won't die for many rounds, because he'll auto-save his fort.

Fixed DCs are a problem in my estimation, as they don't scale properly. DC 18 is a fine DC for most reasonable assumptions, but I like scalability in my rules, personally. Tastes do vary, of course.

I do like the fort save to die idea, but I'd like it to go up based on extra damage dealt, not just on number of times the save has been attempted.

 

[el-remmen]

Good point.

I forgot to mention that we also play with the rule that any damage taken at negative hit points calls for a Fort save DC 10 + damage done or die.

 

[librarius_arcana]

Negative con score = dead

Same here

(been thinking of Fort+ Con for MDT )

 

[genshou]

I like this. A little complicated compared to the system in place, but it makes stabilizing an unconscious character a little more realistic than a full-round action is, and it also allows a greater window before death occurs. Consider this yoinked as-written.

 

[Nyaricus]

Hrm. Interesting. My group has been doing:

From zero to negative con mod = staggard (same as simply being at 0 hp regularly)
Negative con score = dead

Oooo I liek that

It might just be yoinked

 

[genshou]

Update: This might become one of my Universal House Rules today. Whether or not that happens depends on player votes at my session in six hours.