How would you say a PC or an NPC would attempt to play dead? Example in the middle of combat your character is hit for a large amount of damage, and rather than standing to fight you attempt to play "possum" or dead if you prefer. I am not saying that the action is all that important, but it could happen, and has happened several times over the years in games that I have run both by the pc's and npc's. Just trying to get anyone else opinion on this.
Playing Dead
- Thread starter Steven
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Plane Sailing
Astral Admin - Mwahahaha!
In the middle of combat, I'd just let them do it.
The response of the enemy depends upon what it is... a hungry and/or unintelligent predator would then CDG him (i.e. start eating him), intelligent foes might stick him to make sure or (more likely) just move on to other targets.
The same is true for monsters playing possum too.
I wouldn't bring skills into it (and if I DID, I'd use disguise rather than bluff, because you're "imitating a dead guy").
Cheers
The response of the enemy depends upon what it is... a hungry and/or unintelligent predator would then CDG him (i.e. start eating him), intelligent foes might stick him to make sure or (more likely) just move on to other targets.
The same is true for monsters playing possum too.
I wouldn't bring skills into it (and if I DID, I'd use disguise rather than bluff, because you're "imitating a dead guy").
Cheers
Murrdox
First Post
We used this rule to hilarious conclusions in one of our first 3E campaigns.
One of the characters, pursuing more selfish interests, had run off and joined a local thieve's guild.
The party, with the rogue absent, was then hired to protect a merchant wagon leaving the city, because of the dramatic increase in highway robberies.
This resulted in the party escorting the merchant wagon encountering a band of theives with their own rogue apparently a new member of the gang.
Combat began as the players attempted to fend off the thieves. The rogue began fighting with the party's lead fighter, and whispered to him "Play dead... we're going to take all the thieve's money". The fighter decided to trust him, and the rogue stabbed him, and the fighter "played dead". I had him make a Bluff check.
Then, I had EVERYONE, including the players, make a sense motive check. The other thieves mostly failed, and all the players passed... except for the mage. He was now convinced the rogue had slain their leader.
This led to the rogue getting blasted by a magic missle next round, as with wizard screamed "You traitor! You killed him!"
One of the characters, pursuing more selfish interests, had run off and joined a local thieve's guild.
The party, with the rogue absent, was then hired to protect a merchant wagon leaving the city, because of the dramatic increase in highway robberies.
This resulted in the party escorting the merchant wagon encountering a band of theives with their own rogue apparently a new member of the gang.
Combat began as the players attempted to fend off the thieves. The rogue began fighting with the party's lead fighter, and whispered to him "Play dead... we're going to take all the thieve's money". The fighter decided to trust him, and the rogue stabbed him, and the fighter "played dead". I had him make a Bluff check.
Then, I had EVERYONE, including the players, make a sense motive check. The other thieves mostly failed, and all the players passed... except for the mage. He was now convinced the rogue had slain their leader.
This led to the rogue getting blasted by a magic missle next round, as with wizard screamed "You traitor! You killed him!"
Pielorinho
Iron Fist of Pelor
I'd definitely make it an opposed skill check.
If the character had fake blood capsules or was using an illusion spell to creating the appearance of having died, I'd make it disguise vs. spot.
If the player was just screaming a gutteral scream, clutching her heart, rolling her eyes, and falling theatrically to the ground, then I'd make it bluff vs. sense motive.
I wouldn't have it automatically succeed, because I know that when that dastardly NPC the players had just killed popped back up and started fighting them again, the players would be really peeved that they hadn't gotten a chance to detect the ruse.
Always give the PCs a chance, I say.
Daniel
If the character had fake blood capsules or was using an illusion spell to creating the appearance of having died, I'd make it disguise vs. spot.
If the player was just screaming a gutteral scream, clutching her heart, rolling her eyes, and falling theatrically to the ground, then I'd make it bluff vs. sense motive.
I wouldn't have it automatically succeed, because I know that when that dastardly NPC the players had just killed popped back up and started fighting them again, the players would be really peeved that they hadn't gotten a chance to detect the ruse.
Always give the PCs a chance, I say.
Daniel
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