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<blockquote data-quote="eamon" data-source="post: 4022498" data-attributes="member: 51942">I use a fortitude saving throw vs. 1/2 the negative hitpoints instead of a hard and fast &quot;real death&quot; threshold, together with a fixed 4-round (5 saving throw) stabilization period.&nbsp; I do this to prevent metagaming (since you never know when someone will die), and to allow a much larger grace period at higher levels, and to use a more standard d20 mechanic instead of the normal rules.&nbsp; It also makes high-fortitude characters a bit more resilient.Note that you might think the DC is low, but since you need to succeed on 5 successive saving throws (one when you drop, and another at a DC one higher each round), even if you only fail on a natural one, then you have a 1 in 4 chance of dying.&nbsp; If your first throw would fail on a 2 (and thus you last on a 6 or higher) you have a 2 in 3 chance of dying.It motivates allies to help dropped characters quickly rather than leaving them on the ground since they're either way too dead (beyond -9) or have a few rounds anyhow.The detailed motivations and more precise description of this mechanic is in the link in my sig (open the spoiler).&nbsp; I think it helps keep things dramatic, and yet cut down on PC deaths!</blockquote>

[QUOTE="eamon, post: 4022498, member: 51942"] I use a fortitude saving throw vs. 1/2 the negative hitpoints instead of a hard and fast "real death" threshold, together with a fixed 4-round (5 saving throw) stabilization period. I do this to prevent metagaming (since you never know when someone will die), and to allow a much larger grace period at higher levels, and to use a more standard d20 mechanic instead of the normal rules. It also makes high-fortitude characters a bit more resilient. Note that you might think the DC is low, but since you need to succeed on 5 successive saving throws (one when you drop, and another at a DC one higher each round), even if you only fail on a natural one, then you have a 1 in 4 chance of dying. If your first throw would fail on a 2 (and thus you last on a 6 or higher) you have a 2 in 3 chance of dying. It motivates allies to help dropped characters [i]quickly[/i] rather than leaving them on the ground since they're either way too dead (beyond -9) or have a few rounds [i]anyhow[/i]. The detailed motivations and more precise description of this mechanic is in the link in my sig (open the spoiler). I think it helps keep things dramatic, and yet cut down on PC deaths! [/QUOTE]

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