Rule Option: Banshee Wail

[AntiStateQuixote]

Dying is a condition in D&D. I can see no reason why you could not impose that condition using standard mechanics. It is just a matter of how suddenly you want to do so. Does it go straight to dying, or does it increase after saves, from Immobilise -> Unconcious -> Dying.

I would make it go straight to Dying myself. I would also not have it take away any HP. Either it kills you, or you are ok. The unconsciousness is coming from the dying, and the dying is coming from the ability. Sure, normally the dying condition comes from a lack of HP, this is just a special case.

This gives people time to get their friends back up, stabilize them (wax in ears?), but a simple heal will not do the trick. Only healing skill or things that gives saves will help.

When/if the person hops back up, they have taken no damage and are good to go again. So you did not just deplete their resources more than you hoped to.

Remember the added danger of the Banshee or its friends just doing a coup-de-grace on anything that is dying too.

I think this is where I'm trying to get.

So, here we go again:

Standard Action
Banshee Wail (fear, necrotic) Encounter
Attack: close burst 10 (targets living creatures); +15 vs. Will
Hit: target is immobilized (save ends)

First failed saved: target is unconscious (save ends)​

Effect: The burst becomes a zone that lasts until the end of the Banshee's next turn. Any living creature that ends its turn in the zone must make a death save.
Sustain Minor: The zone persists.

As [MENTION=98008]Unwise[/MENTION] says, this power either kills you or doesn't hurt much at all. That's how I see the Banshee Wail.

I don't want to just give the dying condition because the rules seem to indicate that is a function of hp less than zero only and it would certainly be confusing. Instead, make death saves as if dying until you get out of the zone (or end it by killing/stunning/dazing the Banshee).

Also, big burst - this is what a Banshee does: it kills things that can hear it scream. I would almost do close burst "within range of hearing," but burst 10 is probably big enough for the purpose.

 

[Klaus]

Are deaf creatures immune? Can loud/magic noises block it?

 

[AntiStateQuixote]

Are deaf creatures immune? Can loud/magic noises block it?

Not RAW, but I see no reason not to allow clever players to find an alternative solution to the problem.

 

[Ryujin]

I think that in your desire to get back to the good old days, you've likely made this too deadly. There are a number of creatures that can reduce a single target, to zero hit points, with a single successful attack. From that point the character is making death saves and must receive help, or eventually die.

In fact one of the best fights I've had, in my campaign, was when such a creature targeted and took out the Pacifist Cleric on his first attack.

If you want to make such a character then I would suggest going this route, with a single character ranged attack, that perhaps recharges when bloodies. Otherwise it's a TPK waiting to happen.