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<blockquote data-quote="JohnSnow" data-source="post: 4166193" data-attributes="member: 32164">This just requires a VERY simple fix - always focus on what the PC (or PCs) can feel, see, hear, touch and smell. Make your descriptions as immersive as possible. For that reason, I dislike the above quote. Try this instead:&quot;The ax hits you directly in the chest, and the force of the blow feels like you've been hit with a tree. Stars flicker before your eyes and you feel your balance failing as a black curtain desends. (addressing other players) You watch as Kelwyn slumps to the ground, the force of the mighty blow dropping him like a sack of potatoes.&quot;See? Now, there's no problem. If he dies, the blow could have given him a punctured lung, a perforated heart, or any of other numerous lethal conditions.The following is no worse:It's been said before but it bears repeating. This is just bad DMing. Here are the exact same events as your example with a different spin:DM: &quot;The soldier swings... Ooooh. A 20, that is max damage... 30 points.&quot;Player: &quot;Crap, that puts me down to -10.&quot;DM: &quot;The axe smashes through Corwyn's defenses, spraying blood on those nearby. A cloud of blackness descends over his vision and he tastes blood.&nbsp; The rest of you see him slump to the ground, blood covering his face. The soldier grins...&lt;remainder of the round&gt;DM: &quot;Ok, give me a recovery roll.&quot;Player: &quot;A 20! Excellent! I stabilize and spend a healing surge to get back up to 25 hit points!&quot; (the natural 20 auto-heal thing is gone).DM (or Player): &quot;Corwyn comes to, wiping the blood from his face. He tastes the blood on his lips as he catches his breath. He spits blood onto the ground, tightening his grip on his weapons. Clearly, his luck was with him today. Any other day, a blow like that could have killed him.&quot;Player: &lt;insert snappy action hero one-liner here&gt;&lt;play proceeds&gt;The only problem you're identifying here is the DM who decides to jump ahead to the final outcome rather than focusing on providing interesting moment-to-moment detail during the process. Just as the player never gets to say &quot;I sever the goblin's head&quot; or &quot;I shoot the dragon in the eye&quot; unless it's backed up by the mechanics, nobody gets to decide what happens before it does.Intent is one thing. Perception is one thing. Focus your descriptions on what the characters themselves can actually sense. This approach also makes for better descriptions than all the gory crit tables you can invent.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="JohnSnow, post: 4166193, member: 32164"] This just requires a VERY simple fix - always focus on what the PC (or PCs) can feel, see, hear, touch and smell. Make your descriptions as immersive as possible. For that reason, I dislike the above quote. Try this instead: "The ax hits you directly in the chest, and the force of the blow feels like you've been hit with a tree. Stars flicker before your eyes and you feel your balance failing as a black curtain desends. (addressing other players) You watch as Kelwyn slumps to the ground, the force of the mighty blow dropping him like a sack of potatoes." See? Now, there's no problem. If he dies, the blow could have given him a punctured lung, a perforated heart, or any of other numerous lethal conditions. The following is no worse: It's been said before but it bears repeating. This is just bad DMing. Here are the exact same events as your example with a different spin: DM: "The soldier swings... Ooooh. A 20, that is max damage... 30 points." Player: "Crap, that puts me down to -10." DM: "The axe smashes through Corwyn's defenses, spraying blood on those nearby. A cloud of blackness descends over his vision and he tastes blood. The rest of you see him slump to the ground, blood covering his face. The soldier grins... <remainder of the round> DM: "Ok, give me a recovery roll." Player: "A 20! Excellent! I stabilize and spend a healing surge to get back up to 25 hit points!" (the natural 20 auto-heal thing is gone). DM (or Player): "Corwyn comes to, wiping the blood from his face. He tastes the blood on his lips as he catches his breath. He spits blood onto the ground, tightening his grip on his weapons. Clearly, his luck was with him today. Any other day, a blow like that could have killed him." Player: <insert snappy action hero one-liner here> <play proceeds> The only problem you're identifying here is the DM who decides to jump ahead to the final outcome rather than focusing on providing interesting moment-to-moment detail during the process. Just as the player never gets to say "I sever the goblin's head" or "I shoot the dragon in the eye" unless it's backed up by the mechanics, nobody gets to decide what happens before it does. Intent is one thing. Perception is one thing. Focus your descriptions on what the characters themselves can actually sense. This approach also makes for better descriptions than all the gory crit tables you can invent. [/QUOTE]

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