Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Blacky the Blackball" data-source="post: 5817367" data-attributes="member: 6688526">I can see two answers to the issues raised so far.The Easy (and rather glib) AnswerSome monsters have save-or-die attacks such as poison or petrification. Some situations (such as falling into lava) may even be die-no-save.There's a side-bar or paragraph in the DMG talking about save-or-die monsters and die-no-save situations. It suggests that they aren't everyone's cup of tea and should only be used if the group enjoys that sort of game. If the players don't enjoy that sort of game, the DM should simply avoid using those monsters and situations.The Complicated AnswerThis answer is inspired by similar mechanics in the Rolemaster game.All sentient creatures have a Grace Period. When a they die, their soul doesn't leave their body immediately and go to the afterlife. Instead, it hangs around the body for a couple of minutes (12 rounds).If whatever killed the creature is healed before the soul has left, the soul may re-enter the body and the creature returns to life. They weren't completely dead, only mostly dead (cue Princess Bride jokes) or "clinically dead" as we would call it in modern terms.So if you're killed by being reduced below 0hp by normal damage, getting a normal healing spell or first aid before your Grace Period runs out will revive you - this can be an alternative to using negative hit points or death saves.If you're killed by a save-or-die poison, getting a Neutralise Poison spell before your Grace Period runs out will revive you.If you're killed by some kind of die-no-save situation such as being crushed by a falling block or burned by lava, providing your remains can be recovered before your Grace Period runs out then getting a powerful healing spell (Cure Light Wounds probably wouldn't be enough) will revive you.If you're turned to stone, then you're not dead at all. You're just unconscious until someone casts Stone to Flesh on you (or until someone smashes your statue, killing you).If you're killed by a "special strike" from an Assassin that bypasses your normal hit points, being magically healed before your Grace Period runs out will revive you.And so forth...Basically, this mechanic allows there to be save-or-die situations (or die-no-save situations) while giving fellow party members a chance to rescue the victim afterwards. It still keeps an element of risk - the character who is killed may be separated from their comrades who can't get to them in time; or the rest of the party may have to run away from whatever killed one of them to avoid also dying, and therefore be unable to revive them. However, it should usually avoid the "you made a bad roll, now go create a new character" issue that many players dislike.Of course, there could even be spells or items that extend the Grace Period, keeping someone on the edge of death and preventing their soul from leaving until you can get them to a healer capable of healing what's wrong with them.</blockquote>

Verification