Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Obi-Wan Quixote 08-06-03, 01:23 PM	Here's a question: According to the rules, when you're down to -9 HP or so, you're pretty much dying/dead. But this isn't horribly dramatic. How many GMs will allow a dying character to undertake a last little hurrah? Perhaps, even at -9 hp, the character can stagger to his feet, and make one last sword-thrust at the dragon before he expires. The cleric is dying, and the paladin, unable to heal her, dives to her side and holds her body. The paladin weeps, "I love you!" And before she dies, the cleric says, "I love you, too." The rogue, knocked to -50 hp after reading a book comprising several pages of exploding runes, mutters, "I KNEW there was something fishy about that book ... " How many GMs allow this sort of thing? How many of you players would try it?
TinySilverChalice 08-06-03, 03:26 PM	*sigh* I've been fighting with my group for months to allow something like this. I just thought it is more realistic for someone to get a dying gasp out, just a few final words out, before dying. Nope. 0hp = unconcious. Period. IMHO, it sucks. It isn't as if I was asking to get out one last action, like a cast spell or a final flailing strike at my killer. I just want to ROLEPLAY one last sentence!!! /end rant I feel your pain. Grrr....:twitch: Then again, I'm saving my fights for the stupid houserule that all weapons only crit 20 and do only x2 damnage. *Flips out*
Basaxerxes the First 08-06-03, 04:10 PM	Many years ago I saw a "Death Chart" that used a d% role to determine the exact circumstances of a character's death. Possibilities ranged from simply dying (as per the literal rules), to lingering in a coma for days and days before passing on, to being able to make a fairly lengthy farewell speech. The notes about the chart were quite specific; the character was going to die, and no amount of healing magical or otherwise could prevent that, but it added a bit of flavour to the event. Anyway, I cannot remember where I saw the chart, and I long ago lost my copy of it. However, I suppose I (or someone else :D ) could sit down and drum up another one...
Gemini 08-06-03, 04:27 PM	Yeah, we'll allow it, depending on a Con check for that character to stay awake just long enough. It also depends on the circumstances... a blast that knocks a char to -50 HP won't allow time, but a poison, or a hit that drops them into unconsciousness (sp?), sure, no problem. It also depends on the action, though... and whether it fits the situation and character.
crucible 08-06-03, 05:58 PM	The Constitution check sounds like a good determiner of the consciousness of a character with negative hit points. For performing actions while in the negative you might rule that each negative number indicates an increase in the DC for all actions and checks. Something like a +10 increase for each neg up to +90 for -9 hp. So -1 = +10 to DC, -2 = +20 to DC, etc... This might be a bit drastic for some players so an adjustment could be made to this rule with +5 for each neg number, so -3 hp would be +15 to DC while -9 hp would be a nice fat +45 to DC. Even in a weakened/dying state a character could attempt to perform an action, although the increasing difficulty for each negative hit point would make certain actions almost impossible to succeed at when death is just a breath away. Daryl B