Conscious while dying. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Conscious while dying. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
caeruleus
10-21-05, 01:39 AM I was just chatting with a friend, and he was complaining about the fact that, by the rules, you can't have a character roleplay their last dying moments. You know, that sort of scene in a movie or a book, when someone is is bleeding out, they speak a few last words, deliver a message, whatever, and then die. By the RAW, however, if you're able to talk, you're not in any danger of dying from your wounds.

Then a thought occurred to me. When a character is reduced to negative hit points (between -1 and -9 anyway), they can make either a Fort save or a Will save (not sure which one yet... is it a matter of being sturdy, or of having the willpower?). Failure means they go unconscious and lose hp until they die or become stable as normal. Success means they're still dying (so they lose a hp every round unless they become stable), but they remain conscious. I'm thinking I'd also allow a move action (but no standard action), but it may be a good idea to limit the character to nothing more than a 5 foot step. Free actions, such as speaking (but nothing that requires exertion, such as casting a quickened spell) are allowed.

The Diehard feat is still valuable, because you automatically become stable, and act as if you're merely disabled (so you can take a standard action).

What do people think of this? I'd like to hear some suggestions on how to work out the details I left vague.
weasel fierce
10-21-05, 01:44 AM If someone wants to make a cool dying speech, f**k the rules.
Tyler Do'Urden
10-21-05, 02:26 AM If it's good enough for Boromir, it's good enough for me.

Off the top of my head, you could call for a Fort save on the attack that drops you, DC equals damage dealt. If you make it, you're conscious; you fail, you're unconscious. Either way, being between -1 and -9 should mean helpless and dying.

Barring that, a player could just request a death scene and make his speech. Doing that, you don't even have to limit him to a minute.
Crichton
10-21-05, 04:44 AM You could have making a death speech cost hp when you're that low.
Everyone always tells dying people to "save their strenght," "don't try to talk." Then it would explain why they always die before they finish their speech, lol.
Thumbtack
10-21-05, 04:51 AM How about allowing a death speech at negative hit points but a roll is required to stop from spitting up blood, etc during the speech. Saying "Avenge me, my friend!" and then dying is cool, but caughing up blood or going into convulsions during that statement is pretty cool too.
Tyler Do'Urden
10-21-05, 05:00 AM "You were there?"
"Yes sir."
"...and?"
"His last words were, 'the key is in the castle of cKAGKT!' "
caeruleus
10-21-05, 11:52 AM If someone wants to make a cool dying speech, f**k the rules.

I agree, which is why I never really worried about this. But since a relatively easy mechanic occurred to me, I thought I'd offer it for discussion.

Crichton, Thumbtack--not bad ideas. It would depend on how they're all worked out, because if the rules get complicated, then I'd just follow weasel's advice.

Maybe the coughing of blood is just what happens when you hit -10.

Maybe if you talk, you're not allowed to make a stablization roll. So if you "save your strength", you might still die, but if you talk you'll be more likely to die without healing.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
caeruleus 10-21-05, 01:39 AM	I was just chatting with a friend, and he was complaining about the fact that, by the rules, you can't have a character roleplay their last dying moments. You know, that sort of scene in a movie or a book, when someone is is bleeding out, they speak a few last words, deliver a message, whatever, and then die. By the RAW, however, if you're able to talk, you're not in any danger of dying from your wounds. Then a thought occurred to me. When a character is reduced to negative hit points (between -1 and -9 anyway), they can make either a Fort save or a Will save (not sure which one yet... is it a matter of being sturdy, or of having the willpower?). Failure means they go unconscious and lose hp until they die or become stable as normal. Success means they're still dying (so they lose a hp every round unless they become stable), but they remain conscious. I'm thinking I'd also allow a move action (but no standard action), but it may be a good idea to limit the character to nothing more than a 5 foot step. Free actions, such as speaking (but nothing that requires exertion, such as casting a quickened spell) are allowed. The Diehard feat is still valuable, because you automatically become stable, and act as if you're merely disabled (so you can take a standard action). What do people think of this? I'd like to hear some suggestions on how to work out the details I left vague.
weasel fierce 10-21-05, 01:44 AM	If someone wants to make a cool dying speech, f**k the rules.
Tyler Do'Urden 10-21-05, 02:26 AM	If it's good enough for Boromir, it's good enough for me. Off the top of my head, you could call for a Fort save on the attack that drops you, DC equals damage dealt. If you make it, you're conscious; you fail, you're unconscious. Either way, being between -1 and -9 should mean helpless and dying. Barring that, a player could just request a death scene and make his speech. Doing that, you don't even have to limit him to a minute.
Crichton 10-21-05, 04:44 AM	You could have making a death speech cost hp when you're that low. Everyone always tells dying people to "save their strenght," "don't try to talk." Then it would explain why they always die before they finish their speech, lol.
Thumbtack 10-21-05, 04:51 AM	How about allowing a death speech at negative hit points but a roll is required to stop from spitting up blood, etc during the speech. Saying "Avenge me, my friend!" and then dying is cool, but caughing up blood or going into convulsions during that statement is pretty cool too.
Tyler Do'Urden 10-21-05, 05:00 AM	"You were there?" "Yes sir." "...and?" "His last words were, 'the key is in the castle of cKAGKT!' "
caeruleus 10-21-05, 11:52 AM	If someone wants to make a cool dying speech, f**k the rules. I agree, which is why I never really worried about this. But since a relatively easy mechanic occurred to me, I thought I'd offer it for discussion. Crichton, Thumbtack--not bad ideas. It would depend on how they're all worked out, because if the rules get complicated, then I'd just follow weasel's advice. Maybe the coughing of blood is just what happens when you hit -10. Maybe if you talk, you're not allowed to make a stablization roll. So if you "save your strength", you might still die, but if you talk you'll be more likely to die without healing.