Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Hadan 03-21-07, 06:09 PM	I've heard that there is a rule which says that you have to make a fortitude save to avoid death from massive damage, is this a rule and where can i find it?
Zherog 03-21-07, 06:16 PM	It's in the DMG. It's also in the SRD: Massive Damage: If you ever sustain a single attack deals 50 points of damage or more and it doesn’t kill you outright, you must make a DC 15 Fortitude save. If this saving throw fails, you die regardless of your current hit points. If you take 50 points of damage or more from multiple attacks, no one of which dealt 50 or more points of damage itself, the massive damage rule does not apply.
Arrowhen 03-21-07, 06:21 PM	It's in the PHB, p. 145.
Hadan 03-22-07, 02:37 AM	thank you both ;)
Mr. Master 03-22-07, 06:44 AM	There is also an optional rule,which I find logical,that states that the massive damage varies from size to size.That is to say,if you are a Medium sized creature,your damage's threshold is 50,but if you are a Big sized creature,your damage's threshold is 60.In other words,the damage's threshold increases by 10 every size over Medium (and,of course,decreases by 10 every size below Medium). I've also created a house rule that,in my opinion,makes things even more dramatic and realistic. This rule states that every 10 damages over your damage's threshold,you For saving throw receive a negative bonus of +2 to its DC.For example,if you are a dwarf (Medium sized creature) and a wizard strikes you with a chain lightning that deals 90 damages,and you fail your Ref ST,you must immediately do a For check with a DC of 23. This rules,while giving spellcasters a chance to kill a creature with just one single damage-spell (instead of using Gate or other no-ST-spells),greatly improves warrior type classes and,to a certain degree,even thiefs (sneak attack).Just think about a knight charging you or a 20th level thief that successfully sneak attacks you and also makes a critical hit! It was thanks to this rule that my brother's PC,an 8th level Fighter/7th level Knight (at that time),killed a Huge white dragon with just one single charge.But it was also thanks to this rule that the wizard of the party was killed with a chain lighting:he received 70 damages and,even if he had enough hit points (I hate false life...),he failed his For DC 19 ST.
Zumarai 03-22-07, 07:10 AM	I suggest throwing that rule out the window, especially past level 10 or so, where taking 50+ points of damage in one shot can become common place, and the PC's may only be able to fail the Fort save if they roll a natural "1". As long I don't roll a 1, the character I've been playing for two years will survive. …Lame.
Ikyotojin 03-22-07, 10:23 AM	There is also an optional rule,which I find logical,that states that the massive damage varies from size to size.That is to say,if you are a Medium sized creature,your damage's threshold is 50,but if you are a Big sized creature,your damage's threshold is 60.In other words,the damage's threshold increases by 10 every size over Medium (and,of course,decreases by 10 every size below Medium). I've also created a house rule that,in my opinion,makes things even more dramatic and realistic. This rule states that every 10 damages over your damage's threshold,you For saving throw receive a negative bonus of +2 to its DC.For example,if you are a dwarf (Medium sized creature) and a wizard strikes you with a chain lightning that deals 90 damages,and you fail your Ref ST,you must immediately do a For check with a DC of 23. This rules,while giving spellcasters a chance to kill a creature with just one single damage-spell (instead of using Gate or other no-ST-spells),greatly improves warrior type classes and,to a certain degree,even thiefs (sneak attack).Just think about a knight charging you or a 20th level thief that successfully sneak attacks you and also makes a critical hit! It was thanks to this rule that my brother's PC,an 8th level Fighter/7th level Knight (at that time),killed a Huge white dragon with just one single charge.But it was also thanks to this rule that the wizard of the party was killed with a chain lighting:he received 70 damages and,even if he had enough hit points (I hate false life...),he failed his For DC 19 ST. Interesting adaptation of the rule. I'll see if it works in my game. Thanks.
Kursk 03-22-07, 10:40 AM	I suggest throwing that rule out the window, especially past level 10 or so, where taking 50+ points of damage in one shot can become common place, and the PC's may only be able to fail the Fort save if they roll a natural "1". As long I don't roll a 1, the character I've been playing for two years will survive. …Lame. I toasted it in 2nd Ed.
Zumarai 03-22-07, 11:03 AM	I toasted it in 2nd Ed. Really, I played the most 2nd edition out of all the editions and I don't remember there being a massive damage threshold? Or is my senility already kicking in…
Kursk 03-22-07, 11:09 AM	Really, I played the most 2nd edition out of all the editions and I don't remember there being a massive damage threshold? Or is my senility already kicking in… That's where it was introduced. It was in the DMG.
Zumarai 03-22-07, 11:13 AM	That's where it was introduced. It was in the DMG. Right on – I'll check it out when I get home from work tonight.
Vrykolas2k 03-22-07, 11:15 AM	I suggest throwing that rule out the window, especially past level 10 or so, where taking 50+ points of damage in one shot can become common place, and the PC's may only be able to fail the Fort save if they roll a natural "1". As long I don't roll a 1, the character I've been playing for two years will survive. …Lame. I made the house rule that a single attack which reduces half of the character's/ creature's HP results in the save vs death, not some arbitrary number like 50 or whatever.