Rule for 'Bleeding Out' [Archive] - Wizards Community

Rule for 'Bleeding Out' [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Ian0311
01-06-08, 11:34 AM I figured that characters should have a harder time of dying, so I was wondering if this would be an acceptable (and non-game breaking) house rule.

Upon reaching -9 HP, a dying character (PC, NPC, or otherwise) can survive for one + their con mod (minimum one) rounds more, before they drop to -10 and die on the round following this threshold, if they fail their stabilization rolls. At any time during this, the character can stabilize or be struck dead. Extra rounds provide no protection against being killed by additional damage.

Suggestions and comments would be appreciated.
CmdrCorsiken
01-06-08, 12:23 PM Like you, I don't like the static '-10' being the point of death for everyone. Instead, I base this on the character's CON score; they can go that far below 0 before dying. At 10th level, this goes to 1.5 the CON score; at 20th, it goes to 2 times.

A typical wizard, who puts only a 10 in CON, would die at -11, but a barbarian who puts a 16 in CON wouldn't die until -17. This makes the tough, melee-focused characters more durable.
Dalzig
01-06-08, 04:09 PM I'm using modified rules from Unearthed Arcana to determine death and stabilizing. To stabilize, you make a Fort Save with a DC equal to current hit points. You fail, you die. You succeed high enough, you jump back to your feet with 1 hp.

So far I've had decent success with it. I like it a whole lot better than an arbitrary number that you die at, and enormously better than 10% chance to stabilize.
kuonji
01-07-08, 04:02 AM I figured that characters should have a harder time of dying, so I was wondering if this would be an acceptable (and non-game breaking) house rule.

Upon reaching -9 HP, a dying character (PC, NPC, or otherwise) can survive for one + their con mod (minimum one) rounds more, before they drop to -10 and die on the round following this threshold, if they fail their stabilization rolls. At any time during this, the character can stabilize or be struck dead. Extra rounds provide no protection against being killed by additional damage.

Suggestions and comments would be appreciated.

Do you often have trouble with characters coming close to dying or dying because of bleeding out when at negative hit points? If not, then there seems to be no need for a house rule. If so, is the problem that your PCs are bleeding out or is the problem one of player strategy in that your players aren't directing their PCs to take action to stabilize their wounded companions?

If anything, I would suggest the common house rule of using -CON score rather than -10.
Ian0311
01-09-08, 05:22 PM I just think the guy with high con should be able to hold on a little longer than the guy with 10.

Maybe I will go with the death HP = Con * -1 house rule.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Ian0311 01-06-08, 11:34 AM	I figured that characters should have a harder time of dying, so I was wondering if this would be an acceptable (and non-game breaking) house rule. Upon reaching -9 HP, a dying character (PC, NPC, or otherwise) can survive for one + their con mod (minimum one) rounds more, before they drop to -10 and die on the round following this threshold, if they fail their stabilization rolls. At any time during this, the character can stabilize or be struck dead. Extra rounds provide no protection against being killed by additional damage. Suggestions and comments would be appreciated.
CmdrCorsiken 01-06-08, 12:23 PM	Like you, I don't like the static '-10' being the point of death for everyone. Instead, I base this on the character's CON score; they can go that far below 0 before dying. At 10th level, this goes to 1.5 the CON score; at 20th, it goes to 2 times. A typical wizard, who puts only a 10 in CON, would die at -11, but a barbarian who puts a 16 in CON wouldn't die until -17. This makes the tough, melee-focused characters more durable.
Dalzig 01-06-08, 04:09 PM	I'm using modified rules from Unearthed Arcana to determine death and stabilizing. To stabilize, you make a Fort Save with a DC equal to current hit points. You fail, you die. You succeed high enough, you jump back to your feet with 1 hp. So far I've had decent success with it. I like it a whole lot better than an arbitrary number that you die at, and enormously better than 10% chance to stabilize.
kuonji 01-07-08, 04:02 AM	I figured that characters should have a harder time of dying, so I was wondering if this would be an acceptable (and non-game breaking) house rule. Upon reaching -9 HP, a dying character (PC, NPC, or otherwise) can survive for one + their con mod (minimum one) rounds more, before they drop to -10 and die on the round following this threshold, if they fail their stabilization rolls. At any time during this, the character can stabilize or be struck dead. Extra rounds provide no protection against being killed by additional damage. Suggestions and comments would be appreciated. Do you often have trouble with characters coming close to dying or dying because of bleeding out when at negative hit points? If not, then there seems to be no need for a house rule. If so, is the problem that your PCs are bleeding out or is the problem one of player strategy in that your players aren't directing their PCs to take action to stabilize their wounded companions? If anything, I would suggest the common house rule of using -CON score rather than -10.
Ian0311 01-09-08, 05:22 PM	I just think the guy with high con should be able to hold on a little longer than the guy with 10. Maybe I will go with the death HP = Con * -1 house rule.