Your thoughts on Death and Dying variant? I need help deciding. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Your thoughts on Death and Dying variant? I need help deciding. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
The_Puppetmaster
01-22-07, 10:17 AM i'm starting a new group of fairly inexperienced players, and I'm torn between core rules or the variant rules for death and dying. I really want to use the UA variant rules, but I'm not sure how well it has fared in practice.

I could use some good reasons why or why not, please.:D

Thanks!
Arcade
01-22-07, 11:36 AM I've used it it, though I changed it so that the "dying" saves are much tougher than given. I have the dying saves add +1 to the save that made them dying in the first place, instead of starting at 10. Also, I based the save on the character level, not on Fortitude.

I found that it was very rare for players to die using this variant (which I used for a party of 8th level until they were 15th). The attacks that would take you below 0 hit points that forced a hard fortitude save would normally have instantly killed characters because they did so much damage. A DC 18 check is 40 points in one attack. It doesn't make a difference if you were at 40 points or 1, your chances of dying are the same. And the chance of you actually being dead by such an attack (failing by 10 or more) was very slim.

The effect is a system where characters get knocked out more compared to the standard system. Which is great if you find you have high mortality rates or want characters to stand in the face of danger and still come out of it, even if they lose. Think of it like reverse wounds and vitality.
FoxmanFX
01-22-07, 12:03 PM I use the following system which seems to work well for me and my group (3 years so far).

Death and Dying:

• Dying:• When your character’s current hit points drop to below 0, they are dying. • A dying character immediately falls unconscious and can take no actions. • A dying character loses 1 hit point at the end of his turn every round. • Death’s Door• When your character’s current hit points drop to -10 or below they are at Death’s Door. • Each round, at the start of his turn, a character at Death’s Door must make a Fortitude save (DC = the current negative hit points) or die. • Each round, at the end of his turn, a character at Death’s Door looses 1 hit point.
• A character at Death’s Door may not roll to stabilize (see below). • Dead • When your characters hit points drop to negative (10 + constitution score) or lower they are dead. • Stable Characters and Recovery• At the start of the characters next turn, after they have been reduced to between -1 to -9 hit points, roll d% to see whether the dying character becomes stable. They have a percentage chance equal to their constitution score of becoming stable.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
The_Puppetmaster 01-22-07, 10:17 AM	i'm starting a new group of fairly inexperienced players, and I'm torn between core rules or the variant rules for death and dying. I really want to use the UA variant rules, but I'm not sure how well it has fared in practice. I could use some good reasons why or why not, please.:D Thanks!
Arcade 01-22-07, 11:36 AM	I've used it it, though I changed it so that the "dying" saves are much tougher than given. I have the dying saves add +1 to the save that made them dying in the first place, instead of starting at 10. Also, I based the save on the character level, not on Fortitude. I found that it was very rare for players to die using this variant (which I used for a party of 8th level until they were 15th). The attacks that would take you below 0 hit points that forced a hard fortitude save would normally have instantly killed characters because they did so much damage. A DC 18 check is 40 points in one attack. It doesn't make a difference if you were at 40 points or 1, your chances of dying are the same. And the chance of you actually being dead by such an attack (failing by 10 or more) was very slim. The effect is a system where characters get knocked out more compared to the standard system. Which is great if you find you have high mortality rates or want characters to stand in the face of danger and still come out of it, even if they lose. Think of it like reverse wounds and vitality.
FoxmanFX 01-22-07, 12:03 PM	I use the following system which seems to work well for me and my group (3 years so far). Death and Dying: • Dying:• When your character’s current hit points drop to below 0, they are dying. • A dying character immediately falls unconscious and can take no actions. • A dying character loses 1 hit point at the end of his turn every round. • Death’s Door• When your character’s current hit points drop to -10 or below they are at Death’s Door. • Each round, at the start of his turn, a character at Death’s Door must make a Fortitude save (DC = the current negative hit points) or die. • Each round, at the end of his turn, a character at Death’s Door looses 1 hit point. • A character at Death’s Door may not roll to stabilize (see below). • Dead • When your characters hit points drop to negative (10 + constitution score) or lower they are dead. • Stable Characters and Recovery• At the start of the characters next turn, after they have been reduced to between -1 to -9 hit points, roll d% to see whether the dying character becomes stable. They have a percentage chance equal to their constitution score of becoming stable.