tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post2050426169420237036..comments2024-03-25T22:48:31.750-04:00Comments on Dreams in the Lich House: Hit Points, Death and DyingJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18031181424520125213noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-15200896070082469802011-08-31T08:10:18.435-04:002011-08-31T08:10:18.435-04:00My crew prefers fast, abstract combat, so I'm ...My crew prefers fast, abstract combat, so I'm not using hit points at all anymore. Rather than observe damage dice for weapons, I simply have little weapons deal one "good hit" and big weapons deal two. Natural 20s add an extra hit's worth of damage. Characters start with three hits, and they add [3e-style CON bonus x2] + level, regardless of class - class seems better represented by the armor they can wear, i.e. how well they can handle jumping into the fray. (Characters with a negative CON bonus simply subtract one from their total hits; thus, they start with three hits at level 1.)<br /><br />If they drop to 0 hits, they're unconscious. At -1 hits, they're out of the scene. Whether they're dead or not depends on the player - I have one player who's too invested in his character to let him die; I have another who likes to live on the edge and considers -1 the death threshold.<br /><br />I find that letting regular weapon combat deal a max of 3 hits to a level 1 character who averages taking 4 hits makes things plenty dangerous, but gives the little buggers a fighting chance until they can grab another level. It gives a firmer idea of when characters should withdraw, and therefore makes the choice to stand and fight that much more risky and impressive.RMDChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13814715698091101060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-32750191466213796552011-08-24T21:58:10.397-04:002011-08-24T21:58:10.397-04:00Dead at -level in old school games, though the sav...Dead at -level in old school games, though the save at 0 is tempting too.David The Archmagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11649391406526258069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-85872404115082794482011-08-24T20:13:01.676-04:002011-08-24T20:13:01.676-04:00I think the -10 death rule is dead to me now. Heh...I think the -10 death rule is dead to me now. Heh. That Rules Cyclopedia suggestion - at 0 hit points, but make a save vs death to merely be unconscious instead of dead seems like a good halfway point to ease my players away from the -10 crutch.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18031181424520125213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-31143101229470008742011-08-24T20:00:10.323-04:002011-08-24T20:00:10.323-04:00Currently use a home tuned Death & Dismemberme...Currently use a home tuned <a href="http://trollsmyth.blogspot.com/2008/06/playing-with-death-and-dismemberment.html" rel="nofollow">Death & Dismemberment</a> table (for PCs only) which is rolled on when reduced to 0 and every time damage is taken thereafter.<br /><br />It worked really well for a while, but lately I've been thinking it's too wussy for characters above level 3 or so. Will probably switch to unconscious at 0, dead at negative when the balance in my brain tips.Nobodyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08553033903110391188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-70560578381233698392011-08-24T18:56:50.982-04:002011-08-24T18:56:50.982-04:00Following up, so far the save vs death rule has co...Following up, so far the save vs death rule has come into play twice, with one success.OSRbaronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07202599754353160154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-16584006949824238302011-08-24T18:55:29.899-04:002011-08-24T18:55:29.899-04:00From my house rules:
Characters reduced to zero hi...From my house rules:<br />Characters reduced to zero hit points exactly are considered unconscious or incapacitated and can live if treated, bandaged, or healed. Characters reduced below zero can make a save vs death once combat ends to see if they are stable and can live. Characters in both cases that survive are treated as being at 1 hit point, modified by any healing performed.<br /><br />More at my blog <br />http://thedicearealie.blogspot.com/2011/07/lost-baronies-of-lendore-isle-house.htmlOSRbaronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07202599754353160154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-81473380009040734082011-08-24T18:14:36.278-04:002011-08-24T18:14:36.278-04:00I may be being dense, but I've never understoo...I may be being dense, but I've never understood the point of negative hit point values. Why bother with 0 if it doesn't mean 0?thekelvingreenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01928260185408072124noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-85812126980498690252011-08-24T17:37:25.855-04:002011-08-24T17:37:25.855-04:00We used to give people their CON as a negative buf...We used to give people their CON as a negative buffer, so you were unconscious from 0 to -11 on average, and dying after that. In retrospect it's too easy, but we also used a "double damage on a nat-20 roll" rule, so it worked for us at the time. Now I might go with half-Con or just -10. I'm not all that comfortable with "zero, you're dead."Anthonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01254215329246851683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-75106235874929819462011-08-24T17:32:28.416-04:002011-08-24T17:32:28.416-04:00I have two flavors of this house rule for me:
1) ...I have two flavors of this house rule for me:<br /><br />1) AD&D 1e/2e: The character is conscious at 0, but any strenuous action (attacking, spellcasting, etc.) causes them to lose a HP and go to -1. Anyone at negatives is unconscious and dying. They lose a HP a round until healed or until they reach -CON. At -CON, they die.<br /><br />2) D&D 3e/3.5e/Pathfinder: The character is conscious at 0, but any strenuous action (attacking, spellcasting, etc.) causes them to lose a HP and go to -1. Anyone at negatives is unconscious and dying. They lose a HP a round until healed or until they reach -CON. Each round the person gets a Fortitude save equal to DC of (10 + abs(HP)). This means that someone at -8 HP will need to make a Fortitude save of DC 18 in order to stabilize. At -CON, they die.<br /><br />Yes, this makes my 1e/2e games a little more deadly than the more modern versions, but that's just the flavor and style of the older editions of (A)D&D.Beosighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00021864422345034722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-12505360074773467322011-08-24T16:18:22.604-04:002011-08-24T16:18:22.604-04:00Dead at -10 or -level, whichever is lower. Incapac...Dead at -10 or -level, whichever is lower. Incapacitated at 0. Unconscious at -1. A PC will bleed out at -5 or lower, losing 1 hp per round until death.Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08192212467523179768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-19933566227447130122011-08-24T15:52:08.717-04:002011-08-24T15:52:08.717-04:00I've generally used either Dead at -10 or Dead...I've generally used either Dead at -10 or Dead at -CON, myself.Uncle Darkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15153259977898899885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-78416799975288955592011-08-24T15:43:47.684-04:002011-08-24T15:43:47.684-04:00I use the alternate rule from the Rules Cyclopedia...I use the alternate rule from the Rules Cyclopedia that allows a character a saving throw when they reach 0hp. If they save, their merely unconscious. If they fail they die. They make a new one every underworld turn or until they're healed.<br /><br />This is normally supposed to be used for campaigns that lack raise dead, but the only cleric capable of casting that spell in the entire setting is one of the PCs' mortal enemy.Mirandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10745062840676790649noreply@blogger.com