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This is my proposal for how to handle unconsciousness and dying in Ilisara. These are my goals: | This is my proposal for how to handle unconsciousness and dying in Ilisara. These are my goals: | ||
| − | 1. Reaching 0 HP in combat should be crippling, but not remove someone from combat * ** | + | 1. Reaching 0 HP in combat should be crippling, but not remove someone from combat [nowiki]* **[/nowiki] |
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2. There should be a way to outright kill a player | 2. There should be a way to outright kill a player | ||
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3. Being low health should be scary | 3. Being low health should be scary | ||
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4. Heals should not be “wasted” if you fall below 0 HP | 4. Heals should not be “wasted” if you fall below 0 HP | ||
| − | *My reasoning here is that combat can drag on for hours or even days in our system. Hours/days of not being able to do anything sucks, so I’d rather make hitting 0 HP hard to recover from, but not an insta game-over. This way a person who is dying can still be a part of the game. | + | [nowiki]*[/nowiki]My reasoning here is that combat can drag on for hours or even days in our system. Hours/days of not being able to do anything sucks, so I’d rather make hitting 0 HP hard to recover from, but not an insta game-over. This way a person who is dying can still be a part of the game. |
| − | **Additionally, HP is an abstraction of a character’s ability to keep fighting. When they hit 0, they aren’t dead, just temporarily incapacitated/overcome by pain/succumbing to an injury. I think this means they should be able to come back if their party members help them. This gives the party something proactive to do rather than ignore downed allies. | + | [nowiki]**[/nowiki]Additionally, HP is an abstraction of a character’s ability to keep fighting. When they hit 0, they aren’t dead, just temporarily incapacitated/overcome by pain/succumbing to an injury. I think this means they should be able to come back if their party members help them. This gives the party something proactive to do rather than ignore downed allies. |
So here’s my proposed rule change. | So here’s my proposed rule change. | ||
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When you fall to 0 HP or less in combat, four things happen: | When you fall to 0 HP or less in combat, four things happen: | ||
| − | 1. All effects on you immediately end, except those that deal pure damage or healing over time.* | + | 1. All effects on you immediately end, except those that deal pure damage or healing over time.[nowiki]*[/nowiki] |
2. You fall unconscious | 2. You fall unconscious | ||
3. You are Dying | 3. You are Dying | ||
4. You sustain a Lingering Injury | 4. You sustain a Lingering Injury | ||
| − | *For example, buffs or debuffs to your attack and damage rolls (such as Tactician or Dreamthief) immediately end. Abilities that require the caster to be conscious, such as Challenging Shout, also end. Only effects that affect HP stay active. | + | [nowiki]*[/nowiki]For example, buffs or debuffs to your attack and damage rolls (such as Tactician or Dreamthief) immediately end. Abilities that require the caster to be conscious, such as Challenging Shout, also end. Only effects that affect HP stay active. |
=== Regaining Consciousness === | === Regaining Consciousness === | ||
Revision as of 16:19, 1 August 2019
This is my proposal for how to handle unconsciousness and dying in Ilisara. These are my goals:
1. Reaching 0 HP in combat should be crippling, but not remove someone from combat [nowiki]* **[/nowiki]
2. There should be a way to outright kill a player
3. Being low health should be scary
4. Heals should not be “wasted” if you fall below 0 HP
[nowiki]*[/nowiki]My reasoning here is that combat can drag on for hours or even days in our system. Hours/days of not being able to do anything sucks, so I’d rather make hitting 0 HP hard to recover from, but not an insta game-over. This way a person who is dying can still be a part of the game.
[nowiki]**[/nowiki]Additionally, HP is an abstraction of a character’s ability to keep fighting. When they hit 0, they aren’t dead, just temporarily incapacitated/overcome by pain/succumbing to an injury. I think this means they should be able to come back if their party members help them. This gives the party something proactive to do rather than ignore downed allies.
So here’s my proposed rule change.
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Contents
Reaching 0 HP
When you fall to 0 HP or less in combat, four things happen:
1. All effects on you immediately end, except those that deal pure damage or healing over time.[nowiki]*[/nowiki] 2. You fall unconscious 3. You are Dying 4. You sustain a Lingering Injury
[nowiki]*[/nowiki]For example, buffs or debuffs to your attack and damage rolls (such as Tactician or Dreamthief) immediately end. Abilities that require the caster to be conscious, such as Challenging Shout, also end. Only effects that affect HP stay active.
Regaining Consciousness
While unconscious, you can still be damaged. If you reach -20 HP, you instantly die. Area-of-effect abilities and damage-over-time effects are still hazards to an unconscious character.
In order to regain consciousness, your current hit point total must be more than 0. Healing potions, healing spells, or any other source of healing can restore you to positive hit points. However, you are still Dying, even if you regain consciousness.
Dying
If you reach 0 hit points or less, you are Dying and continue Dying until you are stabilized. Healing effects cannot stabilize you. While you are Dying, you must make a saving throw at the end of your turn each round (roll a D20 with no modifiers). The result of your saving throw determines how close you are to death.
- Lower than 10: You slip one step closer to death. If you get this result three times before you are stabilized, you die.
- 10–19: No change.
- 20 or higher: You stabilize and are no longer Dying.
If you are conscious, you continue making saving throws until you are stabilized.
Every conscious character may attempt to stabilize an ally (or stabilize themself) by making a First Aid check. A First Aid check made to stabilize costs a Minor action. The DC is set by the DM (Recommended DC 15). If the First Aid check is successful, the target is successful and the Dying condition ends.
Tactical Notes
Most creatures will not attack an unconscious dying target. However, if you recover and stand up with 4 hit points, it will draw the attention of enemies who will almost certainly immediately knock you unconscious again. Each time you fall below 0 hit points, you sustain a Lingering Injury; if you have been knocked below 0 hit points, wait to be stabilized and take a few rounds to recover from healing effects before attempting to rejoin the fight.