Non-lethal Damage Rules

[myancey]

Does anyone know how massive a nonlethal damage pool can be? I'm inclined to agree with my group in that the pool can continue on indefinitely, especially since I can't find RAW that states otherwise. But I'd like to know as I have a character that hinges on the ruling.

Ex. You have 50 HP and someone deals 200 nonlethal damage. Would you have a 200 point pool of nonlethal damage that slowly wears away?

[Greenish]

There is no limit. A claim that after non-lethal damage exceeds one's hitpoints, the rest of the damage is automatically lethal seems to be floating around, but no one has provided any source for it when challenged.

[KillianHawkeye]

Yeah, unlike with normal hit points, nonlethal damage counts up from zero. (Regular damage counts down from your max hp.)

So basically, there is no cap for how much nonlethal damage you can take. The only thing measured is if your nonlethal damage meets or exceeds your current hit point total.

[Ravens_cry]

A houserule used by our group, and I approve of, is a, as much of a oxymoron as it may sound, non lethal coup de grâce if using a non-lethal damage weapon like a sap. It's not terribly realistic, but it allows further options for not simply killing opponents, something I approve of.

[Cog]

...non lethal coup de grâce...
It's got fictional precedent, too - the single smack to the head to knock somebody out cold.

There's a lot of emphasis on that "fictional", mind.

[Ravens_cry]

It's got fictional precedent, too - the single smack to the head to knock somebody out cold.

There's a lot of emphasis on that "fictional", mind.
Exactly, it makes narrative sense. We used it to great effect in a truly awesome example of sneaking using more then just the stealth skill in the Paizo Legacy of Fire campaign against a boss we really didn't want to fight.

[HalfDragonCube]

'Right, we need this sacrifice quiet and unable to move for the long duration of the ceremony. Somebody make the use rope check.'

'No need for that!' *Non-lethally coup de graces the subject with a greatsword for 20 minutes*

[Cog]

'Right, we need this sacrifice quiet and unable to move for the long duration of the ceremony. Somebody make the use rope check.'

'No need for that!' *Non-lethally coup de graces the subject with a greatsword for 20 minutes*
Oh, please.

It's not a properly evil cult sacrifice if they don't want the victim conscious to endure the suffering. :smallbiggrin:

[HalfDragonCube]

Oh, please.

It's not a properly evil cult sacrifice if they don't want the victim conscious to endure the suffering. :smallbiggrin:

Even paladins have listen checks.

[Cog]

I was making a genre-based argument with tongue firmly in cheek. If you're actually concerned about people giving themselves away, there's always just been regular nonlethal damage into unconsciousness, knockout poison, or the like. This just simplifies things a little when you've already got somebody who's properly helpless.

[HalfDragonCube]

I was making a genre-based argument with tongue firmly in cheek. If you're actually concerned about people giving themselves away, there's always just been regular nonlethal damage into unconsciousness, knockout poison, or the like. This just simplifies things a little when you've already got somebody who's properly helpless.

But putting someone into nonlethal damage so high that you need to use x10^something to express it is fun!

[Melayl]

I'm an advocate of NL damage becoming lethal at some point (HP total, 2x HP, HPxCON mod, whatever). After all, it is possible in RL to do enough "nonlethal" damage to someone to kill them. The body can only take so much abuse. After a certain point, even "gentle" damage is permanently harmful.

[KillianHawkeye]

I'm an advocate of NL damage becoming lethal at some point (HP total, 2x HP, HPxCON mod, whatever). After all, it is possible in RL to do enough "nonlethal" damage to someone to kill them. The body can only take so much abuse. After a certain point, even "gentle" damage is permanently harmful.

What does D&D have to do with real life exactly? :smallconfused:

[Bhaakon]

What does D&D have to do with real life exactly?

They both start in a tavern?

[Seffbasilisk]

Non-lethal counts up. I've played characters that'd power-attack with a greatclub on downed trolls to keep them down, seeing as we had no fire.

Figured ~2,000 nonlethal each should keep'm down long enough to get away, but once out of combat, they tend to recover at the speed of plot.


They both start in a tavern?

You sir, win a cookie.

[HalfDragonCube]

Non-lethal counts up. I've played characters that'd power-attack with a greatclub on downed trolls to keep them down, seeing as we had no fire.

Figured ~2,000 nonlethal each should keep'm down long enough to get away, but once out of combat, they tend to recover at the speed of plot.

Subjects heal one nonlethal point of damage per hour. That requires 8760 points of nonlethal damage above a target's hp to keep it under for one day. Just stab something nonlethally for a few hours until they have enough to hibernate.

[Seffbasilisk]

Subjects heal one nonlethal point of damage per hour. That requires 8760 points of nonlethal damage above a target's hp to keep it under for one day. Just stab something nonlethally for a few hours until they have enough to hibernate.

Your math confuses me. Seems to be that it'd take 24 points above thier HP to keep'm under for a day.

[Cog]

8760 would keep them under for a year (minus about 6 hours.)

[HalfDragonCube]

Oops, typo. I meant a year.