Feigning Death [3.5]

[RogueDM]

I have a conundrum. I've recently got it in my mind to have the BBEG of a campaign play dead when he reaches some predetermined "low" hit point count. So, for example, he is stabbed by Paladin A bringing him to 5% of max health at which point he gasps, swoons, and falls over apparently dead.

My problem is, how do I do this without inciting an unusual amount of precaution from my players? If I call for Sense Motive checks (vs Bluff or the like) at the moment the BBEG appears to snuff-it they're going to smell a rat and set him on fire, or something. To be clear, in a normal situation as soon as a baddy falls they assume he's dead and move on after some quick looting.

Do I make not of the highest Sense Motive score in the party and make a secret roll on their behalf?

Should I call for a Heal check from whoever loots his "corpse"?

I really try to keep game mechanics from impeding good story telling, but I likewise hate to deprive the characters a chance to catch-on by virtue of skill and intuition. As is I keep note of Listen, Spot, and all three saves so the players don't know if that roll they just made was for resisting a spell or hearing the ogre in the next room.

Thank you in advance for any feedback or advice.

[Nettlekid]

Unless the players decide to make a Heal check, then there's no cause to call for one. Any class that gets Evasion can swap it out for Feign Death from Exemplars of Evil, which is the best way to do exactly what you want. The Feign Death spell does similar. If they don't take precautions, and hastily loot the body, they've no one to blame but themselves.

[Hamste]

Feign Death can't be prepared before hand so they would get a spell craft check to figure out what it does.


Making them undead would be the easiest way to make it so that no one notices they are dead (No signs of life so they can't find anything). Perhaps giving them a spot check to notice if he is breathing if you can't make him undead (Have another enemy come in at that time so they assume the spot check was for that enemy)

[RogueDM]

Unless the players decide to make a Heal check, then there's no cause to call for one. Any class that gets Evasion can swap it out for Feign Death from Exemplars of Evil, which is the best way to do exactly what you want. The Feign Death spell does similar. If they don't take precautions, and hastily loot the body, they've no one to blame but themselves.

Perfect! I was sure there was a mechanic for it somewhere, but for the life of me didn't know where to look. Saves me from having to worry about arranging convenient distractions and the like.

@Hamste: Undeath is also a viable option, but I think it would be more surprising for a living enemy to return to exact revenge on the party. Additionally, I can bring the same villain back a third time as some form of undead abomination... Likely as someone else's minion.