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Talanic
2007-05-05, 02:15 AM
Hmm. This is just kicking about for some house rules. In order to make death something more feared but less arbitrary, here goes. Be sure to read to the end, and let me know what you think. I'm starting up a game at home soon and these might make it in as the rules. They could be crazy, though..it is late here as I post it 8)

Reincarnate--stays as-is. It already has sufficient downsides that people fear to use it.

Resurrection is moved to a 9th level cleric spell, and Raise Dead to a 7th level cleric spell. True Resurrection is removed from the game entirely.

The mechanics of death become as follows:

At 0 hit points, the character is staggered and begins losing blood until stabilized. The character can take only partial actions.

At negative constitution modifier, the character falls unconscious and bleeding damage doubles. A successful fortitude save (as stabilizing) reduces the amount of bleeding damage per turn by one, to minimum of zero.

At negative ten (or past negative constitution modifier, whichever is the lowest number) the character has taken serious damage and is in serious risk of death. Bleeding damage increases by one again. The character ceases to heal naturally, if he or she lacks fast healing or regeneration. Magical healing does not work regularly anymore. This is to represent extremely severe injury, including such things as possibly major organ ruptures, internal bleeding, severe blood loss, broken bones, or severe concussion.

The character can regain only one hit point per day due to their serious injuries, until they reach zero. Consciousness is regained at negative constitution modifier, so the character may be completely helpless for several days; even when consciousness is restored, the character is staggered until they have healed to zero hit points. Convalescence is only possible with the victim's wounds being tended by a competent healer. The DC for healing a wound up by one point is twenty plus the amount by which the wound is below zero (e.g. if Gort the barbarian has 18 constitution, he is alive at -14 hit points but helpless. A DC 34 healing check will help him have -13 hit points the next day). Every thirty points by which the DC is beaten allows another point of healing to be received that day. The DC to avoid worsening wounds is five; however, an unconscious character may be unable to eat or drink without proper tending and may still eventually perish of starvation.

If a healer prays to the deity of an injured cleric whom they are tending, they may bring increased favor on their healing. Roll two d20s for the healing check and use the better die roll. If the healer and cleric are of the same faith, roll a d6 as well and add its result to the heal check.

Magical healing does not apply normally; instead, roll the heal normally and add what would have been restored hit points directly to the modified healing check.

Ultimately, this makes it slightly harder to die; I considered making the point of actual death instead be ((level * con modifier) + 10). However, it also requires that the characters care more for each other in their injuries if they do reach the point at which they would have died. It's kind of a trait of D&D that if someone isn't outright killed by something, they'll be back on their feet with a good 8 hours rest and a cleric. This is intended to turn that mechanic on its head.