[5e] Is there a way to stop the chat window from signalling an unconscious creature?

[WinterSoldier7]

I was wondering whether there was an extensions or simple way to hide the text that appears in the chat window when a creature on the combat tracker hits the unconscious state.

When a PC deals that finishing blow, dropping an enemy's HP to zero, I want to be able to build-up that attack narratively before asking a Matt Mercer-inspired 'how do you finish them?'. Currently, that moment is stolen from me whenever the PC rolls the damage die and the chat window instantly feeds back that the target is unconscious.

How do I stop that from happening??

[Marquis_de_Taigeis]

i think in settings change -Chat show results to client - to off will stop those messages

[WinterSoldier7]

i think in settings change -Chat show results to client - to off will stop those messages

Ok, found that and set it to 'friendly' - thanks!

Short of trying it out in my next session, do you know whether that turns off all die results? I worry it will and that's less than desireable.

[Marquis_de_Taigeis]

log in with a second instance of FG running locally, and test it, or have someone else remote in whilst testing,

i dont turn it off myself and i cant remember exactly all of the effects of it

[Marquis_de_Taigeis]

ive just tested this, and because its the unconcious effect that is being applied, this is not the "showing the result to client" but changing a status effect so unfortunately the chat will show it

but this turns of the rest of the details of the roll - like if it is a hit/miss

ive attached my test screenshot of chats, -DM left / client right

51961

so im not sure how to do what it sounds like your looking for

[WinterSoldier7]

ive just tested this, and because its the unconcious effect that is being applied, this is not the "showing the result to client" but changing a status effect so unfortunately the chat will show it

but this turns of the rest of the details of the roll - like if it is a hit/miss

ive attached my test screenshot of chats, -DM left / client right

51961

so im not sure how to do what it sounds like your looking for

Ah, thank you for testing.

I've found another option whilst in there; Enemy Health Player Display. Sounds along the right lines...

[Nylanfs]

"Yes the Enemy is Healthy" should always be the default response. :)

[WinterSoldier7]

Doesn't seem like any of the above options are working.

Not sure if anyone knows for sure whether this can be achieved?

[LordEntrails]

Not certain. I do know there is/was an extension (one of the death indicators?) that changed the text to something lie "creature as fallen and appears unconscious" for NPCs, so perhaps their is an extension that does what you want or could be made.

[WinterSoldier7]

Ok, cheers. I'll go digging for one.

Meanwhile, if anyone knows of an option or something simple I'm missing, please do point me in the right direction.

[Moon Wizard]

There's nothing built-in that will do this currently; I'll look at making it respect faction like the Stable condition does.

Regards,
JPG

[WinterSoldier7]

Oh, brilliant - appreciate you looking into it!

[WinterSoldier7]

Coming back to this and hoping to add it to the Wish List, but the link in the above signature doesn't appear to work?

Speaking personally, this has been one of my biggest issues/ requests of FGU. One of the greatest moments for a DM is asking the team something along the lines of 'how do you wanna do this?'. Building-up the suspense on that final roll of the dice, before describing how the attack dealt the final blow.

With FGU simply stating 'Unconscious' in the chat, it takes all of that away from me. I hate describing the result after the fact.

Advice shared above has helped - I now hide whether an attack was a hit - but my sessions would benefit greatly from having even greater control over what is shown in chat.

[LordEntrails]

https no longer works for the Idea Informer site. use Idea Informer » Feedback 2.0 (http://fgapp.idea.informer.com/)

[WinterSoldier7]

Ah, that works - thanks!

Should this be on anyone else's Wish List: http://fgapp.idea.informer.com/proj/fgapp?ia=141750

[Trenloe]

Should this be on anyone else's Wish List: http://fgapp.idea.informer.com/proj/fgapp?ia=141750
Maybe add it to yours? You can vote as well... :)

[WinterSoldier7]

Great idea! I finally updated my signature and have no idea why I didn't do so earlier.

[WinterSoldier7]

Reviving this one, as for a long time there I did indeed manage to hide the unconscious effect from my players, but it's recently become visible again - I have no idea why and this thread doesn't give me nay clues.

Unless there is an option I'm missing, the only thing I can think of is that I use the Combat Groups extension and possibly that's caused it or needs updating.

Any any ideas?

[Moon Wizard]

We didn't change anything with regards to the way effects were added. The changes in v4.8.x and the 2025-08 ruleset updates are focused on dice and story books.

Regards,
JPG

[WinterSoldier7]

Thanks for the info - time for a one by one extension test, then

[Ludd_G]

Thanks for the info - time for a one by one extension test, then

I'm sure you probably know this, but as someone who uses a lot of extension and has been down this road before, try the 50% method:

turn off 50% of your extensions,
then if it's still happening you'll know you'll know it's one of the 50% still active
so turn off 50% of those still active and check again etc etc
Or if the issue doesn't happen you know the culprit is one of 50% already turned off, in which case swap which were off and on, then turn 50% of the now active ones off and check again etc etc.

it can really speed up checking for a bad'un!

I hope you fine the culprit!

Cheers,

Simon

[WinterSoldier7]

Thanks, Ludd_G - I took that approach and found the culprit. Turns out it wasn't an extension.

There's a setting in the options; 'Show results to client'.

I had this set to Friendly, but it doesn't seem to be working as intended anymore - assuming it should only show the effects landed on allies. As soon as I set this to off, it stopped sharing the information again.

Possibly a bug, depending on what the Friendly setting should do. I haven't changed it in the last year, so it appears to have just stopped working.

[Moon Wizard]

The option is supposed to work for any action which involves a friendly unit as either source or target.

Regards,
JPG

[WinterSoldier7]

Huh, then I'm even more confused. Possibly there was an extension causing that specific option to not work....

In any case, I resolved my issue by turning that setting to 'off' and hiding everything.

[deer_buster]

Huh, then I'm even more confused. Possibly there was an extension causing that specific option to not work....

In any case, I resolved my issue by turning that setting to 'off' and hiding everything.Did you try it with no extensions?

[WinterSoldier7]

Did you try it with no extensions?

Yes, sir. So, when set to 'Friendly' it showed the effects when a Player defeated an NPC.

What's confusing me is that it only recently stopped working for me, but had been set to Friendly for ages.

I can do more thorough tests, but not yet as I'm out of town.