0 hp

[JohnD]

Extension... sounds like programming/Greek to me.

[S Ferguson]

Since I can copy/paste this, I'll share my house rules on the issue in case anyone gets something useful out of it. It's based on the old AD&D1e house rules my group used back in the day:

The Process of Dying

A character may go into negative Hit Points up to the value of their Constitution score. For instance, a character with a Constitution score of 14 can drop to -14 Hit Points and still be barely alive – at -15 he is dead.

Further, the effects of the character’s negative Hit Point status are based on whether their current HP total is 0 HP to -50% of their Constitution value (in which case they are Disabled), or are at -51% or more of their Constitution value (in which case they are Dying).

Disabled (0 HP to -50% CON score)

When a character’s Hit Points go to 0 or into the negatives, but are not below half the character’s negative Constitution score (rounded in the character’s favor), the character is considered to be Disabled. Upon reaching this HP range, the character collapses wherever they are and must make a Constitution save to stay conscious.

If the character is conscious, only very limited actions can be taken, such as looking around, speaking quietly, holding onto something that’s not too big or bulky, manipulating a small object, etc. More strenuous actions (such as crawling, shouting, sitting up, etc.) can be taken only upon making an additional successful Constitution check.

Dying (-51% CON score to – full CON score)

When a character’s Hit Points go to below half the character’s negative Constitution score (rounded in the character’s favor) down to equivalent to the character’s negative Constitution score, the character is considered to be Dying. Upon reaching this HP range, the character automatically falls unconscious and begins the actual process of dying, taking 1 hit point damage per round as they fade towards death. This slide towards death can be stopped by a healing spell or someone with appropriate first aid skill (like a Cleric).

Dead (below full CON score)

When a character reaches a negative hit point value below their negative Constitution score the character is irretrievably lost to the ages and dead. Done for. Stiff. Wasted. Perished. Defunct. Inanimate. No more. Offed. Bereft of life. Cadaverous. Expired. Checked out. Bought the farm. Pushing up daisies. Shuffled off their mortal coil. This… is an ex-character!

Well, as 'permanent' as death is in a fantasy RPG.

You know, that's pretty much the way C&C handles the situation (except the heartfelt scam of dying to collect the insurance money, then being resurrected, then...) albeit giving everyone the same chances (perilous for beginning character - for example if using the Critical Hits or Fumbles Tables out of the FG CKG) by setting the default at -10, which is the average (roughly) on the bell curve of the 3d6 CON score. I'm not sure if you use the "wounds for HD" optional rule as well, giving them the same negative on their respective HD total (e.g. a goblin could go until -1).

Regardless, 0 you're hurting real bad (and I note you have a constitution check there as well), -1 to -6 you're out cold and grievously wounded and -7 to -10 you're losing 1 HP per round until you're Knocking on Heaven's Door at -11. Mama take this badge off of me....

And Extensions are programming. Just in little chunks. Like mini Chips Ahoy! or Mini Mini-Wheats (Mini^2 Wheats?). Drab and yes, Greek for some, but a necessary evil nevertheless.

Regards,
SF

[phantomwhale]

Thanks for all the input (and house rules !) guys. Most of what I was doing this for was for monsters anyway - I've no doubt every GM has his own rules around PC's going down in combat ! (And I'm certainly not going to attempt to encapsulate anything like that in the ruleset)

Whilst fixing this up, I also noticed the code to generate the "combat tracker" condition is totally separate to the code that generates the "chat window" condition when something is injured. That might explain why some wounds were coming in as "Heavy Damage" when in fact the creature was on 0hp.

[S Ferguson]

The "extended" rules for characters and dying is discussed in Part II: The Siege Engine: Death and Dying. In the FG CKG, it lists explicitly what the designers meant and what you can do at each "negative" you're at in combat. Just a helping hand if you're tweaking the rules. If you do figure it out do post it here in an extension format. No doubt others will find the same problem vexing.

Cheers,
SF