Death and Dying


A player character reduced to 0 or fewer hit points is dying.

 

A player character at negative hit points equal to half their total maximum hit points is dead.

 

Effects of dying

Each round, a dying character must make a saving throw.

 

If the character fails three saves then the character dies. The accumulated failed saves do not reset until after a brief rest.

 

If the character passes the save then he lives for another round.

 

If the character gets a result of 20 or more on the save then the character returns to 0 hp and may spend a heroic surge.

 

Note: A character never has to heal negative hp. Whenever a dying character receives any sort of healing, restore the character to 0 hp before restoring hit points due to healing.

 

Death

When a character goes to negative hp equal to half their maximum hit point (or -10 if lower) then the character is dead.

 

Failing three death saves without a brief rest between also results in death.

 

Finally, a coup de grace can kill a character.

 

A dead character is an inanimate object. Generally, death is the end of your character's career.

 

Stable Characters

A stable character has either been stabilized by

 

Recovering without Help

Each round, a dying character must make a saving throw. If the character fails three saves then the character dies. The accumulated failed saves do not reset until after a brief rest. If the save succeeds, the character lives continues unharmed until the next round. If the save result equals 20 then the character immediately goes to 0 hit points and may spend a heroic surge, regaining hit points and recovering as normal.

 

If the character has no heroic surges remaining then the character is stable but unconscious. After 24 hours, the character gains the benefits of a night's rest, regaining all hit points and heroic surges.

Note that while unconscious, the character can still be killed by additional damage. Even one point of damage returns the character to the dying state and forces saves against death.

 

Recovering with Help

A dying character can be made stable by the use of the Treat Injury skill (DC 15). This raises the character's current hit point total to 0. One hour after a tended, dying character becomes stable, he makes a saving throw to regain consciousness. If successful, the character regains 1 hit point and may act as normal. If the character fails then they begin a night's rest.

 

Non-Player Characters

NPCs generally die when reduced to 0 hp or less. This reduces bookkeeping for the GM and keeps the action faster-paced and more interesting, removing the need to police the battlefield, executing all fallen foes. A GM can always change this situation, but should only do so rarely; too many NPCs returning from the dead isn't much fun and guarantees an eventual murderous response from the PCs.

 

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