A first play test

[Solomoriah]

It would have been anti-climatic to say I just dropped incapacitated at 0 hp.

This is spades.

It also happens to be how I feel about the -10 HP fudge due to years of its use taking the sting and fear of death almost completely away at our table.

Really. Odd... I've seen a number of player characters die over the years, including some pretty tough ones. They don't die often, but they always know it can happen.

[Caelestis]

I agree totally with the just dropping unconscious, I would play it depending on the situation. I do a similar thing when the players are fighting. So for example if one player swings and misses but the next lands a really solid hit I describe it as the NOC dodging out of the way of one blow only to put themselves in the path of the other. Or maybe they grabbed the first pcs staff and while they rustle and tug at it another pc cleaves them with a staff.

Bits like that are part of the fun when GMing I think, getting to ad lib the ebb and flow.

I can see why some people don't like to play the -10 thing, however I think it is a group specific thing. If the group as a whole are not comfortable with straight 0 dead then it will detract from the game for them. Every group is different though so for me I would always discuss it before setting out on an adventure or campaign.

Once we have run through the caves I have for the intro I'm going to take the intro adventure from the Midderlands and convert it to BFRPG. I can't wait to see how that runs.

[Dimirag]

My current group uses the -10 rule, it gives an extra tension to some situations and has helped in the survival of some pc's, but I've read of tables when there was no tension and players used as much time as they could doing something else before healing/stabilizing the fallen, on one forum of such a table, a gm was using a d10 minus negative damage for the remaining time as a secret roll, I have thought of using 2d6 but I'm more inclined on a HD roll with a level-based modifier

[Caelestis]

I'm curious about what tests people make the players do to stem the flow of blood etc.. I was thinking of an int check to see if they can work out what they need to do and a Dex check to make sure they don't bodge it.

Do others use tests for this or just assume the adventurers have seen enough action to stabalises someone?

[Dimirag]

My GM assumes each class has basic knowledge as adventurers so they can stabilize someone by attending them and using first aid kits

I've seen most commonly an Int or Wis check (Wis so the Cleric can use his required stat)
Another option is to make it take time, maybe a 1d6 roll or 2d4 and a success check cut time in half...

You can use the optional ability rolls rule as it makes higher level adventurer more knowledgeable in this matters

[Hywaywolf]

Just musing a bit but perhaps something like this might make the -10 rule more challenging by requiring more non-clerical manpower to be used on downed party members.

When a PC hits 0 or below they fall and are either unconscious or out of their mind with such pain that they can't track whats going on or recall it later.

If the injured PC is given 1 round of aid then the blood loss is halted and they regain their senses but are immobile.

If the injured PC is given 2 rounds of aid then the blood loss is halted, they regain their senses and can be moved up to 1/2 speed distance away (ie out of the way of the battle, pulled back behind the lines, etc).

If the injured PC is given 3 rounds of aid then the blood loss is halted, they regain their senses, they can be moved up to 1/2 speed distance away (ie out of the way of the battle, pulled back behind the lines, etc) and the injured PC can move short distance on their own (maybe 1/4 speed)

If the injured PC is given 4 rounds of aid then the blood loss is halted, they regain their senses, they can be moved up to 1/2 speed distance away (ie out of the way of the battle, pulled back behind the lines, etc), the injured PC can move short distance on their own (maybe 1/4 speed) and if given a dagger or some other small weapon they can defend themselves with a -6 penalty (or higher) to their AC.

[Caelestis]

I think something like that could be really interesting. I'm waiting for my next session to see what happens to the party. As it stands we have the potential for them all to go down and become Kobold dinner.

On the up side I'll let them create new characters and the kit and money from their first characters will be in the dungeon

Longer term I think I'm going to play with some house rules like that and see how it works.

Really keen to get some regular BFRPG going as I just like the rules and the ease with which we got up and running!