Paralysis?

[KevinB]

Hey all!

So... I'm looking at starting up my very first Basic Fantasy campaign, and although I feel kind of dumb for being stuck on a rules question for a game this streamlined, I have to ask...

What does paralysis actually DO?

I mean, the rules don't really say, other that that the creature can't move or take actions, but what about effects on combat? There definitely don't seem to be any "coup de grace" rules, but I would assume enemies should at the very least get a bonus to hit them? Something?

Any help or guidance would be great! Thanks in advance!

[Hywaywolf]

I always play paralysis victims are automatically hit if attacked.

[Dimirag]

I've seen a level 7 palladin get beheaded automatically while being paralized....

You can give an attack bonus, increase damage, use auto hit, save vs death, auto death, whatever you feel is the right thing to do on your game

[SmootRK]

I generally give the ability to eliminate an incapacitated individual if the character/individual dedicates the round to the process. If they want to attack/move/defend/whatever during that round, then they simply get auto-hit and roll for damage against an incapacitated foe.

Keeping the process at 1 kill per round per "attacker" helps to keep a little balance in the encounters, otherwise some situations or spells like "sleep" actual mean in effect "circle of instant death".

[KevinB]

Thanks all!

The "1 kill/round" suggestion was kind of along the lines I was thinking. That's how I used to run AD&D waaaaay back in the day.

[Solomoriah]

It's not detailed in the rulebook, so the GM can decide for himself/herself.

[Longman]

I'd say +4 to hit and double damage, for paralysis that affects player characters and major villains.

Coup de Grace / Insta-kill is fine for sleeping / paralyzed goblins. But for PCs it's a bit severe.

There's monsters in the Field Guide that could paralyze you one round and automatically beat you to death in the very next round, with such a ruling. If they won initiative in the 2nd round, there'd be nothing that other PCs could even do to help. Game over, in ten seconds, with only two dice rolls.

That's just too fast, and would leave many players feeling as though they'd had no chance to respond to the situation.

I think attacking at +4 with no dex bonuses totally stacks the odds in favour of a hit, but still allows for a clumsy attack or a blow that bounced off chain mail, or whatever.

For a low level PC this will quite likely take them below 0 hp anyway. But not below -10.

I think PCs should always get a chance to go below 0hp, and survive. That's the point of the buffer between 0 and -10. The monster's don't have it, the PCs do. That's often why the players win.

Automatic kills bypass that buffer. I don't think they should, personally.

[Hywaywolf]

The only way to prevent a coup de gras on a paralyzed victim is to metagame the rules. Because if I can get next to a person lying still as a statue and I take a dagger or a sword to to its throat there is absolutely no way I can miss. Now its a different story if I can't get within melee range or someone is defending the paralysed person. In that case then I agree with the +4 to hit.

Monsters rarely coup de gras PC's or go after them when they fall to the floor unconscious. There is no rule for that, but I have never had a DM who did that. Usually a fallen PC is lying at the feet of its fellow party members and thus is being defended by them so a monster can't get to them to coup de gras them. But if you fall while engaging an intelligent monster when away from your party then it would seem out of character if the monster didn't just finish off the PC.

[dymondy2k]

It would make sense for a monster to switch to another target that's still standing than one laying on the floor in front of them.. But if all the PCs go down.. Then its time to have a little fun in bad guy land...