My game sessions these days run at about 2 to 2 1/2 hours, every other week. That’s just the reality of online/remote gaming and our busy lives. I’m grateful for the time I do get to play, and I definitely don’t want to waste players’ sessions!
Recently, we had a very intense series of sessions where the PCs were on an extended campaign to flush out a village of kobolds and recover some treasure. One of the PCs went to -4 hp and ended up being affected by DMG pg. 82
Any character brought to 0 (or fewer) hit points and then revived will remain in a coma far 1-6turns. Thereafter, he or she must rest for a full week, minimum. He or she will be incapable of any activity other than that necessary to move slowly to a place of rest and eat and sleep when there. The character cannot attack, defend, cast spells, use magic devices, carry burdens, run, study, research, or do anything else.
I agree with the intent of the rule. If you’ve dropped to below zero hp, you’ve had an extremely bad day and it’s one of the “downs” of the ups and downs of a PC’s life. That being said, the context of that rule was written when games were 6 to 8 hours long, weekly affairs where players would probably be out of action for maybe a couple of hours or at most, one session into the next.
In my game, the poor player really couldn’t contribute much for almost 3 sessions, as it took awhile for the PCs to complete the entire quest and get back to a place where the wounded PC could recover. So, thinking about the intent of the rule – to where you should feel some serious side effects/weakness/inability from dropping below zero, BUT I want the PCs to be able to participate in some small capacity, I’ve come up with the following – which the players discussed and voted to accept:
Combat – Zero Hit Points
In lieu of the standard rule that if you drop < 0hp, you cannot do ANYTHING until you rest/recover for a week [DMG82] …
If you are a 1st – 3rd level character, you revert to the combat capabilities of a normal person (0 level). You may walk/ride and participate in combat, but your to-hit and saves are as a 0-level fighter. You cannot use class-based special abilities. (aside from spell casting and undead turning, see below)
If you are 4th or higher, you revert to the abilities (and combat/save capabilities) of a first level character. All class-based abilities are also as first level – if the ability is only available to higher level characters, you may not use it.
For all levels – You cannot charge, and you can run only 1 round at which time you must rest an hour afterwards.
Spell casters can cast their currently memorized spells but cannot memorize new spells. Spells are cast as-if first level. You may use magic items. Clerics can turn undead as first level clerics.
I think this serves a good middle ground, and is a bit of a nod to the old Chainmail/OD&D idea that once you get to 4th level (Hero), you are far more powerful than most others.
What do you think?
(Image is an illustration for the story, “The High Constable’s Wife” from Droll Stories [Les contes drolatiques] by Honoré de Balzac, illustrator was Gustave Doré, engraver was Paul Riault)