Good news, it was only Power Word Pain so. That was nice.

  • MouseKeyboard@ttrpg.network
    51·
    2 days ago

    For those who don’t get it

    Power Word Kill

    You utter a word of power that can compel one creature you can see within range to die instantly. If the creature you choose has 100 hit points or fewer, it dies. Otherwise, the spell has no effect.

    • Gloomy@mander.xyz
      23·
      2 days ago

      Easy to make misstake, but it was Power Word: Pain, not Kill.

      You speak a word of power that causes waves of intense pain to assail one creature you can see within range. If the target has 100 hit points or fewer, it is subject to crippling pain. Otherwise, the spell has no effect on it. A target is also unaffected if it is immune to being charmed.

    • Ziglin (they/them)@lemmy.worldEnglish
      3·
      1 day ago

      I would not give an NPC a spell like that so I suggest this:

      Power Word Incapacitating Tickles

      You utter a word of power that can compel one creature you can hear within range to fall over squirming and laughing, begging you to stop the imaginary tickles until you choose to end it’s effect. If the target has less than 100 hit points it takes effect, otherwise the target enjoys the sensation that feels like tummy rubs and is charmed for one round.

    • CalamityEmu@ttrpg.networkOP
      21·
      2 days ago

      One of my friends started doing a thing where he adds his damage together. When it’s as high as his hit point total, then he’s down. I am trying it out. So I just needed to math the subtraction. Not a lot of math but shrug.

      • Susaga@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        17·
        2 days ago

        Makes sense. One of those “it’s easier to add than subtract” things. I probably won’t do that, but if it works for you, then that’s good.

  • Feathercrown@lemmy.worldEnglish
    10·
    2 days ago

    As a DM you should not be asking your players about their HP totals directly in order to target them with Power Words (or Sleep)

    • Archpawn@lemmy.world
      13·
      1 day ago

      As a DM, I don’t think you should be using Power Word Kill at all. “I’ve set up this awesome encounter that you’re all going to love. Except you. You’ll have to sit this one out.”

      • pixeltree
        1·
        14 hours ago

        Can make for some epic moments depending on the party and setting and fight etc. My character in the first stage of the final fight of the campaign got power word killed after getting the BBEGs lair action enabling staff away from him, because taking the staff hurt him enough to put him under 100. Incredible narrative moment, didn’t expect the disarm to work and he passed it off with his dying breath. Got revived in a later stage once reinforcements started showing up

      • Stovetop@lemmy.world
        5·
        1 day ago

        Makes for a great BBEG move to use against a favorite DMPC or other beloved party companion, though. You don’t use it on a player, you use it on their feelings.

    • Ziglin (they/them)@lemmy.worldEnglish
      6·
      1 day ago

      If it is to see whether it takes effect I think it is fine if it is to know whether or not to target them I completely agree that it is not fun or fair.

    • TheRealKuni@lemmy.worldEnglish
      4·
      2 days ago

      I agree. The enemy considering using the spell doesn’t know the HP totals. Why should the DM controlling that enemy?

      • festnt@sh.itjust.works
        2·
        12 hours ago

        from what i understood, the dm asked to know if the spell would have effect, not if the creature was going to use it or not

      • phcorcoran@lemmy.world
        2·
        18 hours ago

        I also didn’t downvote, but maybe you would want to convey the information to your players that creatures here can use that spell without outright killing a PC in the first battle? Like “you guys should really watch your health points in this area” type of thing

      • Ziggurat@fedia.io
        2·
        19 hours ago

        I didn’t down-voted. However, I would somehow disagree. Knowing how badly injured are the PC allows to adapt the tactic, in both direction. Yes the warrior is a tank who can take tons of hit (is there really games where PC have 100 HP ? that much ? ) and you have that social character who can’t do much in combat, who is usually unconscious at the end of the first-round. So knowing how much HP do the PC have helps managing the right level of power against them and avoid stupid character death.

      • megane-kun@lemm.ee
        1·
        12 hours ago

        I used to ask people to tell me if they need healing, but I found it easier to just keep track of it all myself so that I can plan when to switch roles from buff to heal.

        Combat encounters usually have me bringing out a calculator and a sheet of paper where everyone’s hp is being tracked.