Wither Death, Strength Options

[Terquem]

If Unconsciousness occurs at 0 STR - and Death occurs at -1 STR or less, then it would seem that in gladiatorial combat those that fell at -1 STR or lower are probably left to die

BUT, if Unconsciousness occurs at 0 STR and Death BEGINS at -1 STR, reaching permanent Death at -(Original STR) then any sort of new house rules that control the loss or regaining of STR can be introduced, say, at -(x) STR figure is unconscious and Dying, losing 1 STR every (x) Time Unit until either stabilized or reaching -(Original STR) when permanent Death occurs.

Other figures can attempt First Aid, or apply healing Skills/Magic to stabilize a dying figure.

Additional House Rules can be introduced that limit or control the rate at which STR is recovered, say, at any value of -(STR) not equal to -(Original STR) a figure remains unconscious and can only regain STR at a rate of +(x) point per day, additional +1 STR can be recovered on a successful "Skill" roll by a care giver, with critical successes (rolls of 3, or 4) resulting in further bonus +(STR) recovered).

Only when STR is +1 or higher can a figure begin walking and talking as normal.

Just some ideas about managing Death in TFT

Other ideas are welcome of course.

[Terquem]

I don't think I'll start any more threads

[Chris Goodwin]

I think threads here don't get seen as much because they're kind of in the "back room". That may chance once the game is in full release; I would imagine they want to keep house rules discussion separate from main game discussion during the comments period.

That aside:

Originally Posted by Terquem

If Unconsciousness occurs at 0 STR - and Death occurs at -1 STR or less, then it would seem that in gladiatorial combat those that fell at -1 STR or lower are probably left to die

I think this is key. For gladiatorial/arena combat, -1 is the point at which a figure is down and the fight is called.

TFT, like Car Wars, is two different games with a squishy middle case. One of those games is the gladiatorial arena, with "figures" that might even be disposable and even potentially unnamed. The other game is the continuing roleplaying campaign. The squishy middle is the continuing arena campaign, which might or might not be considered a full roleplaying game depending on the groups, and might fall on one side or the other.

The upshot of all of this is that in a one-shot arena game, -1 ST means the figure is out of the fight. For this game, we don't care what happens after that.

For the continuing campaign or the roleplaying game, we do care. That's the point at which -1 ST means the character is dying, rather than that the figure is out of the fight. And that's where the house rules come in. I imagine that the new edition of ITL might address this as well, as SJ has agreed with me on this division. :)

At any rate, I think it's reasonable that -1 is dying and -ST is dead. I also think it's reasonable to look at ST loss through fatigue/exhaustion (including spellcasting) and a hypothetical nonlethal damage category as contributing to unconsciousness but not death. Essentially: if you've taken total damage, including fatigue and nonlethal damage, greater than your ST, you're unconscious; if you've taken lethal damage or wounds greater than your ST, you're dying.

[Skarg]

Death matters in basic Melee if the experience rules are being used, since the dead figures don't get to keep adding XP and attributes, and that tends to become more or less the goal for long-term arena play.