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So I've been thinking about the nature of combat in Pathfinder. If there's one point of contention I have it's Save or Die mechanics. So I've been thinking to a couple of The Alexandrian articles:
I've also been thinking about how Pathfinder handles Afflictions. Particularly Poisons, Curses and Diseases. I like the idea of using ability damage more regularly.
I've decided in my games that monsters are no longer going to have access to straight Save or Die effects, and instead such abilities would become ability score damaging poisons, curses or diseases.
Examples:
Replace the Ghoul's Paralysis ability with:
Ghoul Paralysis Poison [Paralysis] Fort Save DC 11; Frequency: 1/round for 6 rounds Damage: 1d3 Strength Damage; Cure: One save.
Special: Elves are immune to Ghoul poison.
If PCs fail their saves against the Ghoul Poison describe the feeling of weakness as the poison seeps deep into their flesh.
Replace the Medusa's Gaze attack with.
Medusa's Curse [Petrification] Fort Save DC 16; Frequency: 1/round for 6 rounds Damage: 1d6 Dexterity Damage; Cure: Two Consecutive Saves. Special: Any creature reduced to 0 dexterity from the Medusa's Curse is petrified.
As a PC fails their Fortitude saves describe the PC's flesh rapidly petrifying, and their clumsiness as first their legs, then their arms and eventually their bodies and head are transformed into rock.
Change the last line of text of remove paralysis to read: This spell restores all ability score damage lost to paralyzing effects.
Change the text of stone to flesh and add: This spell heals all ability score damage caused by a petrifying effect.
I'd love to change all Save or Die effects to ability score damage (or at higher levels drain), but who has the time?
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Quick and Dirty:
Paralysis = Strength Damage
Petrification = Dexterity Damage
Death Effects = Constitution Damage
Sleep Effects = Wisdom Damage
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DC if the PC would only be exposed to it once a round then leave the DC same as the monster's normal DC for that effect. (Such as the Medusa's Gaze attack).
If a PC might potentially be effected multiple times, such as through a Ghoul's attacks, lower the DC by 2. On average the PC will take multiple doses and it will come up to a little lower, about the same, or a little higher.
Myself I plant to turn petrification either into Dexterity damage or progressing set of hindering conditions (probably entangle->staggered-> stunned->paralyzed->petrified) that would go worse on a failed saving throws.
I would go not as far with effects of mind-affecting spells as it would make them next to useless. I would like to see dominate effects levels rescaled as current version of dominate person irks me. Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, 1 day/level? Where are short term dominate effects?