I want to make sure I've got this rule right.
10th level character has a 12 Con. Gets poisoned and otherwise injured. The poison does Con damage. His Con drops to 6. Because he has lost 6 points of Con, his maximum hit points have lowered by 30 (3x10th level).
However, before his constitution dropped, he had suffered enough injuries to lower his HP to 29. So now he has -1 hp.
If he loses another point of Constitution, he will lose another 10 hp from it, lowering his hp to -11. That will be less than his current Constitution of 5 and he will die immediately. Is that right?
[I notice he has enough Hero Points to survive anyway, but I want to make sure I'm using the Con damage rules correctly.]
Yes, its right. If you have taken hit point damage, its entirely possibly that the drop in hit points from constitution damage can kill you.
Constitution: Damage to your Constitution score causes you to take penalties on your Fortitude saving throws. In addition, multiply your total Hit Dice by this penalty and subtract that amount from your current and total hit points. Lost hit points are restored when the damage to your Constitution is healed.
Edit: Actually, this part is partly wrong:
If he loses another point of Constitution, he will lose another 10 hp from it, lowering his hp to -11. That will be less than his current Constitution of 5 and he will die immediately. Is that right?
He would have to take an additional 2 points of Constitution damage, not 1. Ability damage does not actually reduce your scores.
For every 2 points of damage you take to a single ability, apply a –1 penalty to skills and statistics listed with the relevant ability.
6 points of constitution damage gives a -3 penalty. To get a -4 penalty (and so lose 4 hit points per hit die), you need 8 points of constitution damage.
And since your ability score is never actually reduced, he would still die at -12 hit points, regardless of how much constitution damage he has taken.
Oh, constitution damage. Still one of the most frightening things in the game!
Oh, constitution damage. Still one of the most frightening things in the game!
Gibbering mounthers - Con Damage that continues to apply after they swallow you whole.
*shudder*
