What happens when a monster or other NPC loses all its HP? Does it die immediately, or can it dip into negatives, and follow the same disabled-dying-dead progression as PCs?
Example scenario: The party has encountered a lackey of a local warlord, and wants to interrogate him for information. On the lackey stat block, the morale entry says something like, "Fearful of his employer's wrath, the vicious thug will fight to the death." The PCs take the lackey to 0 with full lethal damage. Could they then attempt to stabilize him and take him alive, or would he be dead the moment he lost his last hit point?
It follows the normal dip into negatives. This is especially true of orcs, who have orc ferocity. They follow all the normal rules. However, the GM is also free to simply ignore them and write them off. Both are equally valid.
For the party wanting to capture someone alive, there is absolutely no reason they can't take him into negatives, but still alive, and then stabilize him, tie him up, and then heal and question him.
If on the other hand, someone crits him and does 40 pts of damage and he had 5 hp, he's pretty much dead without a breath of life spell. :)
Note that under normal circumstances, NPCs don't fight to the death (it requires fear or a major reason to). That's why the AP said 'he fights to the death' as it's unusual. Usually npcs when they are overwhelmed, will run away if possible.
On the other hand, if the PC group has a reputation for not giving quarter or chasing people who run away down, then a lot more people fight to the death.
Animals generally fight until wounded badly and then run.
Also note that whether it is destroyed or "killed" at zero hp can depend on the individual monster's entry, or the type of creature it is.
Most undead are destroyed at zero hp, as are constructs.
Also note that whether it is destroyed or "killed" at zero hp can depend on the individual monster's entry, or the type of creature it is.
Most undead are destroyed at zero hp, as are constructs.
Yep, good point.
As an aside, make sure the party understands the value of nonlethal damage. Even a single successful blow of nonlethal damage can simplify things dramatically. Any melee combatant would do well to carry a sap unless they don't mind killing anything they come across.
Got it, thanks all.
Interesting that this leaves the door open for a cutthroat GM to ambush the players with that group of will-o-wisps that stabilized and healed up off screen. "And that's why you always coup de grace."
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Got it, thanks all.
Interesting that this leaves the door open for a cutthroat GM to ambush the players with that group of will-o-wisps that stabilized and healed up off screen. "And that's why you always coup de grace."
Will-o'-wisp have:
"Feed on Fear (Su) Any time a will-o'-wisp is within 15 feet of a dying creature or creature subject to a fear effect, it gains fast healing 5."So if there is a group of them dying they will heal to positive hp thanks to the damage the other have suffered.
A wacky question: a will-o'-wisp will get fast healing 5 because it is dying?
;P
By a strict reading of the rules, yes, but I doubt most people would play it that way.
As DM, I don't count negative hp unless things like orc ferocity or my pcs want to capture them. If there's no reason to track negative hp, I don't bother to do.
Oh, sure enough i track negative HP as DM.
Especially as long as the party cleric does not have Selective Channel, or has a low Cha-Mod.
Yup, there's another good reason, even if I keep track on them only with relevant enemies. A bunch of minion aren't so important, in most cases.