Another contingency question

[Patman]

We had a big argument in my game today about contingency. A wizard with 86 HP set contingency to cast heal when he reached zero HP. He took a Wail of the Banshee in the face, doing 170 points of damage. He failed his save. Does the contingency heal actually go off when he hits zero, interrupting the wail of the Banshee damage? As the GM, I see both sides of the argument,

1. He takes the 170, since it is an immeduate effect
2. The contingency interrupts the Wail damage.

Help me qyash this argument. It caused a rage quit for one of the players.

[Melkiador]

I don’t think there is a strictly correct interpretation. Yours certainly makes sense. I think the fault may be more of communication. Did the player run this contingency by you first?

[Belafon]

It sounds like he intended to have the contingency act like the Hero's Defiance spell.

We had a debate about that spell a while back but I can't find the thread now. If I recall correctly, the majority consensus was to apply the damage and the healing simultaneously. Subtract and add; if the total is above negative Con you survived.

There are definitely other ways of parsing the text but that is by far the easiest to adjudicate and the least likely to cause arguments among players who aren't trying to rules lawyer everything.

That's how I'd rule his contingency worked out.

[TxSam88]

I would apply all the effects simultaneously

86 Hp - 170 Damage + the heal (10HP/level max 150), so best case scenario, he's at 66HP

I tend to side on let's benefit the players - they are the heroes after all

[Jhaeman]

I use James Jacobs' ruling here. It's not official FAQ/errata, but it's some authority for the proposition that the healing contingency is applied after the hit point damage is taken (and healing a dead body just doesn't work, unless it's breath of life).

[Azothath]

*sigh* Banshee CR 13 and a [sonic, death] effect... there is a reason they are feared.

The player should have consulted the GM and rolled a skill check to determine how the PC thinks it will work. Barring that roll it is in the GM's hands.

You want to be nice and have the Contigency:K6 act as a midway interrupt but the spell cannot assess exact HPs IMO and could only act after the damage is dealt. Thus you have healed a dead body. Time to pay for a Raise Dead or other method as the penalty. As I recall DnD3.5 & Forgotten Realms went into far more detail on trigger conditions and what are observable conditions than PF1. Funny as I also advise triggering this type of condition by gesture (preferred) or at HALF the caster's (notoriously low) HPs. You can learn the easy way (through education) or the hard way (through experience).
As a GM you now have a moment of dramatic tragedy on your hands. Use it. Will his friends save him or flee letting him rot... Out, out brief candle...

Again, I advise players to get a Cracked Pearly White Spindle Ioun Stone $3400 as a beauty maintainer and death delayer along with several other items in Items that can save you thread 2019 which you can ignore at your peril
There is a thread on Contingency companion spells and triggers.

I'd agree that cancelling out some of the damage is a "Kid's Gloves" ruling and suitable for that setting.

[Azothath]

Advice follow up
Don't for get to describe the emotional terror (or summary) the PC experienced before he died (via a note) as it will be a plot clue as to how the Banshee was created and possibly how to resolve it... later... those that made their save didn't experience the full effect. Agents of Pharasma should be able to counsel and console him during his visit to her realm. luckily there's no mention of Spawn ability...