this post was submitted on 14 Jan 2025
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Good news, it was only Power Word Pain so. That was nice.

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[–] MouseKeyboard@ttrpg.network 12 points 3 months ago (3 children)

For those who don't get it

Power Word Kill

You utter a word of power that can compel one creature you can see within range to die instantly. If the creature you choose has 100 hit points or fewer, it dies. Otherwise, the spell has no effect.

[–] Gloomy@mander.xyz 6 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (2 children)

~~Easy to make misstake, but~~ it was Power Word: Pain, ~~not Kill~~.

You speak a word of power that causes waves of intense pain to assail one creature you can see within range. If the target has 100 hit points or fewer, it is subject to crippling pain. Otherwise, the spell has no effect on it. A target is also unaffected if it is immune to being charmed.

[–] apotheotic@beehaw.org 5 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Thats what ended up being used yes, but the meme pretty obviously is referring to someone being scared they're going to be Power Word: Killed

[–] Gloomy@mander.xyz 2 points 3 months ago

Ah, I see. Thanks for pointing that out.

[–] Scubus@sh.itjust.works 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)
[–] crusty@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 3 months ago
[–] Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 1 month ago

POWER WORD:
SHIT

[–] Ziglin@lemmy.world 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I would not give an NPC a spell like that so I suggest this:

Power Word Incapacitating Tickles

You utter a word of power that can compel one creature you can hear within range to fall over squirming and laughing, begging you to stop the imaginary tickles until you choose to end it's effect. If the target has less than 100 hit points it takes effect, otherwise the target enjoys the sensation that feels like tummy rubs and is charmed for one round.

[–] psud@aussie.zone 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

When they put you against someone using it in Baldur's gate 3 the make it a three turn ritual, so you just need to break the caster's focus and you get a few goes at it

[–] Ziglin@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

A word that takes 18 seconds to say must be impressive. No wonder it's a 9th level spell. By the way which character has power word kill in bg3? I beat the game without encountering anyone with that spell.

[–] psud@aussie.zone 1 points 2 months ago

I don't recall which encounter it was, either late act 2 or early act 3, probably underground

[–] Susaga@sh.itjust.works 8 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Sorry, why did you need to math your hit points? Were you not keeping track already?

[–] CalamityEmu@ttrpg.network 4 points 3 months ago (1 children)

One of my friends started doing a thing where he adds his damage together. When it's as high as his hit point total, then he's down. I am trying it out. So I just needed to math the subtraction. Not a lot of math but shrug.

[–] Susaga@sh.itjust.works 3 points 3 months ago

Makes sense. One of those "it's easier to add than subtract" things. I probably won't do that, but if it works for you, then that's good.

[–] ninjabard@lemmy.world 4 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Do you not keep up with your own HP?

[–] finitebanjo@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago

I have a guy who does that for me and yells a lot about positioning.

[–] Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 1 month ago

i prefer worchestershire

[–] Feathercrown@lemmy.world 3 points 3 months ago (4 children)

As a DM you should not be asking your players about their HP totals directly in order to target them with Power Words (or Sleep)

[–] Archpawn@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago (2 children)

As a DM, I don't think you should be using Power Word Kill at all. "I've set up this awesome encounter that you're all going to love. Except you. You'll have to sit this one out."

[–] Stovetop@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago

Makes for a great BBEG move to use against a favorite DMPC or other beloved party companion, though. You don't use it on a player, you use it on their feelings.

[–] sirblastalot@ttrpg.network 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

There are ways. You could, for example, set up a bbeg where that's his whole deal. The townsfolk are scared of this guy because he has the supernatural power to just kill you, straight-up. Maybe the questline leading up to their encounter involves the players finding defenses or counters or sabotaging his supply of spell components or whatever, such that, if they DO get power-word-killed, it's because they had ample opportunities to not, and failed to take them.

[–] psud@aussie.zone 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Components: V

DM, of course, can change that. But it is called "power word..."

[–] sirblastalot@ttrpg.network 1 points 2 months ago

Ok. It was just an example of a way you might make an encounter revolve around a spell, not an exhaustively researched adventure module.

[–] Feathercrown@lemmy.world 1 points 3 months ago

Whoever downvoted, I'd be interested in hearing why you disagree.

[–] Ziglin@lemmy.world 1 points 3 months ago

If it is to see whether it takes effect I think it is fine if it is to know whether or not to target them I completely agree that it is not fun or fair.

[–] TheRealKuni@lemmy.world 0 points 3 months ago

I agree. The enemy considering using the spell doesn’t know the HP totals. Why should the DM controlling that enemy?

[–] propter_hog@hexbear.net 2 points 3 months ago