129

Good news, it was only Power Word Pain so. That was nice.

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[-] MouseKeyboard@ttrpg.network 9 points 1 week ago

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 4 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

~~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 4 points 1 week ago

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 1 week ago

Ah, I see. Thanks for pointing that out.

[-] Ziglin@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago

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 1 points 5 days ago

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 5 days ago

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 4 days 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 1 week ago

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

[-] CalamityEmu@ttrpg.network 4 points 1 week ago

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 4 points 1 week 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 3 points 1 week ago

Do you not keep up with your own HP?

[-] finitebanjo@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago

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

[-] Feathercrown@lemmy.world 3 points 1 week ago

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 1 points 1 week ago

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 1 week 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 1 week ago

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 1 points 5 days ago

Components: V

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

[-] sirblastalot@ttrpg.network 1 points 5 days 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.

[-] Ziglin@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week 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.

[-] propter_hog@hexbear.net 2 points 1 week ago
this post was submitted on 14 Jan 2025
129 points (97.1% liked)

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