New Hovering at Death's Door Rule
Do we know any specifics on the wording of this rule in the 2026 books yet? I'd like to incorporate it into an upcoming campaign. Thanks!
EDIT:
The OSE optional rule checklist that came out today has this rule in it:
Hovering at death’s door†: (PB p224) Instead of dying, characters at 0 to –3hp are unconscious and lose 1 hp per round unless stabilised (awaken after 1d6 turns). Death at –10hp.
This is coming from a strict reading of page 82 of the 1st Edition AD&D DMG. If you get hit and go to -4 or lower, you are immediately dead. In my experience playing through the 1980's, no one played it that way. If you went to 0 or as low as -9, you were unconscious, lost 1 hp per round, and died at -10.
The 2nd Edition DMG (the edition that codified the game in the way people were actually playing it) also had you unconscious at 0 to -9, and dying only at -10.
A 3 hp buffer doesn't really increase survivability all that much. I'd prefer OSE went the simpler route, especially since it was the way most tables played (including at TSR based on the 2nd Edition rule).