Coup de Grace in coda

[capnhayes]

i was wondering how to GM coup de grace rules in the coda system. As in if the target was helpless (tied up, stunned, asleep, stuck in alien goo, etc.) and somebody just walks up and wants to use a weapon to do them in. How would you guys suggest fairly going about it. My first thought was grant them a stamina test with the TN being the maximum damage of the weapon. if they fail the test they die. But what if they make the test? One thought was they drop to near death automatically, with higher successes meaning one wound level higher. Anybody out there got any better ideas? Coping the d20 system rules for this situation didn't seem to work right.

[IceGiant]

If a PC is the one tied up then yes, something like you mentioned would work. If it's an npc then I would say they simply are kiled outright.

[Ergi]

Although I don't understand why you want to know this I think you deserve an answer. As a GM I would simply ignore the rules and decide based on my assessment of the situation. If the situation involves one trained fighter with a large axe and a stunned victim, I'd rule the latter individual to be dead. If survival seems possible (or is desired by the GM) a "near death" level wound associated with bleeding to death would be appropriate.

Now, my question is, how did this question come up in the first place?
IMHO, this kind of scenario fits neither into the Star Trek nor into the LotR universe.

[Doug Burke]

Although I don't understand why you want to know this I think you deserve an answer. As a GM I would simply ignore the rules and decide based on my assessment of the situation. If the situation involves one trained fighter with a large axe and a stunned victim, I'd rule the latter individual to be dead. If survival seems possible (or is desired by the GM) a "near death" level wound associated with bleeding to death would be appropriate.

What Ergi said. Remember this is a game where some phaser settings result in instant death if you fail your dodge. Weapons are very fatal.

Now, my question is, how did this question come up in the first place?
IMHO, this kind of scenario fits neither into the Star Trek nor into the LotR universe.

Hostage situation, maybe?

[capnhayes]

Actually yes it was a hostage situation and one of the players was stuck in some alien goo with a bad guy holding knife to her thoat. Later in the encounter we saved her but then everyone started asking questions about coup de grace rules. Yes I do know that phasers and similiar weapons can bring down a ten story building and the only way to avoid instant death is to take a Dodge action! But in situations more like the one above, when just a knife or something less powerful than a phaser is used. We later debated the issue as my players and I also play several d20 games they suggested adapting the rules in that game for this one. But I found flaws with that idea. So this is why I turned to you guys. Thanks for your comments and suggestions.

[Koloth]

One other thing you can do in situations like that is add somthing into the story that prevents or helps with the situation.
One of my players wanted to pick pocket one of my other players and I knew that if he did so it would have started a fight between them, becasue I knew the player who wanted to pick pocket was just trying to show off his skill, I threw in a distraction and no one was the wiser... I don't know if this will help you or not but I thought I would add this any ways.