[RPG] Making sure that a coup de grace works

pathfinder-1e

So, the witch in the group made a successful slumber hex, and the last big bad (and still quite healthy) monster is asleep. Would it be allowable that all party members stand around the sleeping nasty, and everyone tries simultaneously to deliver a coup de grace, so the monster is really dead?
What are your opinions, should I allow this as a GM?

Best Answer

Both 'Yes' and 'No' are reasonable and justifiable

As the other answers noted, sticking to the RAW, Pathfinder doesn't cover the simultaneous action required for multiple coup-de-grace attempts, but this is exactly the place for the DM to make a judgement call.

Without the simultaneous coup-de-graces, if the first strike didn't outright kill the monster, it will awake (grumpy and in great pain) - negating any further coup-de-grace maneuvers. This may turn into a redundant anti-climax as the other characters (with their delayed initiative) stab at the monster while it lies prone. So, if it'll probably die anyway before getting a chance to act, you can reasonably go with the dramatic instead of sticking to the mechanics of turn-based combat simulation.

On the other hand - consider the same scenario with an immensely powerful monster - such as a 200 hp purple worm, which fails the will save against Slumber at the beginning of combat (which is not unlikely, given it's +4 Will save). If you allow only a single coup-de-grace attempt, the worm has a fair chance of surviving it (a +17 Fort save vs. 10 + Damage inflicted), leaving the group to fight a grumpy purple worm, which in all likelihood will swallow the offender and poison at least one of his comrades on it's first turn. Allowing the whole party to "join the coup-de-grace party" will probably make for a poor alternative to an epic combat - or to some brilliant problem solving and role-play, as the PCs try to find a way to slay the worm without waking it first...

Finally, consider how you will handle a helpless player character at the mercy of, say, 10 kobolds (one of them a 2nd level Witch with the Slumber hex). If the PC survives the first coup-de-grace (3 x (1d6 - 1) for a kobold spear averages 7 hp damage and a Fort 17 save) it'll be much more satisfying for everyone around the table if he gets a chance to act, and kill his captors like a bad-ass, instead of having to suffer an average of 63 more hp damage and making 9 more Fort 17 saves before he gets a say.

Bottom-line: It all comes down to two factors:

  1. How much your game style favors strict mechanics versus dramatic descriptions of combat.
  2. How much you and your group are comfortable with dealing with this on a case-by-case basis, versus a one time ruling which you'll stick to from now on.

On my current group, I'd probably allow this only as a time-saver when a single coup-de-grace will likely kill the monster anyway, but not against stronger opponents or against the PCs themselves.

Final Note: taking the time to tie the monster so it'll remain helpless even after the first coup-de-grace will solve this rules-wise, but only for opponents you can reasonably tie (excluding most strong and big opponents...)