A bell is a large object, made of heavy brass. Typically hung in a tower or church, a rope dangles down from the bell, reaching the bottommost floor.
This bell is designed for characters of 1st-4th level. Damage values, DCs, and conditions are configurable. Refer to the difficulty section for scaling the difficulty.
A medium or smaller creature can occupy the bell’s space, a large creature can occupy the bell’s space if the creature is prone, and a huge or larger creature cannot occupy the bell’s space.
The bell has an AC of 19, 27 (5d10) hit points, and immunity to psychic and poison damage. The rope has an AC of 5, 5 (1d4) hit points, and immunity to psychic and poison damage.
Ring
A creature within 5ft of the rope or occupying the bell’s space can use their action to pull the rope or swing the clapper to ring the bell. Alternatively, a creature can attack the bell. If 5 or more points of bludgeoning damage is dealt to the bell, the bell rings.
Any creature occupying the bell’s space or within 5ft of the bell when it rings must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 1d8 thunder damage and is deafened until the end of their next turn, or half as much damage and isn’t deafened on a successful save.
Fall
A creature within 5 ft of the rope can untie the rope with a DC 15 Intelligence (Sleight of Hand) check, or burst with a DC 17 Strength check. It can also cut with 5 points of slashing damage. If the rope is untied or breaks, the bell falls. The bell falls through all floors not made of stone or metal, leaving a hole in the floor where it falls.
Any creature occupying the bell’s space on any elevation when the bell falls must make a DC 13 Dexerity saving throw or take 1d6 bludgeoning damage per 10 ft the bell has fallen (Minimum of 1d6). If a creature fails the save on the floor where the bell stops falling, they are knocked prone. If a creature is above the floor where the bell stops and fails the save by 5 or more, they fall into the hole after the bell, taking 1d6 of bludgeoning damage per 10 feet fallen. If they fail it by 10 or more, they fall into the hole with the bell, suffering 1d6 of bludgeoning damage per 10 feet fallen, and suffering the bell’s normal effects at that floor (Ignoring the damage at the floor where they failed the save).
Difficulty
To configure the bell’s difficulty, refer to this table. A DM may also create their own values and rules for the bell.
Level
1-4
5-10
11-16
17-20
Ring Damage
1d8
2d8
4d8
10d8
Ring CON save DC
12
14
17
20
Ring Condition
Deafened
Deafened
Stunned & Deafened
Stunned & Deafened
Fall Damage
1d6 per 10 ft.
1d8 per 10 ft.
1d10 per 10 ft.
1d12 per 10 ft.
Fall DEX save DC
13
15
17
20
Fall Condition on bottom floor
Prone
Prone
Incapacitated & Prone
Incapacitated & Prone
This is the second version of this bell. What do you think? Is it more balanced and configurable? Is there something blatantly wrong with it that I'm just too dumb to see? All advice accepted.
Looks perfectly fine to me. The only thing about this version if the Bell is a typo. "10 ft the bell has fallen (Minimum of 1d10)" That should be a 6, not a 10. :-)
Looks perfectly fine to me. The only thing about this version if the Bell is a typo. "10 ft the bell has fallen (Minimum of 1d10)" That should be a 6, not a 10. :-)
I’m aware that fall damage uses 1d6 per 10 ft, but I wanted to take into account the bell’s huge weight as it crashes onto a creature. If you have a problem with that, you’re free to change it.
Dragon of Icespire Peak has a falling bell DC of 12 (Dex) for level 1-5 characters (for 4d6 damage @ 40' high - so same as your chart). I'm not saying you have to/should follow this, but something to consider especially for low level characters.
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Bell
A bell is a large object, made of heavy brass. Typically hung in a tower or church, a rope dangles down from the bell, reaching the bottommost floor.
This bell is designed for characters of 1st-4th level. Damage values, DCs, and conditions are configurable. Refer to the difficulty section for scaling the difficulty.
A medium or smaller creature can occupy the bell’s space, a large creature can occupy the bell’s space if the creature is prone, and a huge or larger creature cannot occupy the bell’s space.
The bell has an AC of 19, 27 (5d10) hit points, and immunity to psychic and poison damage. The rope has an AC of 5, 5 (1d4) hit points, and immunity to psychic and poison damage.
Ring
A creature within 5ft of the rope or occupying the bell’s space can use their action to pull the rope or swing the clapper to ring the bell. Alternatively, a creature can attack the bell. If 5 or more points of bludgeoning damage is dealt to the bell, the bell rings.
Any creature occupying the bell’s space or within 5ft of the bell when it rings must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 1d8 thunder damage and is deafened until the end of their next turn, or half as much damage and isn’t deafened on a successful save.
Fall
A creature within 5 ft of the rope can untie the rope with a DC 15 Intelligence (Sleight of Hand) check, or burst with a DC 17 Strength check. It can also cut with 5 points of slashing damage. If the rope is untied or breaks, the bell falls. The bell falls through all floors not made of stone or metal, leaving a hole in the floor where it falls.
Any creature occupying the bell’s space on any elevation when the bell falls must make a DC 13 Dexerity saving throw or take 1d6 bludgeoning damage per 10 ft the bell has fallen (Minimum of 1d6). If a creature fails the save on the floor where the bell stops falling, they are knocked prone. If a creature is above the floor where the bell stops and fails the save by 5 or more, they fall into the hole after the bell, taking 1d6 of bludgeoning damage per 10 feet fallen. If they fail it by 10 or more, they fall into the hole with the bell, suffering 1d6 of bludgeoning damage per 10 feet fallen, and suffering the bell’s normal effects at that floor (Ignoring the damage at the floor where they failed the save).
Difficulty
To configure the bell’s difficulty, refer to this table. A DM may also create their own values and rules for the bell.
Level
1-4
5-10
11-16
17-20
Ring Damage
1d8
2d8
4d8
10d8
Ring CON save DC
12
14
17
20
Ring Condition
Deafened
Deafened
Stunned & Deafened
Stunned & Deafened
Fall Damage
1d6 per 10 ft.
1d8 per 10 ft.
1d10 per 10 ft.
1d12 per 10 ft.
Fall DEX save DC
13
15
17
20
Fall Condition on bottom floor
Prone
Prone
Incapacitated & Prone
Incapacitated & Prone
This is the second version of this bell. What do you think? Is it more balanced and configurable? Is there something blatantly wrong with it that I'm just too dumb to see? All advice accepted.
Looks perfectly fine to me. The only thing about this version if the Bell is a typo. "10 ft the bell has fallen (Minimum of 1d10)" That should be a 6, not a 10. :-)
<Insert clever signature here>
I’m aware that fall damage uses 1d6 per 10 ft, but I wanted to take into account the bell’s huge weight as it crashes onto a creature. If you have a problem with that, you’re free to change it.
Nah. If you really meant it, it's a trivial enough difference that it doesn't matter either way.
<Insert clever signature here>
Oh wait now I see the typo. My mistake. Fixing that now.
I just noticed something that made me laugh. Technically, the bell could be damaged by Disease somehow. Maybe it sneezes and rings on it's own?
<Insert clever signature here>
Dragon of Icespire Peak has a falling bell DC of 12 (Dex) for level 1-5 characters (for 4d6 damage @ 40' high - so same as your chart). I'm not saying you have to/should follow this, but something to consider especially for low level characters.