Was being instantly frozen like this right, even when wearing a Ring of Regeneration?

Question

In a recent First Edition Advanced D&D campaign we were running through the character fought with a Frost Giant deity. The Frost Giant rolled a critical hit on the character and dealt a massive amount of damage to him (over 90 points of damage in one hit). The character rolled a system shock check of 100%. As a result of this the DM stated he was basically torn apart, but because he was frozen by the blow (because the frost giant deity had a Frost Brand weapon) his body stayed intact.

The character was wearing a Ring of Regeneration and the character still had over 30 hit points after receiving the damage. But the fight was lost the and the rest of his party died. The DM stated he's still alive but can't do anything until he's been thawed from the ice.

I have questions about our DM's ruling:

1. Can a Frost Brand weapon freeze someone solid? If so can sunlight melt the ice that's been formed from the weapon?

2. If the character is frozen would his Ring of Regeneration not be able to regrow the top half of his body to the bottom half?

3. Are system shock checks really necessary when someone has a regeneration ring on? Even if they fail the check, won't they just regenerate X amount of hp and then be able to return to the fight?

Answer 1

DM Rulings and 1e AD&D Rules Combine for a reasonable outcome

This answer requires a caveat: there is no strict rule about critical hits in the 1e books, to include Unearthed Arcana, but a lot of 1e DM's use critical hits of varying sorts. The rules in the DMG, p. 61, explicitly put critical hits outside of the rules.

1: Can a Frost Brand weapon freeze someone solid?

While that isn't in the item description (p. 165, 1e DMG), your DM can to rule that it can, based on the rule of cool (sorry for the pun). As you were dealing with a Frost Giant deity, he may be able to create that effect with one of his powers, beyond the sword's basic effects.

• If so can sunlight melt the ice that's been formed from the weapon?
  Sure, sun melting ice isn't against the general primary world rules of 1e AD&D. How long it takes is up to the DM.

2: If the character is frozen, would his Ring of Regeneration not be able to regrow the top half of his body to the bottom half?

Per the item description (p. 130 1e DMG) the standard ring can bring you back from death and restore limbs. Knitting you back together is well within that capability.

If it is a vampiric regeneration ring, it does not perform the knitting function, but instead acts as a ring of life steal on each successful melee attack. (You get some of the damage you do back to your HP total). Unless the DM specified that it was of the vampiric sort, then the ring ought to eventually knit you back together.

3: Are system shock checks really necessary when someone has a regeneration ring on?

Yes, if the DM is using a critical hit table that calls for system shocks, or if his judgment on your body being chopped nearly in two calls for it. I agree with him, but, it isn't strict RAW for two reasons:

• System shock is for surviving certain effects, (p. 12 1e PHB) which do not include taking damage short of death.

• Critical hits aren't in the rules as written.

  That said, if you look at the trauma of a petrifaction or polymorph spell on a body, which does call for system shock, his ruling that being nearly cut in half requires a system shock check is well within reason.

  1e is very much a "rulings over rules" system. This is supported in numerous places in the DMG.

• Even if they fail the check, won't they just regenerate X amount of hp and then be able to return to the fight?

  Yes, eventually, but System Shock is its own mechanic. The DM may require more time for the regeneration/mending to take effect in the case of a critical hit which, again, is completely within his discretion since its his critical system at work.

RAW note on Critical Hits

Critical hits are NOT supported by the original rules (DMG p. 61, Combat section, second paragraph). That said, there is a lot of homebrew in 1e games. There was an article in Dragon Magazine #39 that covered a table of critical hits and critical fumbles. A lot of DM's I played with in the 70's and 80's included critical hits, even though Gary Gygax' rule book specifically addressed them and did not include them.

Bottom line: your DM's ruling is legit and reasonable. Where he got the "it froze you solid" is unclear ... though it's a great application of "the rule of cool" and displays a fine narrative style.

Answer 2

The answer to all aspects of this question is “Ask your DM”. Fortunately, your DM has made it very clear how these things work, so yes: this is how these things work.

I get that you don't like the ruling, but this is AD&D, where it's the job of the DM to decide the Truth About the World, including making decisions about how magic items function in the corner cases not explicitly covered by the rules already. And the DM has answered very clearly:

1. Can a normal frost brand freeze a character solid? Who knows? This one wielded by the god of frost giants can, and we know this because it did. Will they ever thaw in the sunlight? Maybe, maybe not. That's also up to your DM. You can ask, but don't be surprised if the answer is “what are you doing that would let you discover the answer to that?”
2. Maybe the ring doesn't work while the character is frozen, or maybe it does. The DM gets to decide this, and you'd have to ask them, same as about the thawing. This is also probably something that is no longer anyone's business, and the DM will inform you if it does become your business (such as the character suddenly being free and healthy again).
3. Yes, the system shock roll was necessary. You can tell because the DM called for one. This ruling is also the most clearly rules-based one, since the ring does not provide any protection against having to make system shock rolls due to massive injury.

Basically, you're dealing with a magical effect attached to a god, so all bets are off — this is explicitly the territory of the DM to decide as they desire for their campaign and world, so their word is final.

But now you know there's a frozen adventurer out there somewhere. That could be a future plot hook in this setting, or your DM might have plans for them…

Answer 3

For a start, there are no critical hits in 1e. Every other part of your question basically falls at that hurdle, as regards it being "right" or not. There's also no "shock" rule for "massive damage"; your DM has not understood or is abusing the hit point mechanic.

Ask your DM to properly explain what it is you are playing.