Min/Max Boards

Thanks for the responses. And, as you guessed, the real issue is when do monsters drop, versus when do they die.

Thanks again!

Thank you for the response, but I am really looking for RAW citations to bring back to my group.

1a) Immediately upon hitting -10.

A bit of a debate has erupted in my D&D group, and there is a question as to when the monster dies in a combat. The Players' Handbook has this very clearly defined, except that it specifically references characters (from the SRD):

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/conditionSummary.htm#dying


The three options seem to be these:

1) Immediately. When dropped to 0 or negative hit points, the monster falls, dead.

2) On the monster's initiative count. The monster may die before his action, but does not drop until he gets an action.

3) The end of the round of combat. The thought here is that all actions are simultaneous.

The main complaint is that it is "metagaming" to know exactly when the monster dies; this would allow the PCs, for example, to change targets based on that knowledge.

I really don't have a problem with the metagaming -- I have been gaming a LONG time, and number one is the only way I have ever seen it done... Regardless, if you could please point me toward some RAW that indicated one way or another -- multiple, conflicting rules are fine -- I just want a good place to stand once I decide how I want to pursue this. The only thing -- besides the quote above -- that I have been able to find to support when anything happens is the Cleave/Great Cleave feats; if the monster doesn't fall immediately upon death, how would Cleave/Great Cleave actually work?

Thanks for any light you can shed on this!

To the folks providing and moderating these boards, thank you.

An introduction is a bit difficult for me, as I am a bit shy in forums like this. I am no stranger to boards of this nature, having been posting since the days of long distance charges and bulletin board servers...

My favorite games are Hero system games but, as with so many others, I cut my RPG teeth on AD&D, and still enjoy playing D&D, currently. My preference is for 3.5 however, and I have not tried Pathfinder -- yet.

Things I do outside of gaming (is there anything outside of gaming? LOL) are work, parent, computer game, and church. I suppose I should include plumbing, electrical work and various and sundry other projects associated with home ownership -- but most of those aren't voluntarily. ;-)

I call Dallas, Texas (USA of course) home, but have lived in, and have friends in, multiple states in the USA.

The only other other gaming board to which I currently belong is the City of Heroes, but I am not actively posting there; I am also a member of "watchuseek", but am not an active poster at all. Pretty much I'm a shy lurker...

I hope this new year finds everyone happy, healthy and successful!