Does helpless confer a penalty on ability checks?

Question

If you have to roll an ability check while at the last stage of the condition track before helpless, you take a -10. When you are helpless, do you also take this -10 on things like, say, your "not dying" check? Or does it go away to be replaced with unconsciousness?

Answer 1

Presumably it goes away and is replaced by the unconsciousness condition. It's unclear, however.

I'd say, from a purely playing the game perspective, the 'don't die' check should not have a -10. At least for PCs and important NPCs. They should be relatively hard to kill of blood loss.