D&D 5E How do you kill a 10th level character?

[Mouseferatu]

That's the surest way to lose your players. You don't have monsters attack downed PC's to kill them. The gnolls can stuff their extra attack!

Depends on circumstance. Many villains/monsters will prefer to focus on the people who are still a threat, absolutely. But some--either out of cruelty/malice, out of the knowledge that a dangerous enemy could still be revived, out of simple hunger, or because they can't reach another combatant anyway--absolutely would take the time to smack a downed foe.

If a DM does that often, it's a problem, but occasionally and when it's honestly appropriate? I'd not only be okay with him doing so, I'd expect it. And--again, if done under proper circumstances--I'd have a serious problem with any player who got upset enough to threaten to leave a game over it.

 

[SirAntoine]

Regardless of the explanation, if you have a player who would seriously object, don't do it.

 

[Psikerlord#]

After spending some time with the rules, something has been bugging me. As far as I know, the only ways to kill a character are as follows:

1. A single attack that takes the character to a negative HP total equal to the HP maximum
2. Fail three death saving throws
3. An ability that explicitly says it causes death

Despite hunting and searching, I haven't found anything in the game that qualifies for number 3. I'm sure it's out there somewhere, but I have yet to find it. For option #1, an attack will need to do probably a minimum of 50 HP in the best case, and most likely 70 HP or more to someone who is already at death's door, so that seems like an extremely far-fetched situation. That leaves #2, which gives the party at least three rounds to reach someone and stabilize them before death. Not to mention, with all of the re-rolls and such that are available, death is unlikely, and even then spells like Revivify abound, so if someone should die, oh well, no big deal. As far as I can tell, there's no real penalty for dying, other than some gold spent, and you don't even need gold for much else in the game anyway!

With all of that being said, is this a game of TPK or don't bother? Looking back at 1E, it was a deadly, dangerous game. Death and suckitude lay around every corner, with poison saves, level draining, and other sundry woes to avoid. After the first few levels, where is the danger in 5E? I'm not trying to start an argument here, just curious what people's thoughts and experiences are so far.

Yep, it's quite hard to die in 5e, and just about impossible to stay dead if you have a cleric nearby. Note taking melee damage when unconscious is an auto crit and = 2 failed death saves. Also general AoE dmg will earn you an off turn failed death save. So the unexpected can happen.

I prefer a grittier game and use the following house rules:
1. There is no resurrection, raise dead or revivify spells available to PCs.
2. I use the Injury rules in DMG for hitting zero hp or failing a death save by 5 or more. For rolls 1-3 I give a death save to turn the lost limb into just a fractured or damaged one. Also, any injury requiring "magical healing" means lesser restoration, greater restoration or 6th+ level magic.

With these 2 rule modifications you get a pretty dangerous game. Every battle in which a PC drops to zero can have a lasting effect.

 

[Quartz]

That's the surest way to lose your players. You don't have monsters attack downed PC's to kill them. The gnolls can stuff their extra attack!

It's fine if you flag this beforehand. Something like an old geezer saying, "I hear you young'uns are off to deal with the gnolls. Well I got a tip for y'all: they like to make sure you're good and dead and will stick their spears in again just to make sure. So don't play dead with them."

 

[Celtavian]

Keep hitting him when he's down.

 

[SirAntoine]

Such a tactic would soon be adopted by other species, too. There is a lot I could say about this. Think of your role as DM being one of making sure all the players feel the game was fair, and a lot of fun. This often means not going into extensive realism or difficulty. You don't ever want the players to feel a character's death was both unfair and a matter of choice you made.

 

[SirAntoine]

The definition of unfair to many, Celtavian.

 

[Kaychsea]

Then you will have problems killing characters. The most common means of doing so will be from AoE damage knocking off Death Saves on the fallen while attacking those still on their feet.
Otherwise you are in save or die country or applying such massive damage they are going to die anyway. In either case that is your choice as much as an angry gnoll finishing off a foe.
Once players realise that lying around in combat making saves is a bad idea they will change their approach.

 

[Kaychsea]

The definition of unfair to many, Celtavian.

They are bad guys. Fair isn't often the ideal they aspire to.

 

[Grazzt]

Yep, it's quite hard to die in 5e, and just about impossible to stay dead if you have a cleric nearby.

The smart villain kills the cleric first, if he/she can identify said cleric.