3 death saves per encounter...

[moticon]

Hi All,

I read on page 295 that of the PHB that if you fail a death saving throw three times before taking a rest, you die.

So this means that you die if you fail 3 death saves during an encounter, not per time you are unconscious?

Curious if others are reading it the same way?

Anyone house ruling this to be less harsh? I've found that once a character is below zero it's probably going to happen again at low levels where the surges are smaller.

moticon

 

[ObsidianCrane]

You read it correctly.

Its not really that harsh, it does mean that PCs can die though and that people need to be paying better attention to their status wrt damage etc.

 

[James McMurray]

It's three times before takling an extended rest. Just a short rest won't save you. If you're knocked down and fail one, you should probably retreat. If you're knocked out and fail two, you should definitely retreat.

We haven't thought about house ruling it. It's only a DC 15 check to stabilize someone, and you only need that if you've used all your magical healing and your second wind (which is just a DC 10 check to activate). Potions are also very cheap, and although you might get knocked right back down, it's only a minor action to revive someone.

 

[ObsidianCrane]

Actually its 3 times before taking a rest (PHB pg 295) and a rest is either an extended or a short rest (PHB pg 263).

 

[James McMurray]

Huh. Thanks for pointing that out. I have no idea where I got the idea it needed a long rest.

 

[ObsidianCrane]

The same place most people do - you read "rest" and think 3E rest, which is an extended rest. But its one of those little gamist shortcuts that 4E has sprinkled through it which increases the flexibility of the system while you are not looking.

 

[deleteme123456]

It's three times before takling an extended rest. Just a short rest won't save you. If you're knocked down and fail one, you should probably retreat. If you're knocked out and fail two, you should definitely retreat.

We haven't thought about house ruling it. It's only a DC 15 check to stabilize someone, and you only need that if you've used all your magical healing and your second wind (which is just a DC 10 check to activate). Potions are also very cheap, and although you might get knocked right back down, it's only a minor action to revive someone.

I actually thought it was a standard action to administer a potion to someone other than yourself. Don't remember where I saw that.

 

[DracoSuave]

I actually thought it was a standard action to administer a potion to someone other than yourself. Don't remember where I saw that.

Under potions. Administering a potion to an unconscious creature is usually a standard action. Drawing a potion out of your pack is a minor action. Drinking a potion yourself is a minor action.


And it's 3 death saves per encounter... nice.

I like that, not too hard, not too soft.

(As an aside, reading Raise Dead made me imagine an unfortunate soul that has been plagued with so many death penalties he never makes it past three milestones...)

 

[James McMurray]

I actually thought it was a standard action to administer a potion to someone other than yourself. Don't remember where I saw that.

That's right. I should probably stop replying to this thread, as I haven't gotten anything right yet. It's even more embarrassing considering we just went through all this last session.

 

[keterys]

That extended rest bit would be one grittier house rule, that's for sure.