D&D 5E Death, dying and class balance

[Cap'n Kobold]

Really? I missed that. Maybe I should go back and give that section of the PHB a re-read. Can you point me to a starting place? I just remember a bunch of FR and Dragonlance(?) deities and a list of which spheres they correspond to.

I don't know much about FR, but I think most/all of the listed gods are the greek style NPCs.

The Eberron section however includes the Path of Light and Blood of Vol (abstract divine sources/philosophies with no inherent being) The Silver Flame (may or may not have a guiding intelligence, although definitely has a guiding ethos).

Even the nature of the "gods" of the setting, the Sovereign Host and Dark Six would be up for debate.

 

[backwoodsmutant]

A DM can easily kill player characters, if that's what they're into. There's really no need to mess with game balance, just kill them as often as you'd like.

That being said, killing PCs on a regular basis has its own set of problems, both for the players and the MHDM (murder-hobo dungeon master), but if the DM and players are enjoying the sadomasochism then go for it.

 

[Ancalagon]

. So it was basically like being a fighter, except you had a few spells (those not required for healing) and you were indispensable to the party. Fun fact- a 5th level cleric and a 5th level magic user could cast the exact same number of spells. Even assuming (well, not assuming) that you used all your first level slots on Cure Light Wounds, you still had 3 second level spells and 1 third level to cast.

We played with, ah, generous stats, and it made the cleric a far far less effective warrior than the fighter/ranger/paladins. And the low level clerical spells felt... underwhelming.

I think the post hoc resentment of Clerics has a lot more to do with the fact that all parties were required to have one. Which meant, especially in small groups, there was a requirement that someone always play a Cleric.

We solved that "problem" by having a cleric NPC tag along. Clerics being fairly resilient, he survived the entire campaign.

 

[sunrisekid]

Drawing from suggestions in this thread, I am considering the following houserule:

* At 0HP the PC is unconscious and finished for the fight.
* At the end of the fight make a single death save; success = stabilization, failure means the character bled out while everyone else was fighting.
* During the fight another PC can try to come to their rescue by, eg, dragging the character to safety and using first aid.
* Heal spells will NOT wake an unconscious 0HP character, but will ensure stabilization.
* If the PC recovers then roll on the Lingering Injury table (DMG p272). This affects the character for the rest of the adventure and disappears for next adventure.

I am pondering this adjustment, not sure thought: Use of healing kit requires at least 1 minute, likely precluding use in a fight.

Anyone feel like offering some insights into this model?

 

[Fanaelialae]

Drawing from suggestions in this thread, I am considering the following houserule:

* At 0HP the PC is unconscious and finished for the fight.
* At the end of the fight make a single death save; success = stabilization, failure means the character bled out while everyone else was fighting.
* During the fight another PC can try to come to their rescue by, eg, dragging the character to safety and using first aid.
* Heal spells will NOT wake an unconscious 0HP character, but will ensure stabilization.
* If the PC recovers then roll on the Lingering Injury table (DMG p272). This affects the character for the rest of the adventure and disappears for next adventure.

I am pondering this adjustment, not sure thought: Use of healing kit requires at least 1 minute, likely precluding use in a fight.

Anyone feel like offering some insights into this model?

My recommendation is to give PCs a chance to return to consciousness after being healed. Just on the basis that having a chance to rejoin the encounter is more exciting than knowing for certain you have to sit it out.

 

[sunrisekid]

My recommendation is to give PCs a chance to return to consciousness after being healed. Just on the basis that having a chance to rejoin the encounter is more exciting than knowing for certain you have to sit it out.

Ah, good point! I had not considered that aspect. Maybe a death save following the healing spell, if successful then regain consciousness with 1HP.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

[MENTION=6787650]Hemlock[/MENTION]: so you are upset that your cleric has to worship a god because reasons?

If you don't want the god bagage, play a wizard!

I do!