Greyscott
First Post
I had this issue show up in last night's game, and was curious to how others might rule this...
Balasar the fighter is unconscious, and desperately making his "death saving throw" each round, when Paelias the wizard finally uses his Heal skill to stabilize him (although Balasar remains at negative hitpoints). With no other external healing available, Balasar is unconscious, but no longer in danger of dying...however, Balasar requests that he continue making death saves each round, trying to get a 20 or higher on his roll, so he can spend one of the healing surges he still has remaining (to get conscious and back in the fight), as per page 295 of the PHB.
Stabilization under the Heal skill seems to imply that you stop making the death save, but doesn't explicitly prohibit you from doing so. I could see nothing wrong with it on the face of it, and agreed with "Balasar" and "Paelias" that stabilization via the heal skill should stop the adverse consequences of a failed death save, but shouldn't foreclose the possibility of "surging" themselves back into the fray with a successful (i.e, 20 or higher) save...
And one other issue, is there any reason that a prone character cannot "flank" for purposes of combat advantage? All flanking requires is that you can attack, and you can attack from a prone position (albeit at -2 penalty). So although it is somewhat counter-intuitive, I assume I should rule that a prone character can flank...
Happy adventuring -
Balasar the fighter is unconscious, and desperately making his "death saving throw" each round, when Paelias the wizard finally uses his Heal skill to stabilize him (although Balasar remains at negative hitpoints). With no other external healing available, Balasar is unconscious, but no longer in danger of dying...however, Balasar requests that he continue making death saves each round, trying to get a 20 or higher on his roll, so he can spend one of the healing surges he still has remaining (to get conscious and back in the fight), as per page 295 of the PHB.
Stabilization under the Heal skill seems to imply that you stop making the death save, but doesn't explicitly prohibit you from doing so. I could see nothing wrong with it on the face of it, and agreed with "Balasar" and "Paelias" that stabilization via the heal skill should stop the adverse consequences of a failed death save, but shouldn't foreclose the possibility of "surging" themselves back into the fray with a successful (i.e, 20 or higher) save...
And one other issue, is there any reason that a prone character cannot "flank" for purposes of combat advantage? All flanking requires is that you can attack, and you can attack from a prone position (albeit at -2 penalty). So although it is somewhat counter-intuitive, I assume I should rule that a prone character can flank...
Happy adventuring -