D&D 5E Exhaustion how often / unfair?

[Mycroft]

I typically use Exhaustion when a character hits 0 hp. I and my players became irritated when either a PC or NPC would pop back up and start whacking away again with no negative effects after receiving a bit of healing/regeneration.

And, yes, I apply Exhaustion to NPCs as well.

We use this too, and you are also incapacitated for 1 minute.

 

[Sadras]

From the looks of things, I am on the more-exhaustion end of the posters in this thread.

This is me too.

Dropping to 0;
Result of Failed Survival checks;
Characters risking Con checks by pushing on for extended periods;
Characters risking Con checks by performing strenuous activity;
Characters refreshing their abilities (tying class/race abilities to Exhaustion mechanic); and
Possible affect from monster attack.

 

[BookBarbarian]

I like exhaustion as it is (except the one subclass that gets hit with it for using its main ability, but I digress).

However, I would be wary of over using it as a DM.

 

[WaterRabbit]

There is that spell from XGtE, Sickening Radiance that can really put a hurt on a party as well.

PC suffer more from exhaustion as they survive encounters -- exhaustion only matters to those that hold the field as those that don't are dead. However, if a party that is more into scouting and information gathering could setup encounters so that the NPCs start with levels of exhaustion.

In OotA, exhaustion works fairly well to setup the idea of a long distance chase/pursuit. It constantly puts a time pressure on the the party, rest and risk getting captured again or keep moving but become exhausted. So if the DM is really hitting this theme, I can see it working. But then it becomes a pacing issue where at some point, the DM has to provide a safe (if temporary) location or let the party use their wits to create one.

 

[Ovinomancer]

I read the rest, and you double down on this, only you say it is fair. It's fair because players can either suck it up with exhaustion or rest -- and then suck up whatever bad happens from resting. Totes fair: players should learn to suck it up.

I mean, sure, that a valid position, but it's not being misrepresented here by [MENTION=58197]Dausuul[/MENTION].

 

[Ashrym]

I would be up for standard applications of exhaustion, slow healing variant, healer kit dependency variant, week rest variant, lingering injuries option, and massive damage option rules for some campaigns like a Zombie apocalypse. I would expect safe rest type spell likely removed to fit the theme.