Greg Benage
Legend
I've switched to incapacitated at 0 hp, stunned after one failed death save, unconscious after two failed death saves. Works well for us.
We do a flat DC 20 CON save. Also, while you remain conscious you can only take an action, bonus action, or move; you cannot take reactions. You must make a DC 20 CON save if you want to cast a spell.Using Concentration in to remain Conscious at 0hp
When you are reduced to 0 hp you may choose to attempt to use Concentration to stay Conscious. If you wish to to do this make a Constitution saving throw, where the DC equals 10 or half the damage which took you to 0hp, whichever number is higher. You automatically lose Concentration on any other spells or affects. You can voluntarily end your concentration and go unconscious at any time.
We allow the same DC 20 CON save to avoid the level of exhaustion.Staying conscious places your body under great strain. At the beginning of every round in which you are conscious at 0hp you take one level of exhaustion and make a Death Save at disadvantage. (Normal rules for rolling a 1 or 20 apply.)
Sounds reasonable.Staying conscious reopens your wounds. Whilst concentrating on remaining conscious you cannot be stabilized by any means (for example, by a medicine check, healer’s kit or Spare the Dying) except by being bought back to 1 hp.
Only successful Death Saves whilst Unconscious count towards the three needed to become stable.
You gain a level of exhaustion (minimum 1) for every two dice of damage while at 0 hp. So, fail a fireball save and you take 4 levels, make your save for 2 levels of exhaustion.Taking further damage places you in greater peril. If you take further damage whilst conscious you must make concentration checks in addition to taking failed death saves, as per the normal rules for concentration and death saves.
Let's look at the goals then:I would love feedback on whether this meets my goals; how can I make sure it’s fair, simple and clearly expressed?
PCs can certainly stay conscious, but from my experience with levels of exhaustion you have to worry about how effective they will be as the penalties pile on. So, we allow additional levels of exhaustion based on CON modifier to mitigate this. You'll have to see how viable this is when the penalties poor on.
- To find a way for PCs to stay conscious to pull off the last heroic deed.
- For it to be a dangerous gamble, speeding up the character’s demise.
- For it to not break the game (for example, by providing a consequence free chance to neck a potion and carry on as if nothing had happened.)
- If the gamble pays off I want it to have a short-term negative consequence too.
- I want it to be as easy for players to understand as possible, by being simple and written clearly using 5e consistent language and familiar concepts.