D&D (2024) How many of you would implement the drop to 0 HP, get 1 level of exhaustion house rule?

[Parmandur]

Yes, I use it to incentivize NOT going to 0. It works reasonably well.

I like the idea of giving a little bite to going down, and resource atteition is the name of the game.

 

[OB1]

Weirdly, I've come to really appreciate the standard rule for 0HP after playing BG3 a few times and have taken inspiration from the way encounters are built in the game to the tabletop.

That said, I've also been using a house rule for the last couple of years where dropping to 0HP gives the Dazed (half speed, no reaction, choose bonus or action, can't concentrate) condition instead of unconcious at 0HP (all other rules for being at 0HP remain the same). The Dazed condition remains after gaining HP (but death saves are wiped out) until the player roles a 19 Con save at the end of their turn.

The effect of this is making things much more dangerous for the party in the current encounter when someone goes down (both because of reduced ability and the fact that enemies are more likely to keep going after a PC at 0HP), and leads to players changing tactics when they start to get close to 0HP and go into complete scramble mode if someone in the party tdoes, without causing a ripple effect on future encounters that adventuring day. Most importantly, my players find it very fun, and every time I ask about going back to the old rules, they say they prefer to keep the house rule.

As for the new exhaustion rules, I absolutely love the culmative -1 penalty and will likely be handing out a lot more exhaustion in future games. Feels like it will be especially helpful for multi-day exploration challenges.

 

[tetrasodium]

Not me, it feels like a pointless half measure that simply replaces an actual concern multiple classes have a spell to reverse at a cost to the party with "welp that's that, we are taking a long rest and nothing the GM can do or say short of wielding a fiat sledgehammer will change that".

With that said... If the default is you simply die at zero/negative 10 I might consider it in some games

 

[Ebony Dragon]

Love the idea of doing this if exhaustion is the -1 per level. Unfortunately, I don't run any games right now, and don't really want to be making house rule suggestions to the DM actually running for me so probably not going to be happening.

It seems like exhaustion is the -1 to all rolls per level of exhaustion that it was in UA at some point. And I know some people here have certainly thought of having such a house rule, if exhaustion was stacking -1's.

 

[Maxperson]

It seems like exhaustion is the -1 to all rolls per level of exhaustion that it was in UA at some point. And I know some people here have certainly thought of having such a house rule, if exhaustion was stacking -1's.

I did implement it.

 

[Maxperson]

Yes, I use it to incentivize NOT going to 0. It works reasonably well.

For me, I don't care about going to 0 or not. I just want to reduce the number of whack-a-mole PCs and the exhaustion mechanic does a good job of that.

 

[DEFCON 1]

My re-organized Exhaustion chart (that moves the more onerous penalties further down) is as follows:

Lvl 1: Speed reduced to half.
Lvl 2: Max HP reduced to half.
Lvl 3: Disadvantage on attack rolls, saving throws, and STR, DEX, CON ability checks.
Lvl 4: Disadvantage on INT, WIS, CHA ability checks.
Lvl 5: Unconscious.
Lvl 6: Death.

Using this chart for a failed death saves replacement has worked wonders.

 

[ezo]

My re-organized Exhaustion chart (that moves the more onerous penalties further down) is as follows:

Lvl 1: Speed reduced to half.
Lvl 2: Max HP reduced to half.
Lvl 3: Disadvantage on attack rolls, saving throws, and STR, DEX, CON ability checks.
Lvl 4: Disadvantage on INT, WIS, CHA ability checks.
Lvl 5: Unconscious.
Lvl 6: Death.

Using this chart for a failed death saves replacement has worked wonders.

This seems a bit backwards IMO...

You find "Disadvantage on INT, WIS, CHA ability checks." more onerous than "Speed reduced to half", "Disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws", etc?

Seems more like you're front loading some of the more onerous penalties...

 

[g00se99994]

I'd playtest using the new healing spells before making any new house rules. Even a first level cure light should give you a relatively healthy 12hp or so. Upcast it two 2nd and you get 20. That in itself should help with the yo yo stuff.

 

[AnotherGuy]

Works absolutely fine with the old exhaustion track. I let the players decide on which effect at level 1.
Been using it for 5+ years already, no issue at the table.

Our rest mechanics are also harder than standard but easier than gritty.
And we can burn HD to recharge powers/features. WotC is years behind IMO.