D&D 5E New Death and Dying Rules

[Izumi]

I like it. I'd adjust to just 1 saving throw attempt before character death, however. If you are hit by a damage-inflicting spell or attack after such a save then you must roll another save attempt. May all our characters die so horribly that our wailing cries of non-acceptance honor their sacrifice. Magic missiles should count as multiple attacks. Scared?

 

[MarkB]

I like the massive damage rule, I like the 3 failed saves, nice for bleeding out, but don't like unconscious at 0 for everyone. Would rather some rule to let you fight on, maybe just disadvantage on the death saving roll....

If you can fight on after hitting zero, then you're still a threat and enemies will continue to prioritise you. If you go this way, you might as well just give everyone a few extra HP and say that they die at zero.

 

[Szatany]

I like the idea (three failures; damage counts as failure), but the exact implementation is going to have to change, I feel, since a first-level spell can kill any unconscious being instantly.

So what? I could kill any unconscious being with a fork or stick instantly (just drive it deep into the eye)

 

[fjw70]

I like taking damage equaling a failed death save. I may import that into my 4e game. Also a 1 counting as two death saves.

 

[Cyberen]

So what? I could kill any unconscious being with a fork or stick instantly (just drive it deep into the eye)

You certainly could, but I would definitely consider it inapropriate

 

[Cyberen]

I think I would tie dying rules, and recovery rules, to hit dice :
Each missed death save costs 1HD.
When you don't have any HD left : you die.
For massive damage and/or damage taken when you're down : you mitigate damage .eyond 0hp with HD, either rolling them, or maxing them.
You then have dials for HD recovery (this should be dealt in a thread of its own).

 

[SkidAce]

Hmmm, I don't like it.

Considering the POV that you are in combat (out of combat would be different) damaging a downed opponent with a mighty chop on their unconscious body with a halberd (one death save) should do more damage than a club (one death save).

It's simpler I agree, and I "know" the club could be strategically fluffed to hit the head vitals etc.

I just like negative hp because more damage kills you faster, and less damage lets you survive longer.

 

[Blackbrrd]

I think I would tie dying rules, and recovery rules, to hit dice :
Each missed death save costs 1HD.
When you don't have any HD left : you die.
For massive damage and/or damage taken when you're down : you mitigate damage .eyond 0hp with HD, either rolling them, or maxing them.
You then have dials for HD recovery (this should be dealt in a thread of its own).

I like your idea about losing HD when you fail a save. I don't know if I would want it tied to dying though.

 

[Cyberen]

Tying HD to dying would have some nice features :
* in effect, math are almost the same as negative hp. It gives better survivability to fighter types and higher level pcs. It treats damage more coherently than the current impmementation.
* it gives missed death save some lasting consequence (beyond the obvious, pemanent one ), which addresses the issue of pcs going up and down with 1 or 0 hp.
Of course, it means another fiddly rule to address during combat, but I think the issue of dying pcs deserve some attention at the table.

 

[El Mahdi]

deleted