D&D 5E (2014) Popular death/dying house rules in 2026?

[Tessarael]

Have you looked at Critical Role's desperate measures mechanic to trade automatic failure on death saving throws for other benefits to increase the tension and risk? It also provides a mechanism for a player of an unconscious PC to contribute to the action by giving another PC advantage on a roll.

https://criticalrole.fandom.com/wiki/Desperate_Measures_(game_mechanics)

 

[el-remmen]

You remain conscious as long as you have more fewer death save fails than successes. However, you immediately fall prone and can only crawl (half speed), lose concentration on any spell, cannot cast any spell with concentration, and are dazed (which means you can only take an action [or bonus action] or move - not both - have Disadvantage on any attacks and on Dex or Strength saves, and cannot take reactions).

 

[Steady Vane]

The house rule is every time you go down, one death save sticks until a long rest.

Go down three times, you're dead. Healing that removes conditions removes a filled-in death save.

 

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

And how is it going?

Very well actually. Combat is a lot more tense when a few bad rolls can end with dead PCs, everyone plays carefully and tactically to minimize the impact of bad luck. We've had 1 death so far in 6 or so sessions.