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

[zakael19]

I agree with this. I built my system 15 years ago with this in mind. It is freeing. But I still think Daggerheart still got it wrong. (We are currently in a Daggerheart campaign.)

There still needs to be a consequence. Consequences build suspense. If I, as a player, just get to choose my consequence, and one of my options are I go unconscious and nothing really happens, then it's a moot mechanic.

The GM is supposed to work with the player to show how things get worse as a PC drops. That can be all sorts of things: the adversaries are emboldened by the sight of a fallen hero; a NPC is endangered or killed because the PC isn’t there to help them; the villain has a chance to achieve their objective or take advantage of the opening to flee; etc.

 

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

No death saves, characters die when they hit 0 HP.

Maybe not a popular house rule per se, but it's how we've been running the latest campaign

 

[greymist]

I have three death-related house rules:

1. All death saves are known only to player and DM - reduces meta-gaming by the other players.
2. When a PC starts their turn unconscious, they gain a level of exhaustion.
3. Each level of exhaustion causes -2 to attacks, saves, and spell DCs; and -5 ft movement.