D&D 5E What is RAW on damaging a downed but stabilized creature

[ECMO3]

Question came up in combat Saturday in a game I was DMing. Once someone is stabilized at 0, how do death saves and damage work? For the purposes of this discussion lets assume we are not doing enough damage to kill by damage alone.

Here is what happened in play:
Grick surprised a 3rd level party (Barbarian, Fighter, Sorcerer, Rogue) and won initiative. It dropped on the Barbarian from the ceiling. Critted on the first attack with tentacles, then hit with his bite, go through all the players turns (all surprised) and it is back up to the Grick. Grick lands another tentacle attack downing the Barbarian, then lands his bite dealing 2 death saves.

So the Barbarian has not even taken a turn and is already at 2 death saves. Initiative order is Grick-Sorc-Barbarian-Fighter-Rogue

The Sorc used his action to stabilize (success) since the Barbarian rolls on her turn and would die outright with a failed death save. Now she is at 0hp but stable and no longer has to roll, can just sleep until the fight is over then get dragged somewhere for a short rest.

This is where the issue comes. Since she is stabilized she is not rolling death saves any more. So what happens if she gets damaged again while still at 0 and unconscious? Does she still have 2 fails and any damage, it takes her to 3 and kills her? Do the failed saves reset to 0 when stabilized but then she goes to 1 with damage (or 2 if hit with a crit)? Does damage just start the process over so the first time she is damaged it is not a "fail" and if so is she starting from 2 or 0?

I have no problem killing players with RAW and if she can still accumulate death save fails while stabilized then two hits (4 failed saves) would have killed her outright even if her fails reset to 0 when stabilized.

I would have attacked her again and went for the kill, but since I did not actually know the rules I went easy on the party and attacked the fighter (and because of that the party made quick work of the Grick, killing it in round 3)

 

[Reynard]

The SRD does not seem to indicate there is any clearing out of the death saves successes or fails. The barbarian is borked.

 

[J.Quondam]

RAW for Death Saving Throws says, "The number of both [successful and missed saves] is reset to zero when you regain any hit points or become stable."

 

[ezo]

This is where the issue comes. Since she is stabilized she is not rolling death saves any more. So what happens if she gets damaged again while still at 0 and unconscious? Does she still have 2 fails and any damage, it takes her to 3 and kills her? Do the failed saves reset to 0 when stabilized but then she goes to 1 with damage (or 2 if hit with a crit)? Does damage just start the process over so the first time she is damaged it is not a "fail" and if so is she starting from 2 or 0?

As stated above, when stable death saves reset. Any damage causes death saves again, with the first damage (no "free shot" before death saves).

I have no problem killing players with RAW and if she can still accumulate death save fails while stabilized then two hits (4 failed saves) would have killed her outright even if her fails reset to 0 when stabilized.

On the grick's next turn, the grick can make a tentacle attack with advantage. On a hit, it is 2 failed death saves. The grick can then bite with its beak (also with advantage), dealing 2 more failed death saves and PC death on a hit.

I would have attacked her again and went for the kill, but since I did not actually know the rules I went easy on the party and attacked the fighter (and because of that the party made quick work of the Grick, killing it in round 3)

Live and learn LOL.

 

[Reynard]

RAW for Death Saving Throws says, "The number of both [successful and missed saves] is reset to zero when you regain any hit points or become stable."

It feels like an oversight that they don't mention that again in the section on Stabilizing, especially since they explicitly say the count "resumes" if the creature is injured again.

Given that, I think I would require a character to actually regain hp for the count to reset to 0.

 

[Mannahnin]

Per page 197 of the PH under Death Saves "The number of both is reset to zero when you regain any hit points or become stable."

 

[pawsplay]

Magic missile is the deadliest spell in the game.

 

[ECMO3]

Given that, I think I would require a character to actually regain hp for the count to reset to 0.

But here is the flaw in that - if they make (succeed) on 3 death saves and there is no reset then they are permanently stabilized and invincible. They get hit again and the PC says, I already made 3 so he is still stabilized.

 

[Charlaquin]

But here is the flaw in that - if they make (succeed) on 3 death saves and there is no reset then they are permanently stabilized and invincible. They get hit again and the PC says, I already made 3 so he is still stabilized.

“Stabilized” just means you don’t have to make death saving throws at the start of each of your turns. It doesn’t prevent you from suffering death saving throw failures as a result of taking damage while at 0 hit points, nor does it prevent you from dying when you have 3 death saving throw failures.

 

[Charlaquin]

I think this confusion could have easily been avoided by not calling [the things you track when you succeed and fail at death saving throws] “death saving throw successes/failures.” Because these things can be gained and lost by other means than succeeding and failing at death saving throws, calling them “death saving throw successes/failures” is kind of misleading.