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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Uller" data-source="post: 7798826" data-attributes="member: 413">We've been playing with a house rule where death save failures result in levels of exhaustion being applied and they can only be recovered by the rules for removing levels of exhaustion.  This has the effect of being dropped to 0 hp having some lasting consequences and my players seem to enjoy it.  They get much more careful about being dropped to 0 hp and if they get beaten down badly enough they have to take a few days to recover completely regardless of getting back HP and HD with a long rest.But I want to expand it a bit.  I think being at 0 hp and unable to act other than just making a death save is a bit boring and I want to add ways of removing levels of exhaustion in the short term at some cost in resources.  I enjoy the Death's Door Mechanic in the CRPG Darkest Dungeon where, as long as you have HP, you basically are immune to dying, but as soon as you are at 0 hp, you are now in danger but can still act.So I'm thinking of going with the following but I'd love to hear the thoughts of others.  Tbis is a very rough first cut and is completely unplay tested.When a characters reaches 0 hp they are "On Death's Door" and can now gain Wounds.  Each Wound adds to the characters level of exhaustion by one.  If the amount of damage taken minus the character's hp at the time the damage was taken is greater than the character's maximum HP the character immediately gains 1 wound.If a character "On Death's Door" receives hp through any means they lose the On Death's Door condition. (as long as you are above 0 hp you cannot be wounded except from massive damage) Wound Saves: Whenever a character On Death's Door takes damage, they must make a "wound save" vs a DC of 10 or half the damage taken, whichever is greater.  Nothing can modify this roll.  A roll of a 20 automatically succeeds and restores 1 hp to the character.  Healer's kits can only be used during a short rest and only give the second benefit.During a short rest a wound may be removed in the following manner:1) Expend 1 HD2) Receive magical healing.  1 wound is removed per level of healing spell cast or per 5 hp of healing recieved.3) Expend one use of a healer's kit and make a DC 15 Medicine check.  If the character performing the check has the Healer feat the check is made at advantage and (once per short or long rest) restores hp according to the Healer feat.  Only one check can be made per Wound.  If the check fails, the Wound becomes a level of exhaustion.  After completing a short rest, any character that is On Death's Door automatically receives 1 hp.Any wounds that are not removed by the start of a long rest immediately become levels of exhaustion (note: I always apply short rest benefits before a long rest is started...we assume that a group of exhausted/wounded PCs will spend some time eating, binding wounds, etc early in the rest)Levels of exhaustion can be removed in the following ways:To remove 1 level or exhaustion:1) Complete a long rest while having adequate food and water2) lesser restorationRemove all levels of exhaustion:1) Greater Restoration2) HealDying: At the start of a dying character's turn they make a death saving throw vs DC 10.  After three successful death saves or if a 20 is rolled on any death save the character stablizes and is no longer dying. When a character makes a death save at the start of their turn they may opt to remove the incapacitated condition in exchange for an automatically failing the death save and losing all successes that have been accumulated so far.  Each failed death save results in gaining one level of exhaustion.   Grim-dark alternative:For an even grittier level of play apply the following two changes:PCs only gain HP up to 3rd level. After that they only gain HD.Expanded Exhaustion Table:1    Disadvantage on Initiative2    Disadvantage on Ability Checks3    Speed halved4    No Reactions or Bonus Actions (or bonus action in lew of action)5    Disadvantage on Attack rolls and Saving Throws    6    Attacks against you have advantage7    Hit point maximum halved8    Can move or act but not both9    Speed reduced to 5 and cannot stand, cannot cast spells10    DeathWith this, PCs start making wound saves earlier and use up HD faster to stave off the effects of being wounded.</blockquote>

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