Questions tagged [character-death]
For questions about issues related to the in-game death, or threat/fear of death, of a player's character in an RPG.
322 questions
11 votes
7 answers
4k views
Should I let a player go because of their inability to handle setbacks?
So I'm running Troubles in Otari after my party finished the Beginner Box, and the party were utterly defeated. etc., trying to make their lives having had meaning, and then I got different reactions ...
- 587
7 votes
1 answer
523 views
Anydice: Help calculating survival probability with D&D 5e Death Saves
I've been trying to put together an AnyDice script that calculates the chances of surviving or dying when making Death Saves under the D&D 5e Rules: A Death Saving Throw is a Saving Throw with DC ...
- 1,357
10 votes
1 answer
793 views
Dying Condition and Death Effects
I had a situation come up in a game and need some guidance. I had an Alchemist get knocked down to 0HP and gain Dying 1. He did his saving throws and went to Dying 2. One of the other characters ...
- 101
-1 votes
1 answer
266 views
If I cast the Life Transference spell and the damage reduces my HP to 0, do I instantly die or just go down?
If I cast the Life Transference spell and the damage reduces my HP to 0, do I instantly die or just go down? The spell doesn't state it explicitly, but according to Google AI overview, I would ...
- 23
16 votes
5 answers
3k views
What happens if you roll a 20 on a death save but you can not regain hit points?
The relevant rules sections - Death Saving Throws and Stabilizing a Creature - state: Death Saving Throws Whenever you start your turn with 0 hit points, you must make a special saving throw, called ...
- 187
8 votes
1 answer
425 views
Can you spend Luck on CON rolls made to avoid death?
In a recent Call of Cthulhu 7e game, my investigator was stabbed by a villainous priest for nine points of damage and was knocked Unconscious with the Dying and Major Wound conditions. This marked the ...
- 955
9 votes
1 answer
854 views
Taking damage while dying in 3.5
So, new DM to 3.5 here. Let's say one of my players is hit by an enemy while at 5hp, and takes 10 points of damage. That player is now at -5hp and dying. Now, what if they took a further 3 points of ...
- 315
3 votes
1 answer
262 views
Is there a way to destabilize a character without making them fail a death save?
If this is possible, it allows an exploit: destabilize, wait for death save. Success -> wait another turn Failure/Critical Failure -> Cleric casts Spare the Dying, then destabilize again ...
- 3,893
4 votes
2 answers
999 views
Can a creature tell when a creature succeeds or fails a death saving throw?
Using nonmagical senses, is it possible to tell: When a creature succeeds (or fails) a death save How many successes/failures a creature has
- 3,893
28 votes
4 answers
13k views
As a DM, how can I use Power Word: Kill without ruining my players' fun?
I'm currently designing an encounter with a lich for my 13th-level party. They've cruised through more level-appropriate combat encounters, and they like to come up with creative ways around difficult ...
- 6,616
13 votes
4 answers
3k views
In Princes of the Apocalypse, is this monster “supposed to” kill a player character?
In Princes of the Apocalypse Ch. 6, Because he's alone with the PCs, this special ability can only practically be used on a PC. Finally, the adventure explicitly states that the dungeon in which he ...
- 4,134
1 vote
0 answers
453 views
What are effective ways to revive a Zealot Barbarian? [duplicate]
I was considering playing a Zealot Barbarian and was looking at the different ways that my character could be revived. Sure, there is the classic "lug a corpse around for the rest of the dungeon ...
- 7,538
11 votes
2 answers
1k views
What happens to the prepared spells of a wizard who dies and then is brought back to life?
I can't find anything on what happens to the prepared spells of a caster who dies. I did find this about a PC's attunement to their magic items: A creature's attunement to an item ends if the ...
- 11.2k
8 votes
2 answers
2k views
Can the Wildfire Druid ability Blazing Revival prevent Instant Death due to massive damage or disintegrate?
The 14th level Circle of Wildfire ability reads: If the spirit is within 120 feet of you when you are reduced to 0 hit points and thereby fall unconscious, you can cause the spirit to drop to 0 hit ...
- 744
10 votes
2 answers
3k views
Can you spend a hero point to avoid dying from gaining the dying condition?
If a PC is at wounded 3 and is brought to 0 HP, they fall unconscious and gain dying 4. Most PCs die when they reach dying 4, so the player would like to avoid this by spending all of their hero ...
- 2,507