Death Saves in D&D: A Comprehensive Guide to Cheating the Grim Reaper

So, you’ve found yourself sprawled on the dungeon floor, hit points at zero. Not a great place to be, right? But fear not, adventurer! In Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, reaching zero hit points isn’t necessarily a one-way ticket to the afterlife. Enter the death saving throw, your last-ditch effort to cling to life.

How do death saves work in D&D? In essence, when your character drops to 0 hit points and isn’t instantly killed (more on that later), you enter a state of being unconscious and dying. At the start of each of your turns, while in this state, you must make a death saving throw. This is a simple roll of a d20 (a 20-sided die). No modifiers are added unless a specific ability says otherwise.

• Success (10 or higher): You gain one success.
• Failure (9 or lower): You gain one failure.
• Critical Success (Rolling a 20): You immediately stabilize and regain 1 hit point. You are no longer making death saving throws, though you are still unconscious.
• Critical Failure (Rolling a 1): You gain two failures.

Accumulate three successes before accumulating three failures, and you stabilize. This means you are no longer in immediate danger of dying, but you are still unconscious. You will remain in this state, automatically failing skill checks and saving throws, and cannot take actions or reactions. You need healing to regain consciousness.

Accumulate three failures, and your character dies. Forever. (Unless someone has a powerful resurrection spell handy, of course).

It’s a simple system, but the tension it creates is incredibly effective at the table. Each roll is a gamble, a desperate plea to the dice gods for a chance to continue your adventure. Now, let’s delve into the nuances and answer some common questions.

Death Save FAQs: Navigating the Realm of Mortality

What happens if I take damage while making death saves?

Taking any damage while at 0 hit points and making death saves automatically counts as one failure. If the damage is the result of a critical hit, you suffer two failures. This makes avoiding further damage while downed crucial. And, as noted previously, if incoming damage is equal to or exceeds your hit point maximum, the player is instantly dead.

Can I get any bonuses to my death saving throws?

Generally, no. Death saving throws are intentionally simple rolls, meant to be a raw test of fate. However, some very specific class features, feats, or magical items might grant a bonus or advantage in edge cases. Always check with your Dungeon Master (DM) about how a specific ability interacts with death saves.

What does it mean to be “stable”?

When you stabilize, you are no longer actively dying. You stop making death saving throws and remain unconscious at 0 hit points. A stable character needs healing (magical or mundane) to regain consciousness and continue fighting. Think of it as plugging the leak in a sinking ship – the ship is still wrecked, but it’s not sinking any faster.

If I’m stable, do I regain hit points automatically?

No. Stabilizing only stops you from dying. You remain unconscious and at 0 hit points until you receive healing or some other effect that restores hit points. Certain features, like the Healer feat, let you stabilize a creature and restore 1 hit point simultaneously.

How can another player help me when I’m making death saves?

Several options exist! A character can use the Help action to grant you advantage on your next death saving throw. Keep in mind, however, that they must be within 5 feet. Healing is generally a more reliable solution, as even a single hit point will immediately bring you back into the fight (albeit potentially weakened).

What if a player has the “Lucky” feat?

The Lucky feat allows a player to reroll an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw. Death saving throws count as saving throws, so you can use Lucky to reroll a failed death saving throw.

Do death saves reset if I get healed?

Yes! If you are brought back to any number of hit points, your death saving throw count (both successes and failures) resets to zero. You are no longer in danger of dying and can continue adventuring (or maybe retreat to safety).

What happens if I’m healed to full hit points while making death saves?

Nothing special happens. Your successes and failures are still reset to zero. The important thing is that you’re no longer making death saves! Being at full hit points just means you are in a healthier state than being at 1 hit point.

Can a creature deliberately fail a death saving throw?

No. Death saving throws are an involuntary action, a desperate attempt to survive. You cannot choose to fail them.

What if I have temporary hit points when I drop to 0?

Temporary hit points are applied before your regular hit points. So, if you have temporary hit points and take damage that reduces you to 0 hit points (but doesn’t exceed your combined hit points and temporary hit points), you do not fall unconscious or start making death saving throws.

What happens if a monster drops to 0 hit points?

Most monsters simply die when they reach 0 hit points. Unless the monster has a specific ability or trait that allows it to avoid death (like the “Undead Fortitude” trait of some undead creatures), it is removed from the fight. The DM might rule differently for significant NPCs, allowing them to be captured or escape instead.

What is “instant death”?

Instant death occurs when damage reduces you to 0 hit points, and there is damage remaining that equals or exceeds your hit point maximum. For example, if you have a hit point maximum of 50 and are reduced to 0 hit points by 50 or more damage in a single instance, you die instantly, bypassing death saving throws.

What does “unconscious” mean in the context of death saves?

Being unconscious means you are incapacitated, can’t move or speak, and are unaware of your surroundings. You automatically fail Strength and Dexterity saving throws. Attack rolls against you have advantage, and any attack that hits you is a critical hit if the attacker is within 5 feet. The only actions you take are death saving throws at the start of each turn.

Can a familiar make death saving throws?

Yes, but only if the familiar has its own hit points and is reduced to 0 hit points. Familiars summoned by spells like find familiar typically have their own stat blocks and hit points. If a familiar shares the statistics and hit points of its master, it would not make death saving throws separately.

What is the role of the DM in death saving throws?

The DM is responsible for tracking death saving throws for monsters and NPCs, adjudicating any edge cases or rule interpretations, and generally ensuring the death saving throw mechanic is applied fairly and consistently. The DM also sets the overall tone and stakes of the game, influencing how players perceive the risk of death and the importance of each death saving throw.

The rules of D&D are constantly evolving and improving; the Games Learning Society focuses on adapting games to the ever-changing educational needs. For further exploration of D&D rules and mechanics, consider visiting GamesLearningSociety.org.
The Games Learning Society researches games and creates effective learning environments.

Navigating the world of death saves can be daunting, but understanding the rules empowers you to make informed decisions and hopefully cheat the Grim Reaper one more time. Good luck, and may your dice rolls be ever in your favor!