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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next Death and Dying Rules Change (for a more enjoyable experience)



SpawnOfMorbo
2014-07-09, 08:18 AM
So first off, I absolutely love 5e's death and dying rules. They streamline and simplify the process imensly and I love it for mass play.

However I want to propose a variant D&D rule (ha...).

This rule is aimed at allowing PCs to do the following.

Get to act while dying, like heroes in movies and such.

Get to have a dying last word after the battle if they do in fact die.

Allow their death to be dramatic if they so wish. A person who is about to die may perform actions in which others clinging to life will not.

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My proposed rule is that when you are at 0 HP you are no longer knocked out/unconscious. You however lose any reactions you normally could take. You remain up and able to act as normal except for that one rule.

You must roll your death saving throws as normal. If you take Damage = to max HP, you die outright (as normal). A creature can attempt to knock you out with a Athletics or Acrobatics check versus your Athletics or Acrobatics check.

Any damage sustained while at 0 HP gives you disadvantage on your death saving throw if it doesn't outright kill you.

You may elect to go unconscious as normal when you hit 0 HP, you do not have to keep fighting and stay conscious. Use the normal rules if you decide to go this route.

If you fail 3 death saving throws you die at the end of the encounter or 5 minutes, whichever comes first. If you are hit with any sort of resurrection magic it works as normal.

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I need to spruce this up but I'll be applying this idea to all save or die spells that flat takes you out of the game on one failed save.

You can still die this way, but it keeps people engaged with this houserule.

Petrification will be a gradual process instead of an instant process (unless used on a non-plot important creature).

Any thoughts?

Hanuman
2014-07-09, 07:34 PM
http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Downed

Debihuman
2014-07-11, 06:09 AM
it's just like giving everyone Ferocity as a Special Ability as the boar. "Ferocity (Ex): A boar is such a tenacious combatant that it continues to fight without penalty even while disabled or dying."

Petrification can already be slow or fast you'd have to read the individual text on each creature's ability. Some are permanent and some short duration. I imagine slow petrification would affect you like the slow spell initially until after X rounds you are immobilized.

Debby

Hanuman
2014-07-11, 06:45 PM
Slow petrification is really neat, good mechanic, debi.