Does a Homunculus Servant get Death Saving Throws?

[diplomancer]

Unlike other pets like Find Familiar, Find Steed, etc, an Artificer's Homunculus Servant has no text about what happens when it reaches 0 HPs. Does it die immediately, or do they get Death Saving Throws? As they can be healed "for free" with Mending after combat, that'd make them far more durable than they are usually given credit for.

[stoutstien]

I'd say both the homunculus and steel defender get death saves. They are definitely special PC/NPCs.

[JLandan]

It's really DM call on anything other than PCs having death saves. When I DM, I rule PCs only. Most familiar/companion/steed kind of creatures are easily replaced and NPC that wind up in combat are the same as monsters to me.

[stoutstien]

It's really DM call on anything other than PCs having death saves. When I DM, I rule PCs only. Most familiar/companion/steed kind of creatures are easily replaced and NPC that wind up in combat are the same as monsters to me.

Familiars and other summons have specific rules of what happens when they drop to zero to override the general rule that PCs get death saves.

The options that grant semi permanent allies are creating a secondary PC but they are PCs none the less.

[heavyfuel]

I agree that it's up to the DM.

Personally, I rule that every creature gets Death Saves unless stated otherwise (like Familiars). I just don't roll the saves for most NPCs because they'll end up dead anyway, but I do roll in case an ally of their has some sort of healing magic

[Sigreid]

Up to the DM, but if I'm DM, no.