(animated) D&D 5E Death

A few characters in my game were knocked unconscious. It occurred to me that many people don't know how deadly 5e d&d can be as a game.

Find Ruin on twitter: @SeanIzaakse
Find Tansy on twitter: @ChickNugs

Music:
Power by Rick Steel
Kids with lightsabers by Spazz Cardigan

[MissSolana]

Fun fact: A common misconception is that a nat 20 on a Death Saving Throw (DST) counts as two successes. In fact, according to the PHB pg. 197 under the bold term "Rolling 1 or 20" it says the following: "When you make a DST and roll a 1 on the d20, it counts as two failures (video was correct). If you roll a 20 on the d20, you regain 1 hit point." Just an interesting misinterpretation. Unless of course this rule was overturned in Xanathar's or a reprint of the PHB then feel free to chastise me for this comment. I'm just running on the books I do have.

[SuperSpells]

You can also use a Healer's Kit to stabilize a dying person without making a medicine check. Like spare the dying but with money.

[darlingcreeper]

Don’t forget the (unofficial but very commonly used) Chunky Salsa Rule! "Any situation that would reduce a character's head to the consistency of chunky salsa dip is fatal, regardless of other rules." God, I love roleplaying games.

[boa_firebrand]

funfact if you are downed anyone with magic missile can just outright kill you for one spell slot

[kamuishr]

Just recognized Wades in Shadows. He went through a lot.

[lawrencehelber]

One minor nitpick, at least for rules as written: If you roll a 20 on a death save, you instantly gain one hitpoint, effectively putting you back in the fight.

[danielhale]

When a dragon asks if you've come to look upon its majesty
YOU SAY YES!

[theHedgex]

You got to feel bad for that poor girl. When she was awake and conscious all her friends were still there but when she woke up after being knocked out only one friend was left alive. The only bonus that she gets is that she didn't have to watch her friends die one by one.

[CaptainSpycrab]

The one time I've ever seen anyone go unconscious was me. Then I rolled a four and a one on my death saves.

Fortunately the GM remembered at that point that he'd accidentally skipped the turn of an NPC that could use Lay On Hands in the previous round, so he allowed me to retroactively return to life as if the NPC in question had done so.

[wulfenbride]

Great Animation, however there was one mistake in 5e DnD rolling a 20 on a death save instantly restores 1 hp so you are back in combat.

[anjanaetaylor]

You can actually add modifiers to Death Saves if something affects saving throws in general, such as the bless spell, bardic inspiration or a paladin’s aura. Monk’s actually become proficient in all saving throws at high levels, including death saves.

[thegreatestpepe]

Grave Domain Clerics being able to cast the Spare the Dying Cantrip as a Bonus Action at 30 feet when only level 1 has probably saved so many low level lives.

[jojothehamster]

I often play enemies according to how I think they'd function. Basic undead know you aren't dead yet and have no concept of self preservation. Meaning they are relatively easy to kite and trick but if you go down they will keep wailing until you are as dead as they are. Most beasts have some sense of self preservation and prefer to down an active threat before finishing off a downed enemy. Humanoids are a coin toss. The more vengeful ones may prefer to finish PCs off while others may prefer to deal with the active thread first.

[littleblueclovers]

Our paladin was chasing down a bandit leader. Both were at low hit points. It was a long grueling fight and he used all his lay on hands for the rest of the dying party.

The final showdown the bandit leader rolled a nat 20, took our paladin to 0, and as he had multi attack (within 5ft giving him a critical) and took him down to 2 failed death saves.
It took the rest of the party to catch up to our paladin and he died 1 turn before we could get to him with healing spells.

It was such an emotional moment. Some of our party pummeled the fleeing bandit leader until he was nothing but ashes, and the healer tried administering healing spells to our dead friend to no avail.

I don’t think I’ll ever forget how cinematic that moment felt

[BandanaDrummer]

Note that if you are making death saves, you are unconscious and therefore you become prone, which means that attacks not within 5 ft. also have disadvantage, so they are just flat.

[Nickle_King]

Heyyy! I just realized Tanzy's friend was Wades In Shadows! Neat.

[eric_moore-]

There aren't no modifiers. It doesn't use any ability score, but an ability that gives you bonuses on "all saving throws" include Death Savea.

[fresh]

“this is why you run death ward kids”

-that one cleric

[Chip-]

Story: Table rules nat 20 on death is wake up prone with 1 hp. My Revived rogue went down 2 times with 2 nat 20s and back in the fight. The party was beginning to win and the dm had me roll an intimidation check since I simply... wouldn't. .. die. The mobs fled and we continued on the quest! Limping.

[kyuzo]

Fun fact. According to Jeremy Crawford, in 5e Monks gets to add their proficiency bonus to death saves once they hit the right level and get their class ability. The ability gives you proficiency in all saving throws, death saving throws count according to the designer