Let’s be honest—no matter how clever your plan or shiny your armour, sooner or later, you’re going to hit the floor. Understanding how death saves, dying, and stabilising in D&D works can be the difference between your character waking up with a scar… or getting buried with their sword.
I’ve seen adventurers fall in every way imaginable—burned, poisoned, dropped off cliffs, even choked out by a cursed cloak. The ones who understood how dying worked lived to fight again. The others? Well, they’re stories now. Let’s make sure you’re in the first group.
When Are You Dying?
In Dungeons & Dragons 5e, you fall unconscious and start dying when your hit points drop to 0. You’re not dead yet, but you’re in trouble.
- You are unconscious and can’t move, act, or speak.
- You automatically fail Strength and Dexterity saves.
- You drop whatever you’re holding, and attacks against you get advantage.
What you do next—or rather, what your dice and your friends do next—matters a lot.
Death Saving Throws (a.k.a. “Death Saves”)
Starting on your next turn after hitting 0 HP, you’ll begin making death saving throws at the start of each round.
Here’s how it works:
- Roll a d20 (no modifiers unless something says otherwise).
- 10 or higher = success.
- 9 or lower = failure.
You’re trying to get 3 successes before 3 failures.
- 3 successes = You stabilise. You’re still unconscious, but not dying.
- 3 failures = You die. Roll up a new character—or start haunting your party.
Important notes:
- A natural 20 = you immediately regain 1 HP and become conscious.
- A natural 1 = counts as two failures.
Mike’s Advice:
Don’t wait for your allies to fix it—tell them you’re down, and remind them you’re making saves. A good group won’t leave you hanging.
What Can Stabilise You?
If an ally gets to you before the dice decide your fate, they can try to stabilise you.
Option 1: Medicine Check
- DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check.
- Success = You’re stable at 0 HP and stop making death saves.
- Failure = Nothing happens. You’re still dying.
Option 2: Healing Magic
- Any healing spell or potion that gives you 1 HP or more instantly brings you back to consciousness.
Healing Word is a favourite among smart clerics—it works at range and uses a bonus action. Keep your healer stocked and ready.
What Happens Once You’re Stable?
Once you’re stable:
- You don’t make death saves anymore.
- You’re still unconscious.
- You regain 1 hit point after 1d4 hours, unless someone heals you before then.
You can still be killed while stable, taking damage resets the process. So it’s a good idea to drag the body out of harm’s way, if possible.
What Kills You Instantly?
Let’s talk about instant death—because yes, it can happen.
Massive Damage Rule:
If you take damage equal to your max HP in negative in one hit, you die outright.
Example: Your max HP is 15. If you’re at 10 HP and take 25 damage in a single hit? That’s instant death. No saves. No chances.
It’s rare, but crits from powerful monsters or traps can do it.
Mike’s Table Rules for Staying Alive
Here’s how we handle it at Grim Tavern:
- Announce when you’re at 0 HP. Don’t make the DM track everyone’s numbers.
- Roll your death saves publicly unless you’ve got a reason not to. It builds tension.
- Don’t metagame while unconscious. If you’re down, let the party react without “ghost guidance.”
- Thank your healer. They chose not to fireball again just to save your sorry hide.
And if you do die? Own it. Let it mean something. Go out loud. Go out swinging.
Final Thoughts from the Bar
Death is part of the game—but so is coming back. Learn the rules. Keep track of your friends. And never underestimate the power of a bard who knows Healing Word and when to use it.
Because here’s the truth: staying alive in D&D isn’t just about luck—it’s about teamwork, timing, and knowing when to stop taunting the minotaur.
