Reading the rules on falling unconscious, death saves etc...I thought it was pretty straight forward until you think of healing spells. Why would you waste casting 3rd level Revivify, when cure wounds would do more? No where does it say that casting cure wounds only stabilizes a dying character. Cure wounds would bring an unconscious character back up to at least 4 hp on average, where revivify only brings the character to 1 HP. What am I not understanding?
I might as well ask what would happen if you cast Aid on a character that is unconscious? I know it is not a healing spell, so I assume that is the answer but I love hearing from all of you. Thank you!
Thank you for your reply, but I guess I should have added this part of the rules section that adds to my confusion:
"Stabilizing a Creature
The best way to save a creature with 0 hit points is to heal it. If healing is unavailable, the creature can at least be stabilized so that it isn't killed by a failed death saving throw.
You can use your action to administer first aid to an unconscious creature and attempt to stabilize it, which requires a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check."
This implies that a healing spell would bring a character back from the unconscious state...I understand that a dead character is dead but my questions was about falling to 0 hit points. Thanks again...
Falling to 0 hit points is not equivalent to death. Not for players anyway. When a character is at 0 hp is alive, but unconscious and needs to succeed the three death saves. It succeeds, it is stable and regains 1 hp after 1d4 hours. If it fails, it is dead.
If you have 0 hit points, receiving temporary hit points doesn't restore you to consciousness or stabilize you. They can still absorb damage directed at you while you're in that state, but only true healing can save you.
Hey y'all, I just finished a game (within the last 2 hrs) and i had a question.
LV 3 Cleric with MAX 28 health in in a group of 5 people fighting a Gladiator. DM rolls for damage because he hits, (A LOT OF DICE are rolled) damage is 46, and says that i am instanty DEAD. But did i really die?
If i am reading Page 197 of the Player's Guide, section "Dropping to 0 Hit Points" correctly, "Massive damage can kill you instantly. When damage reduces you to 0 HP and there is damage remaining, you die if the remaining damage EQUALS or EXCEEDS you Hit Point Maximum."
Quick math, 28 X 2 = 56 56 health - 46 damage = 10 health before No Revival so i should be at Negative 18 Health as in i'm still "alive", right?
Hey y'all, I just finished a game (within the last 2 hrs) and i had a question.
LV 3 Cleric with MAX 28 health in in a group of 5 people fighting a Gladiator. DM rolls for damage because he hits, (A LOT OF DICE are rolled) damage is 46, and says that i am instanty DEAD. But did i really die?
If i am reading Page 197 of the Player's Guide, section "Dropping to 0 Hit Points" correctly, "Massive damage can kill you instantly. When damage reduces you to 0 HP and there is damage remaining, you die if the remaining damage EQUALS or EXCEEDS you Hit Point Maximum."
Quick math, 28 X 2 = 56 56 health - 46 damage = 10 health before No Revival so i should be at Negative 18 Health as in i'm still "alive", right?
That would be correct, unless the enemy struck you three times after you dropped to 0 hit points,or the massive damage rule you mentioned kicks in.
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"Where words fail, swords prevail. Where blood is spilled, my cup is filled" -Cartaphilus
"I have found the answer to the meaning of life. You ask me what the answer is? You already know what the answer to life is. You fear it more than the strike of a viper, the ravages of disease, the ire of a lover. The answer is always death. But death is a gentle mistress with a sweet embrace, and you owe her a debt of restitution. Life is not a gift, it is a loan."
"Where words fail, swords prevail. Where blood is spilled, my cup is filled" -Cartaphilus
"I have found the answer to the meaning of life. You ask me what the answer is? You already know what the answer to life is. You fear it more than the strike of a viper, the ravages of disease, the ire of a lover. The answer is always death. But death is a gentle mistress with a sweet embrace, and you owe her a debt of restitution. Life is not a gift, it is a loan."
Quick math, 28 X 2 = 56 56 health - 46 damage = 10 health before No Revival so i should be at Negative 18 Health as in i'm still "alive", right?
I want to clarify something: the game doesn't have negative HP; 0 is the minimum. After you're knocked unconscious, you'd die if you fail 3 death saves or if you take 28 damage all at once.
"Where words fail, swords prevail. Where blood is spilled, my cup is filled" -Cartaphilus
"I have found the answer to the meaning of life. You ask me what the answer is? You already know what the answer to life is. You fear it more than the strike of a viper, the ravages of disease, the ire of a lover. The answer is always death. But death is a gentle mistress with a sweet embrace, and you owe her a debt of restitution. Life is not a gift, it is a loan."
Hey y'all, I just finished a game (within the last 2 hrs) and i had a question.
LV 3 Cleric with MAX 28 health in in a group of 5 people fighting a Gladiator. DM rolls for damage because he hits, (A LOT OF DICE are rolled) damage is 46, and says that i am instanty DEAD. But did i really die?
If i am reading Page 197 of the Player's Guide, section "Dropping to 0 Hit Points" correctly, "Massive damage can kill you instantly. When damage reduces you to 0 HP and there is damage remaining, you die if the remaining damage EQUALS or EXCEEDS you Hit Point Maximum."
Quick math, 28 X 2 = 56 56 health - 46 damage = 10 health before No Revival so i should be at Negative 18 Health as in i'm still "alive", right?
Unless you were already hurt, yes you would still be alive. If you were at 18 current HP or less (with a max of 28 HP) you would be dead. Quite possibly your DM made a mistake by multiplying 28x2 and getting 46 instead of 56 (a fairly common mistake in mental math, not "carrying over" that "1") and thus declared you dead.
"Where words fail, swords prevail. Where blood is spilled, my cup is filled" -Cartaphilus
"I have found the answer to the meaning of life. You ask me what the answer is? You already know what the answer to life is. You fear it more than the strike of a viper, the ravages of disease, the ire of a lover. The answer is always death. But death is a gentle mistress with a sweet embrace, and you owe her a debt of restitution. Life is not a gift, it is a loan."
I have a quick question? One of my players is playing a grave cleric and he cast spare of the dying since he had used a spell that turn and the next turn he cast cure wounds at 2nd level does he still gain the max die heal. thank you
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Reading the rules on falling unconscious, death saves etc...I thought it was pretty straight forward until you think of healing spells. Why would you waste casting 3rd level Revivify, when cure wounds would do more? No where does it say that casting cure wounds only stabilizes a dying character. Cure wounds would bring an unconscious character back up to at least 4 hp on average, where revivify only brings the character to 1 HP. What am I not understanding?
I might as well ask what would happen if you cast Aid on a character that is unconscious? I know it is not a healing spell, so I assume that is the answer but I love hearing from all of you. Thank you!
Cure wounds has no effect on dead creatures, whereas Revivify brings back from the dead.
To cite a piece of the Healing section:
Thank you for your reply, but I guess I should have added this part of the rules section that adds to my confusion:
"Stabilizing a Creature
The best way to save a creature with 0 hit points is to heal it. If healing is unavailable, the creature can at least be stabilized so that it isn't killed by a failed death saving throw.
You can use your action to administer first aid to an unconscious creature and attempt to stabilize it, which requires a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check."
This implies that a healing spell would bring a character back from the unconscious state...I understand that a dead character is dead but my questions was about falling to 0 hit points. Thanks again...
Falling to 0 hit points is not equivalent to death. Not for players anyway. When a character is at 0 hp is alive, but unconscious and needs to succeed the three death saves. It succeeds, it is stable and regains 1 hp after 1d4 hours. If it fails, it is dead.
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D&D Beyond FoundersNote that using the Aid spell on a character on zero hp doesn't revive them.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/compendium/rules/basic-rules/combat#TemporaryHitPoints
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Death is after you fail three death saves. After that the character is dead and need spells like ressurection to come to life.
Or if the person dies and you have Revivify, then you have a minute to undo death.
We would have loved this spell on a number of occations.
I'm not stupid. I'm just unlucky when I'm thinking.
Question. When do Death Saves reset?
Situation:
Orc: attack Fighter and drops him below 0 and attacks the body with MultiAttack.
Fighter is at 0 HP, with 1 failed save.
Druid: Gives Fighter a goodberry.
Fighter Stands up.
If this cycle keeps repeating, does the Fighter only ever fail one save?
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in awhile.
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Hey y'all, I just finished a game (within the last 2 hrs) and i had a question.
LV 3 Cleric with MAX 28 health in in a group of 5 people fighting a Gladiator. DM rolls for damage because he hits, (A LOT OF DICE are rolled) damage is 46, and says that i am instanty DEAD. But did i really die?
If i am reading Page 197 of the Player's Guide, section "Dropping to 0 Hit Points" correctly, "Massive damage can kill you instantly. When damage reduces you to 0 HP and there is damage remaining, you die if the remaining damage EQUALS or EXCEEDS you Hit Point Maximum."
Quick math, 28 X 2 = 56 56 health - 46 damage = 10 health before No Revival so i should be at Negative 18 Health as in i'm still "alive", right?
"Where words fail, swords prevail. Where blood is spilled, my cup is filled" -Cartaphilus
"I have found the answer to the meaning of life. You ask me what the answer is? You already know what the answer to life is. You fear it more than the strike of a viper, the ravages of disease, the ire of a lover. The answer is always death. But death is a gentle mistress with a sweet embrace, and you owe her a debt of restitution. Life is not a gift, it is a loan."
Thank you HeroZero,I thought that i was right. I knew i still needed reviveing after, but at least i wasn't Full dead. :)
all you would have required is a single point of healing to stabilize, or three successful death saves.
"Where words fail, swords prevail. Where blood is spilled, my cup is filled" -Cartaphilus
"I have found the answer to the meaning of life. You ask me what the answer is? You already know what the answer to life is. You fear it more than the strike of a viper, the ravages of disease, the ire of a lover. The answer is always death. But death is a gentle mistress with a sweet embrace, and you owe her a debt of restitution. Life is not a gift, it is a loan."
The Forum Infestation (TM)
Excellent clarification.
"Where words fail, swords prevail. Where blood is spilled, my cup is filled" -Cartaphilus
"I have found the answer to the meaning of life. You ask me what the answer is? You already know what the answer to life is. You fear it more than the strike of a viper, the ravages of disease, the ire of a lover. The answer is always death. But death is a gentle mistress with a sweet embrace, and you owe her a debt of restitution. Life is not a gift, it is a loan."
How do you get a one-armed goblin out of a tree?
Wave!
He was "Mostly dead." I think my next Cleric's name will be Miracle Max, from the Princes Bride.
To blave?
I'm not dead yet! I'm getting betta!
"Where words fail, swords prevail. Where blood is spilled, my cup is filled" -Cartaphilus
"I have found the answer to the meaning of life. You ask me what the answer is? You already know what the answer to life is. You fear it more than the strike of a viper, the ravages of disease, the ire of a lover. The answer is always death. But death is a gentle mistress with a sweet embrace, and you owe her a debt of restitution. Life is not a gift, it is a loan."
I have a quick question? One of my players is playing a grave cleric and he cast spare of the dying since he had used a spell that turn and the next turn he cast cure wounds at 2nd level does he still gain the max die heal. thank you