My house rules here stem from a desire to aggravate attrition of resources and health in the party. I am not overly fond of Long Rests resulting in a complete refresh for the group (and my players are notorious for resting frequently.
REGAINING CONSCIOUSNESS Everytime a character regains consciousness from being at 0 Hit Points, he gains 1 Level of Exhaustion.
UNCONSCIOUSNESS AND MAGICAL HEALING If a character has been reduced to 0 hit points and then receives magical, alchemical, or some other supernatural form of healing, some of that healing power must first be allocated to stabilizing the grievous injuries that are drawing the character closer to death. Remove 1 die from the healing effect for each remaining death saving throw that needs to be made in order for the character to stabilize. If a healing effect combines dice with a fixed modifier, the fixed modifier is only applied if the creature is stabilized (total of 3 successful death saving throws) by the effect, and there remains any dice of healing after those used for stabilization.
For example, Lucas Ryder is unconscious and has made no successful death saving throws, when N’Vek pours a healing potion down his gullet. Because a healing potion grants 2 dice of healing, (2D4+2 hit points) Lucas immediately checks off 2 successful death saving throws on his character sheet. Only one more is required in order to stabilize. If Lucas had previously made 1 successful death saving throw when the potion was administered, he would check his second and third successful death saving throw and therefore be stabilized, but the +2 would still not be applied, and Lucas would remain unconscious albeit stable. If the potion were one of Greater Healing (4D4+4) and Lucas had no death saving throws made previously, the potion would not only stabilize him (reducing the healing effect by 3 dice), but would also restore the remaining 1D4+4 in hit points of healing, and lift the ranger out of unconsciousness.
LONG RESTS During a long rest, each character follows 3 steps:
Step 1: Set up Camp - The character benefits from a Short Rest and may replenish abilities and spend Hit Dice accordingly. If a character has not consumed 1 lb of food and 1 gallon of water during the day, he must do so now.
Step 2: At the end of the rest, the character regains spent Hit Dice, up to a number of dice equal to half of the character's total number of them (Round Down to a minimum of 1). For example, if a character has seven Hit Dice, he or she can regain three spent Hit Dice upon finishing a long rest.
Step 3: The character recovers lost hit points by rolling his total hit dice and adding his Constitution modifier to each die. This roll does not expend Hit Dice. This replaces the 100% healing in the Core Rules.
An Unconscious character cannot benefit from a Rest at all, but does regain 1 Hit Point after being Stable for 1D4 hours. Once he comes to, he may benefit from a Short Rest, or a Long Rest - however, unless the party is willing to prolong the duration of their respite, the recovered character may need to be content with the effects of a Short Rest only.
How do you deal with a Paladin's Lay on Hands ability? Would it not have any chance or stabilizing a dying player, or would you expand on the uses of the 5 points from the pool to include stabilizing?
How do you deal with a Paladin's Lay on Hands ability? Would it not have any chance or stabilizing a dying player, or would you expand on the uses of the 5 points from the pool to include stabilizing?
I would rule that 5 points of lay on hands healing applies 1 successful death saving throw
How do you deal with a Paladin's Lay on Hands ability? Would it not have any chance or stabilizing a dying player, or would you expand on the uses of the 5 points from the pool to include stabilizing?
I would rule that 5 points of lay on hands healing applies 1 successful death saving throw
Honestly, to make it more in line with your example on health potions, I'd make it one death save every 4 Lay on Hands HP OR make the houserule work on the effective healing that would be made, making it grant an automatic death save every 5 HP otherwise healed.
Overall, the modification is really interesting, and infers a modicum of realism in the game which I find very appealing when dealing with healing/resurrection.
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Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
As you say, I would stick with 5 Lay on Hands hit points = 1 death save, but I would definitely allow the paladin to provide multiple death saves by investing more of his/her healing into the dying patient. 10 points of healing = 2 death saves. 15 points = 3 saves.
As you say, I would stick with 5 Lay on Hands hit points = 1 death save, but I would definitely allow the paladin to provide multiple death saves by investing more of his/her healing into the dying patient. 10 points of healing = 2 death saves. 15 points = 3 saves.
You're welcome :)
I meant my comment more in the sense of making the whole mechanic be every 5 HP heal = one free successful death save, regardless of source of the healing (provided it is magical anyway).
(I specify just because I am not sure I was able to properly convey my idea ^^")
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Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
Long rests: Long rests restore ALL lost hit dice, but no hit points. Characters may spend hit dice at the beginning of a long rest, and also immediately upon waking.
With regards to your Unconscious and Magical Healing, how do you hand the Spare the Dying Cantrip? I can only imagine that as a player I might argue that Cure Wounds is a more powerful spell than Spare the Dying. However as you described, Cure Wounds would only provide 1 successful Death Save (this scenario assumes no Death Saves have been made) where as Spare the Dying would stabilize a character completely (as per the Cantrip description). As a Cantrip, Spare the Dying can be cast endlessly whereas Cure Wounds (or stronger healing magic) would cost spell slots but be less effective.
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My house rules here stem from a desire to aggravate attrition of resources and health in the party. I am not overly fond of Long Rests resulting in a complete refresh for the group (and my players are notorious for resting frequently.
REGAINING CONSCIOUSNESS
Everytime a character regains consciousness from being at 0 Hit Points, he gains 1 Level of Exhaustion.
UNCONSCIOUSNESS AND MAGICAL HEALING
If a character has been reduced to 0 hit points and then receives magical, alchemical, or some other supernatural form of healing, some of that healing power must first be allocated to stabilizing the grievous injuries that are drawing the character closer to death. Remove 1 die from the healing effect for each remaining death saving throw that needs to be made in order for the character to stabilize. If a healing effect combines dice with a fixed modifier, the fixed modifier is only applied if the creature is stabilized (total of 3 successful death saving throws) by the effect, and there remains any dice of healing after those used for stabilization.
For example, Lucas Ryder is unconscious and has made no successful death saving throws, when N’Vek pours a healing potion down his gullet. Because a healing potion grants 2 dice of healing, (2D4+2 hit points) Lucas immediately checks off 2 successful death saving throws on his character sheet. Only one more is required in order to stabilize. If Lucas had previously made 1 successful death saving throw when the potion was administered, he would check his second and third successful death saving throw and therefore be stabilized, but the +2 would still not be applied, and Lucas would remain unconscious albeit stable. If the potion were one of Greater Healing (4D4+4) and Lucas had no death saving throws made previously, the potion would not only stabilize him (reducing the healing effect by 3 dice), but would also restore the remaining 1D4+4 in hit points of healing, and lift the ranger out of unconsciousness.
LONG RESTS
During a long rest, each character follows 3 steps:
Step 1: Set up Camp - The character benefits from a Short Rest and may replenish abilities and spend Hit Dice accordingly. If a character has not consumed 1 lb of food and 1 gallon of water during the day, he must do so now.
Step 2: At the end of the rest, the character regains spent Hit Dice, up to a number of dice equal to half of the character's total number of them (Round Down to a minimum of 1). For example, if a character has seven Hit Dice, he or she can regain three spent Hit Dice upon finishing a long rest.
Step 3: The character recovers lost hit points by rolling his total hit dice and adding his Constitution modifier to each die. This roll does not expend Hit Dice. This replaces the 100% healing in the Core Rules.
An Unconscious character cannot benefit from a Rest at all, but does regain 1 Hit Point after being Stable for 1D4 hours. Once he comes to, he may benefit from a Short Rest, or a Long Rest - however, unless the party is willing to prolong the duration of their respite, the recovered character may need to be content with the effects of a Short Rest only.
How do you deal with a Paladin's Lay on Hands ability? Would it not have any chance or stabilizing a dying player, or would you expand on the uses of the 5 points from the pool to include stabilizing?
Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
Thanks for your comments!
As you say, I would stick with 5 Lay on Hands hit points = 1 death save, but I would definitely allow the paladin to provide multiple death saves by investing more of his/her healing into the dying patient. 10 points of healing = 2 death saves. 15 points = 3 saves.
Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
I do healing this way:
Short rests: RAW
Long rests: Long rests restore ALL lost hit dice, but no hit points. Characters may spend hit dice at the beginning of a long rest, and also immediately upon waking.
Oh I understand what you mean now. That's a perfectly valid approach. Something I might try!
With regards to your Unconscious and Magical Healing, how do you hand the Spare the Dying Cantrip? I can only imagine that as a player I might argue that Cure Wounds is a more powerful spell than Spare the Dying. However as you described, Cure Wounds would only provide 1 successful Death Save (this scenario assumes no Death Saves have been made) where as Spare the Dying would stabilize a character completely (as per the Cantrip description). As a Cantrip, Spare the Dying can be cast endlessly whereas Cure Wounds (or stronger healing magic) would cost spell slots but be less effective.