They only get 1 hp back, which is considered enough to stabilize them.
Beyond 20
No, they get no hit points back. They are still at 0, they are still unconscious, but they are no longer having to make death saving throws under the dying rule.
Well, you are only 'unstable' and dying until you either fail or succeed three saving throws; if you fail three, you die, and if you succeed three, you automatically stabilise and stay unconscious for 1d4 hours. If they are unconscious but not dying then this spell will have no effect because the target won't need what it does.
The player is considered unconscious, but alive (Meaning no saving throws are needed, and all previous throws reset)
If the player (or creature for that matter) regains even a single HP, that player regains consciousness and is able to fight again.
Again, They gain no HP. Nowhere in this spell does it say they regain any HP. Period.
After 1d4 hours pass, the player receives 1hp if they are not attacked, but not as a result of this spell, this is just as a result of the character naturally regaining consciousness while stable.
Chapter 9 of the player's handbook, in the section of Dropping to 0 hit points, subsection of stabilizing a creature: "A stable creature doesn't make death saving throws, even though it has 0 hit points, but it does remain unconscious. The creature stops being stable, and must start making death saving throws again, if it takes any damage. A stable creature that isn't healed regains 1 hit point after 1d4 hours."
Notice here that the wording actually specifies when HP is gained. The above spell days nothing about regaining HP, therefore it does not do so.
Why does this exist as a full action when you can opt for the “Help” action with any class? Seems useless unless the DM requires a Medicine check for Help to stabilize someone. Which I guess is RAW, sooooo…. Answered my own question. OOPS!
So I have a question... my dm is allowing my to use spare the dying as a monk is there any way I could get it on dnd beyond or would I just have to write it down on paper and remember when I've used it. It would just be much easier to have it on the site then on paper.
If I remember right, one of the bard subclasses in the player's handbook allows for a couple of spells from other classes. This will make more things available. For instance, I had a player that took eldritch blast as a bard. Not sure if this was the case here, but D&D Beyond did support it.
it's of any class if the spell is of a level that can be castso from atleast 6th level if you go lore bard, you can pick it up otherwise, it's at 10th level
After 1d4 hours pass, the player receives 1hp if they are not attacked, but not as a result of this spell, this is just as a result of the character naturally regaining consciousness while stable.
BTW, there's nothing in the rules that says a creature at 0 hit points can't take a short rest. So you only have to wait the full d4 hours if you have no hit dice left; otherwise you can spend some HD after 1 hour and become conscious that way.
After 1d4 hours pass, the player receives 1hp if they are not attacked, but not as a result of this spell, this is just as a result of the character naturally regaining consciousness while stable.
BTW, there's nothing in the rules that says a creature at 0 hit points can't take a short rest. So you only have to wait the full d4 hours if you have no hit dice left; otherwise you can spend some HD after 1 hour and become conscious that way.
I would argue against this as a short rest does specify it as a chance to tend to wounds. You can't tend to your wounds if you are unconscious. Someone is welcome to heal you somehow to snap you awake before that time. If there aren't any spells or potions available, then you'll have to wait.
Bit late, but not completely true. A Warlock should gain access to this spell regardless of their patron when they are Pact of the Tome, which lets them choose 3 cantrips regardless of their list.
Why does this cantrip come up on the Warlock spell list? It doesn't come up when I filter by Necromancy, but does when I filter by Cantrip...?
Warlocks only gain access to this if they select The Undying as their Otherworldly Patron, resulting in this ability:
Among the Dead
Starting at 1st level, you learn the spare the dying cantrip, which counts as a warlock cantrip for you. You also have advantage on saving throws against any disease.
Another route a Warlock can obtain this cantrip is the 3rd Level Pact Boon, Pact of the Tome, which gives access to 3 cantrips from any class’s spell list (doesn't have to be from the same list either). Of course, Spare the Dying wouldn't have been tagged as a Warlock spell because of this, otherwise every cantrip in the game would have to be!
it says a creature with 0 hp becomes stabilized, but what about a character that has failed 3 death saves and is technically dead?
To save someone who has already died, you would need to cast revivify, which is a 3rd-level spell. Spare the Dying is a cantrip, so being able to bring somebody back to life with it would break the game, as why worry about dying when you have a trusty cleric to save you an indefinite number of times.
What does stabilize mean? Do they get hp back? If they do, how much?
I agree, I would like to know too.
By the sound of it, it wont bring the dead back or heal it, since its at 0hp; perhaps it has something to do with illusion magic?
When you stabilize, the person you stabilized (only another person can stabilize you if you didn't know) gets 1hp back.
Stabilizing someone with a medicine check or this spell does not grant them 1 HP. You might be thinking of the Healing Feat which does allow for stabilization and a grant of 1 HP. Overall a surprising number of questions about this - here are the rules from the PHB:
The best way to save a creature with 0 HP 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. A stable creature doesn't make death saving throws, even though it has 0 hit points, but it does remain unconscious. The creature stops being stable, and must start making death saving throws again, if it takes any damage. A stable creature that isn't healed regains 1 hit point after 1d4 hours.
The advantage of this is no Wisdom (Medicine) check, which has a chance of failing. At higher levels though, this is completely useless if you are proficient in Medicine and are a cleric (good Wisdom score). The chances of succeeding would be so high that the purpose of this spell would be negated.
No, they get no hit points back. They are still at 0, they are still unconscious, but they are no longer having to make death saving throws under the dying rule.
How long does the stabilization last? Like if someone were to be unconscious for a really long time, would spare the dying still count?
Well, you are only 'unstable' and dying until you either fail or succeed three saving throws; if you fail three, you die, and if you succeed three, you automatically stabilise and stay unconscious for 1d4 hours. If they are unconscious but not dying then this spell will have no effect because the target won't need what it does.
After 1d4 hours pass, the player receives 1hp if they are not attacked, but not as a result of this spell, this is just as a result of the character naturally regaining consciousness while stable.
Chapter 9 of the player's handbook, in the section of Dropping to 0 hit points, subsection of stabilizing a creature:
"A stable creature doesn't make death saving throws, even though it has 0 hit points, but it does remain unconscious. The creature stops being stable, and must start making death saving throws again, if it takes any damage. A stable creature that isn't healed regains 1 hit point after 1d4 hours."
Notice here that the wording actually specifies when HP is gained. The above spell days nothing about regaining HP, therefore it does not do so.
Edit: Spelling
Why does this exist as a full action when you can opt for the “Help” action with any class? Seems useless unless the DM requires a Medicine check for Help to stabilize someone. Which I guess is RAW, sooooo…. Answered my own question. OOPS!
So I have a question... my dm is allowing my to use spare the dying as a monk is there any way I could get it on dnd beyond or would I just have to write it down on paper and remember when I've used it. It would just be much easier to have it on the site then on paper.
yes so long as this animal is not a construct or undeaed.
I belive its a d4 of hp
If I remember right, one of the bard subclasses in the player's handbook allows for a couple of spells from other classes. This will make more things available. For instance, I had a player that took eldritch blast as a bard. Not sure if this was the case here, but D&D Beyond did support it.
it's of any class if the spell is of a level that can be castso from atleast 6th level if you go lore bard, you can pick it up
otherwise, it's at 10th level
BTW, there's nothing in the rules that says a creature at 0 hit points can't take a short rest. So you only have to wait the full d4 hours if you have no hit dice left; otherwise you can spend some HD after 1 hour and become conscious that way.
I would argue against this as a short rest does specify it as a chance to tend to wounds. You can't tend to your wounds if you are unconscious. Someone is welcome to heal you somehow to snap you awake before that time. If there aren't any spells or potions available, then you'll have to wait.
Bit late, but not completely true. A Warlock should gain access to this spell regardless of their patron when they are Pact of the Tome, which lets them choose 3 cantrips regardless of their list.
Another route a Warlock can obtain this cantrip is the 3rd Level Pact Boon, Pact of the Tome, which gives access to 3 cantrips from any class’s spell list (doesn't have to be from the same list either). Of course, Spare the Dying wouldn't have been tagged as a Warlock spell because of this, otherwise every cantrip in the game would have to be!
"You touch a living creature that has 0 hit points..."
When a creature is dead, it is no longer living.
To save someone who has already died, you would need to cast revivify, which is a 3rd-level spell. Spare the Dying is a cantrip, so being able to bring somebody back to life with it would break the game, as why worry about dying when you have a trusty cleric to save you an indefinite number of times.
The advantage of this is no Wisdom (Medicine) check, which has a chance of failing. At higher levels though, this is completely useless if you are proficient in Medicine and are a cleric (good Wisdom score). The chances of succeeding would be so high that the purpose of this spell would be negated.
Runners energy packet, essentially
Super useful
Magic words: “Ok you can stop dying now”