Hardcore Mode by KawaiiSpider

Hardcore Dungeons and Dragons is the most fun you can have with a D20. It ups the stakes and makes every hit count. I present the following changes to the rules of DnD to make your players fear every encounter, take great joy in every kill and feel great accomplishment at every day survived.

Changes to Hit Points

The most drastic change in this mode is the reduced number of Hit Points the players have. This leads to very tense encounters where every critical hit has the potential to down a character and extended encounters can be deadly for the entire party.



A player gains Hit Points as normal at first level but then only gains additional Hit Points and Hit Dice at levels 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20. When rolling for gained Hit Points the player may roll 2 dice and take the highest number to add to their Hit Point total. Any abilities that increase hit points every level such as the Tough feat or the Sorcerer Draconic Bloodline ability only increase Hit Points at the above levels as well.

Changes to Dropping to 0

When you drop to 0 hit points, you either die outright or fall unconscious, as explained in the following sections.

Instant Death

Massive damage can kill you instantly. When damage reduces you to 0 hit points and there is damage remaining, you die if the remaining damage equals or exceeds your hit point maximum. For example, a cleric with a maximum of 12 hit points currently has 6 hit points. If she takes 18 damage from an attack, she is reduced to 0 hit points, but 12 damage remains. Because the remaining damage equals her hit point maximum, the cleric dies.

Falling Unconscious

If damage reduces you to 0 hit points and fails to kill you, you fall unconscious (see appendix A of the player’s handbook). This unconsciousness ends if you regain any hit points.

Death Saving Throws

Whenever you start your turn with 0 hit points, you must make constitution saving throw, called a death saving throw, to determine whether you creep closer to death or hang onto life. The DC of this save is 10 + the difference between the damage taken and your Hit Points prior to taking that damage. A success or failure has no effect by itself. On your third success, you become stable (see below). On your third failure, you die. The successes and failures don't need to be consecutive; keep track of both until you collect three of a kind. The number of both is reset to zero when you regain any hit points or become stable.

Rolling 1 or 20.

When you make a death saving throw and roll a 1 on the d20, it counts as two failures. If you roll a 20 on the d20, you may choose one of the following effects:

You regain 1 Hit Point for one round in which you have advantage on all rolls. At the end of the turn you suffer a death saving throw failure.

You become stable.

Damage at 0 Hit Points.

If you take any damage while you have 0 hit points, you suffer two death saving throw failures. If the damage is from a critical hit, or the damage equals or exceeds your hit point maximum, you suffer instant death.

Optional Rule: Temporary Hit Points

Temporary Hit Points represent a surge of adrenaline that allows a character to ignore wounds that would otherwise kill them. A character that has temporary Hit Points can remain conscious while below 0 Hit Points up to a negative value equal to the number of temporary hit points. A character who is still on negative hit points when combat ends remains conscious for 1d4 rounds before falling unconscious and begins making death saves as normal.

Balance Note Some classes, mainly warlocks, rely heavily on temporary hit points. make sure you ask your players before you implement this rule.

Medicine

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 helped so that it has less of a chance of being killed by a failed death saving throw. You can use your action to administer first aid to an unconscious creature and attempt to help it, which requires a successful (Medicine) check. The DC of this check is the same as the DC for the Death Save above. On a success, the creature gains one Death Save success and has advantage on its next Death Saving throw. On a failure, the creature has disadvantage on its next Death Saving throw. On a natural 20 the creature is stabilised, on a natural 1 the creature suffers a death saving throw failure.

Stability

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 3d4 hours.