Alternative To Dying

In each edition of Dungeons and Dragons, the threat of character death looms over the table. Earlier editions had a simple "save or die" mechanic that most either loved or hated. Newer editions have saving grace mechanics, giving multiple death saving throws before our characters shuck their mortal coils. In fifth edition, this has brought out a very unusual method of healing: waiting until a character hits zero hit points to heal them. This is a more "effective" way of healing, or so it is touted and from a math standpoint, it's a hard thing to argue. So presented here are alternative rules for dying and death.

The Goal

The goal is to create rules that fit perfectly into the game without requiring anything entirely new to memorize. Any alterations to the mechanics should feel like they've always been there and should not require referencing to recall how it functions.

The system should also reward healers for keeping their players from reaching zero hit points. The "yo-yo" healing effect needs to be minimalized.

What About Tougher Characters?

If you'd like, as an additional layer to all this, you could allow characters get to add their Constitution modifier to their death saving throws. However be aware that this might make some characters much less likely to die if your monsters aren't attacking them while they're down.

The Rules

When reaching zero hit points, the character gains an immediate level of exhaustion and falls to the ground as usual.

The character drops whatever it’s holding, automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws, and is incapacitated.

Attacks within 5' of the character are automatically critical hits.

When the character rolls a death saving throw, a 20 counts as two successes and a 1 counts as two failures.

When the character rolls a death saving throw, a 11 or higher is a success. A 10 or lower is a failure.

After rolling three successes (they do not need to be consecutive), the character is stablized.

Each failed roll results in the player having an additional level of Exhaustion added to their character.

There is no number of failed rolls that result in death, however the sixth level of exhaustion still results in the death of the character.

So with this system, your characters should find themselves being able to survive death more often, but dreading failing those saves, as each level of exhaustion takes a long rest to remove. Also if a character were already burdened with exhaustion, then even out of combat death is so much closer than before.