Dropping to 0 Hit Points

When you drop to 0 hit points, you either die outright or survive bearing the consequences, 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.

Near Death Experience

If damage reduces you to 0 hit points and fails to kill you, you must roll a DC10 constitution saving throw or be knocked prone (see appendix A). For every successive turn that you end with 0 hit points, add 5 to the DC and repeat the roll. You may choose to fail any or all of these rolls. If the DC reaches 30 you fall unconscious (see appendix A).

While below 0 points, you are unable to take the dash action, you lose your bonus action and any bonuses to your movement speed immediately come to an end.

Death Saving Throws

Whenever you start your turn with 0 hit points, you must make a special saving throw, called a death saving throw, to determine whether you creep closer to death or hang onto life. Unlike other saving throws, this one isn’t tied to any ability score. You are in the hands of fate now, aided only by spells and features that improve your chances of succeeding on a saving throw.

Roll a d20. If the roll is 10 or higher, you succeed. Otherwise, you fail. A success leaves you feeling lethargic (see appendix A), but conscious, and upon your third success, you become stable (see below). Each successive failure, however, makes your struggle for survival more desperate. One failure will have you lethargic as well as incapacitated (see appendix A). A second failure will leave you unconscious. 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 regain 1 hit point.

Damage at 0 Hit Points. If you take any damage while you have 0 hit points, you suffer a death saving throw failure. If the damage is from a critical hit, you suffer two failures instead. If the damage equals or exceeds your hit point maximum, you suffer instant death. If you regain any hit points, you regain consciousness if Unconscious, but are left Incapacitated for 1 round. You are left feeling Lethargic for 1 minute after regaining hit points unless otherwise alleviated.

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.

A stable creature doesn’t make death saving throws, even though it has 0 hit points, but it does remain unconscious if it is already so. 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.

Appendices A

Incapacitated

An incapacitated creature can’t take actions or reactions.

Lethargic (Poisoned)

A lethargic creature has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.

Prone

A prone creature’s only movement option is to crawl, unless it stands up and thereby ends the condition.

The creature has disadvantage on attack rolls.

An attack roll against the creature has advantage if the attacker is within 5 feet of the creature. Otherwise, the attack roll has disadvantage.

Unconscious

An unconscious creature is incapacitated (see the condition), can’t move or speak, and is unaware of its surroundings.

The creature drops whatever it’s holding and falls prone.

The creature automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws.

Attack rolls against the creature have advantage.