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Questions tagged [character-death]

For questions about issues related to the in-game death, or threat/fear of death, of a player's character in an RPG.

7 votes
1 answer
2k views

Can a Half-Orc's Relentless Endurance trait save it from its soul being stolen when it dies?

Half-Orcs have the Relentless Endurance racial trait: Relentless Endurance. When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. You can't use this ...
MemeMan's user avatar
  • 1,099
10 votes
1 answer
261 views

Can a player character avoid dying as long as they still have Plot Points?

I've read Cortex Prime and now I'm wondering whether a PC could die. The rule said that "you can spend a PP to avoid being taken out of the scene" (which I translate as dying). Does this ...
Vylix's user avatar
  • 32.9k
19 votes
2 answers
2k views

Does a Swarmkeeper lose their swarm if they die?

In Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, the Swarmkeeper Ranger's "Gathered Swarm" feature states the following (emphasis added): A swarm of intangible nature spirits has bonded itself to you and ...
Andrendire's user avatar
25 votes
10 answers
11k views

How does anyone ever die with a Cleric?

I'm relatively new to the game and DMing a group who are all also new to the game, so maybe this is something obvious that we just don't know. Last session the party was beset upon by a group of ...
Bitsplease's user avatar
39 votes
10 answers
9k views

How do I help a player terrified of their character dying in combat?

Relatively new DM with a group of 5 players (some with ttrpg experience, some not) through a twist on the essentials kit module. One absolute first time player is running a 3rd level rogue with low HP ...
warfa's user avatar
  • 378
20 votes
3 answers
2k views

DoIP Dragon Barrow Area D5 – how is this not a likely TPK?

I'm running Dragon of Icespire Peak, and my players have encountered the Dragon Barrow. This question relates to the mechanics of a specific part of the quest, so I've liberally used spoiler blocks to ...
Dan W's user avatar
  • 2,039
12 votes
2 answers
915 views

Slaying the Target Outright

In Dungeons and Dragons 4th edition's Player's Handbook I. on page 288 states: Under "Coup De Grace," there is the rule "Slaying the Target Outright": "If you deal damage ...
Dyin's user avatar
  • 597
4 votes
0 answers
111 views

Can you die instantly if you take enough damage? [duplicate]

If you have a max HP of, for example 27, and you have 0 current HP, and then take another 27 dmg, do you die instantly?
TonYTheTigerCat's user avatar
29 votes
12 answers
6k views

How to avoid killing player characters due to a single (un)lucky roll?

Especially at low levels, Pathfinder characters can usually be killed easily by a single enemy attack, provided the dice fall in said enemy's favor. An example: The PC has a Constitution score of 10 (...
user avatar
32 votes
4 answers
5k views

How to alleviate the tedium of PC death at higher levels?

In our high-level Pathfinder game, player characters die relatively often, whether to save-or-die or just to high damage. When a PC dies, then players either defeat the enemy or escape, and unless the ...
Petr Hudeček's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
4k views

What ways (other than advantage) are there to improve the total for a death saving throw?

What ways (other than advantage) are there to improve the total for a death saving throw? For instance, the bless spell allows you to add 1d4 to any saving throws you make during the duration. I'm ...
user-781943's user avatar
  • 21.8k
4 votes
1 answer
249 views

Can spells that stabilise you when you'd die overrule death from exceeding negative constitution?

Characters die from damage when their health is reduced below their negative Constitution score. However, some spells stabilize you when you'd die. Can these spells stabilize you even from damage that ...
Grimalkin's user avatar
37 votes
5 answers
8k views

How do I engage someone who is playing his character poorly?

I am DMing a game where one player has never quite seemed happy. He regularly questions rulings and gets quite hurt when he tries to do things with his character and they don't succeed. He is playing ...
BprDM's user avatar
  • 2,476
0 votes
0 answers
38 views

What happens when an attack with a raider drops a hero to 0 hp? [duplicate]

So, imagine you are hit by a monster and dropped down to 0 hp. But then the same attack also requires you to make a Constitution save or take extra damage. Is this attack treated as a single damage ...
Arthindol's user avatar
10 votes
1 answer
3k views

If a player's character is absorbed by a gibbering mouther, do they make death saving throws as normal, or are they instantly killed?

I am a DM for the Tomb of Annihilation published adventure. My group will be exploring an abandoned mine near Fort Beluarian, so I wanted to create a level mini-dungeon for a party of five people. ...
Zepar's user avatar
  • 111

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