Death and the Save

Second session GMing 5e – Hoard of the Dragon Queen, and I made it to my first Death Save.

Oh those nasty kobolds and their slings.

The party divided up and the Kobolds started picking them off with slings. Three times 4hp damage means one character goes down.

So what happens next. The PCs turn came up in initiative order very quickly, so he attempts and fails his first save. Four other PCs and two sets of monsters means he has to wait ten minutes until he can make another save. Makes this one, so it’s a push. In the mean time the bad guys are dispatched and the Paladin uses Lay on Hands to stop the bleeding.

Comments:

It was nice for the player to have something while waiting for his turn, but it wasn’t much. Not sure there is a better alternative outside of just having them die, and a little more interesting than just having them lose another hp.

If other characters were near enough to help that would have drastically changed the dynamic (I think).

General Comments on the Session:

There was frustration and misunderstanding about positioning because I wasn’t using a map. I’m trying hard not to, but I don’t think the players can focus without one. I think that it will slow the game down as PCs count squares, and eliminate any possibility of Role Playing.

The battle was really spread out and it highlighted the lack of a Charge Action. I didn’t try and come up with anything to make it work, just went along. Made the casters a little more powerful if they could get away and keep moving and casting.

Always half your move to stand from prone doesn’t make any sense to me. Considering house ruling it to 10ft to stand up. Will try next session.

I’m still enjoying playing, and I think the players are also. Still a positive experience.

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