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Can Medicine checks be used, with decent rolls, to completely mitigate the risk of death from ongoing damage?

Does a hit to a stabilized character count as a death saving failure?Death saving throws / critical hitsWhat is the probability of surviving my death saves?How else can I get Advantage on Death Saving Throws?Does Psychic Crush cause stunning on a successful save also?When stabilized, will receiving temporary hit points prevent failed Death Save when hit?How to resolve multiple 'start of turn' triggersDoes a failed Stabilize action count as a failed death saving throw?How to determine cause of death when Death Saving Throws fail due to an attack rather than a rollHow does Healing Spirit interact with death saving throws?

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2

$begingroup$

Here is an example of the type of situation that brought up this question. Say a PC has been pinned under the foot of a massive animated stone statue. The PC in question is knocked unconscious by the initial damage and will take additional damage each round, forcing failed death saves, as the statue continues to crush them. A nearby ally succeeds at a Medicine check to stabilize the pinned character so they won't have to make a Death Saving Throw on their next turn. On their next turn the PC being crushed will take a small amount, and suffer a failed death save. An ally will then make another Medicine check, making them stable again. Rinse and repeat.

Under Stabilize A Creature in the 5E PHB it states

If healing is unavailable, the creature can at least be stabilized so that it isn't killed by a failed death saving throw.

This means that with a DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check you can stabilize someone even if they have already failed one or two death saving throws. There seems to be nothing to prevent an ally, or allies if the first one fails their Medicine check, from indefinitely eliminating the risk of death in this circumstance with ongoing first aid.

Can Medicine checks be used, with decent rolls, to completely mitigate the risk of death from ongoing damage?

dnd-5e character-death

share|improve this question

edited 44 mins ago

V2Blast

26.2k590160

asked 2 hours ago

Shane WaldenShane Walden

190110

$endgroup$

add a comment | 

2

$begingroup$

Here is an example of the type of situation that brought up this question. Say a PC has been pinned under the foot of a massive animated stone statue. The PC in question is knocked unconscious by the initial damage and will take additional damage each round, forcing failed death saves, as the statue continues to crush them. A nearby ally succeeds at a Medicine check to stabilize the pinned character so they won't have to make a Death Saving Throw on their next turn. On their next turn the PC being crushed will take a small amount, and suffer a failed death save. An ally will then make another Medicine check, making them stable again. Rinse and repeat.

Under Stabilize A Creature in the 5E PHB it states

If healing is unavailable, the creature can at least be stabilized so that it isn't killed by a failed death saving throw.

This means that with a DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check you can stabilize someone even if they have already failed one or two death saving throws. There seems to be nothing to prevent an ally, or allies if the first one fails their Medicine check, from indefinitely eliminating the risk of death in this circumstance with ongoing first aid.

Can Medicine checks be used, with decent rolls, to completely mitigate the risk of death from ongoing damage?

dnd-5e character-death

share|improve this question

edited 44 mins ago

V2Blast

26.2k590160

asked 2 hours ago

Shane WaldenShane Walden

190110

$endgroup$

add a comment | 

$begingroup$

Here is an example of the type of situation that brought up this question. Say a PC has been pinned under the foot of a massive animated stone statue. The PC in question is knocked unconscious by the initial damage and will take additional damage each round, forcing failed death saves, as the statue continues to crush them. A nearby ally succeeds at a Medicine check to stabilize the pinned character so they won't have to make a Death Saving Throw on their next turn. On their next turn the PC being crushed will take a small amount, and suffer a failed death save. An ally will then make another Medicine check, making them stable again. Rinse and repeat.

Under Stabilize A Creature in the 5E PHB it states

If healing is unavailable, the creature can at least be stabilized so that it isn't killed by a failed death saving throw.

This means that with a DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check you can stabilize someone even if they have already failed one or two death saving throws. There seems to be nothing to prevent an ally, or allies if the first one fails their Medicine check, from indefinitely eliminating the risk of death in this circumstance with ongoing first aid.

Can Medicine checks be used, with decent rolls, to completely mitigate the risk of death from ongoing damage?

dnd-5e character-death

share|improve this question

edited 44 mins ago

V2Blast

26.2k590160

asked 2 hours ago

Shane WaldenShane Walden

190110

$endgroup$

share|improve this question

edited 44 mins ago

V2Blast

26.2k590160

asked 2 hours ago

Shane WaldenShane Walden

190110

share|improve this question

edited 44 mins ago

V2Blast

26.2k590160

asked 2 hours ago

Shane WaldenShane Walden

190110

edited 44 mins ago

V2Blast

26.2k590160

edited 44 mins ago

V2Blast

26.2k590160

asked 2 hours ago

Shane WaldenShane Walden

190110

asked 2 hours ago

Shane WaldenShane Walden

190110

1 Answer
1

active

oldest

votes

4

$begingroup$

Well Yes

Relevant excerpts from the death saving throw rules...

Regarding stabilization:

The number of both [successes and failures] is reset to zero when you regain any hit points or become stable. . . . A stable creature doesn't make death saving throws, even though it has 0 hit points, . . .

Regarding unstabilization:

If you take any damage while you have 0 hit points, you suffer a death saving throw failure. . . . The creature stops being stable, and must start making death saving throws again, if it takes any damage.

In summary:

• A successful DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check will reset the number of failed death saving throws to zero and prevent additional death saving throws until damage is taken.


• Only when that damage is taken do death saving throws commence once more.


• If the character is stabilized once per round, death from ongoing but trivial damage could be staved off indefinitely.

But Actually No

Your question includes the phrase (emphasis mine)

completely mitigate the risk of death from ongoing damage

and also states that the damage is coming from an

animated stone statue

If the statue is animated, then it might be making attack rolls depending on how sadistic your GM is. If an attack roll crits, the pinned character will suffer two failed death saving throws. Then a third fail may occur on the character's turn if a party member is unable to stabilize him/her beforehand. Therefore, in this particular scenario (again, if the statue is making attack rolls in spite of low damage output), the character can die in a single round.

Furthermore—and this kind of goes without saying—if any other sources of damage could possibly impact the unconscious character, this same tangible risk of death will be present

share|improve this answer

edited 58 mins ago

answered 1 hour ago

convoliutionconvoliution

973517

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  I appreciate the answer and clarity. I didn't factor in other potential actions by the statue or the pinned character's allies because I wanted to focus the relationship between Medicine checks to stabilize and death saves. Thank you sir.
  $endgroup$
  – Shane Walden
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

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4

$begingroup$

Well Yes

Relevant excerpts from the death saving throw rules...

Regarding stabilization:

The number of both [successes and failures] is reset to zero when you regain any hit points or become stable. . . . A stable creature doesn't make death saving throws, even though it has 0 hit points, . . .

Regarding unstabilization:

If you take any damage while you have 0 hit points, you suffer a death saving throw failure. . . . The creature stops being stable, and must start making death saving throws again, if it takes any damage.

In summary:

• A successful DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check will reset the number of failed death saving throws to zero and prevent additional death saving throws until damage is taken.


• Only when that damage is taken do death saving throws commence once more.


• If the character is stabilized once per round, death from ongoing but trivial damage could be staved off indefinitely.

But Actually No

Your question includes the phrase (emphasis mine)

completely mitigate the risk of death from ongoing damage

and also states that the damage is coming from an

animated stone statue

If the statue is animated, then it might be making attack rolls depending on how sadistic your GM is. If an attack roll crits, the pinned character will suffer two failed death saving throws. Then a third fail may occur on the character's turn if a party member is unable to stabilize him/her beforehand. Therefore, in this particular scenario (again, if the statue is making attack rolls in spite of low damage output), the character can die in a single round.

Furthermore—and this kind of goes without saying—if any other sources of damage could possibly impact the unconscious character, this same tangible risk of death will be present

share|improve this answer

edited 58 mins ago

answered 1 hour ago

convoliutionconvoliution

973517

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  I appreciate the answer and clarity. I didn't factor in other potential actions by the statue or the pinned character's allies because I wanted to focus the relationship between Medicine checks to stabilize and death saves. Thank you sir.
  $endgroup$
  – Shane Walden
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

4

$begingroup$

Well Yes

Relevant excerpts from the death saving throw rules...

Regarding stabilization:

The number of both [successes and failures] is reset to zero when you regain any hit points or become stable. . . . A stable creature doesn't make death saving throws, even though it has 0 hit points, . . .

Regarding unstabilization:

If you take any damage while you have 0 hit points, you suffer a death saving throw failure. . . . The creature stops being stable, and must start making death saving throws again, if it takes any damage.

In summary:

• A successful DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check will reset the number of failed death saving throws to zero and prevent additional death saving throws until damage is taken.


• Only when that damage is taken do death saving throws commence once more.


• If the character is stabilized once per round, death from ongoing but trivial damage could be staved off indefinitely.

But Actually No

Your question includes the phrase (emphasis mine)

completely mitigate the risk of death from ongoing damage

and also states that the damage is coming from an

animated stone statue

If the statue is animated, then it might be making attack rolls depending on how sadistic your GM is. If an attack roll crits, the pinned character will suffer two failed death saving throws. Then a third fail may occur on the character's turn if a party member is unable to stabilize him/her beforehand. Therefore, in this particular scenario (again, if the statue is making attack rolls in spite of low damage output), the character can die in a single round.

Furthermore—and this kind of goes without saying—if any other sources of damage could possibly impact the unconscious character, this same tangible risk of death will be present

share|improve this answer

edited 58 mins ago

answered 1 hour ago

convoliutionconvoliution

973517

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  I appreciate the answer and clarity. I didn't factor in other potential actions by the statue or the pinned character's allies because I wanted to focus the relationship between Medicine checks to stabilize and death saves. Thank you sir.
  $endgroup$
  – Shane Walden
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

$begingroup$

Well Yes

Relevant excerpts from the death saving throw rules...

Regarding stabilization:

The number of both [successes and failures] is reset to zero when you regain any hit points or become stable. . . . A stable creature doesn't make death saving throws, even though it has 0 hit points, . . .

Regarding unstabilization:

If you take any damage while you have 0 hit points, you suffer a death saving throw failure. . . . The creature stops being stable, and must start making death saving throws again, if it takes any damage.

In summary:

• A successful DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check will reset the number of failed death saving throws to zero and prevent additional death saving throws until damage is taken.


• Only when that damage is taken do death saving throws commence once more.


• If the character is stabilized once per round, death from ongoing but trivial damage could be staved off indefinitely.

But Actually No

Your question includes the phrase (emphasis mine)

completely mitigate the risk of death from ongoing damage

and also states that the damage is coming from an

animated stone statue

If the statue is animated, then it might be making attack rolls depending on how sadistic your GM is. If an attack roll crits, the pinned character will suffer two failed death saving throws. Then a third fail may occur on the character's turn if a party member is unable to stabilize him/her beforehand. Therefore, in this particular scenario (again, if the statue is making attack rolls in spite of low damage output), the character can die in a single round.

Furthermore—and this kind of goes without saying—if any other sources of damage could possibly impact the unconscious character, this same tangible risk of death will be present

share|improve this answer

edited 58 mins ago

answered 1 hour ago

convoliutionconvoliution

973517

$endgroup$

share|improve this answer

edited 58 mins ago

answered 1 hour ago

convoliutionconvoliution

973517

answered 1 hour ago

convoliutionconvoliution

973517

answered 1 hour ago

convoliutionconvoliution

973517