5.5e / 2024 · 5e / 2014 · Pathfinder 1E · D&D 3.5e

Dying

What happens near death is one of the clearest mechanical differences between the four supported rulesets. In 5e, Dying is not a named condition; at 0 Hit Points a character normally becomes Unconscious and makes Death Saving Throws. Pathfinder 1E and D&D 3.5e instead use negative Hit Points.

Explore: Conditions · Stable · Unconscious · Dead







5.5e / 2024

Dying is not a named 2024 condition. If you reach 0 Hit Points and do not die instantly, you gain the Unconscious condition until you regain Hit Points and begin making Death Saving Throws.

  • At the start of each turn at 0 Hit Points, roll a Death Saving Throw.
  • 10 or higher is a success; 9 or lower is a failure.
  • Three successes make you Stable. Three failures kill you.
  • A natural 1 counts as two failures. A natural 20 restores 1 Hit Point.
  • Taking damage at 0 Hit Points causes one failure; a Critical Hit causes two.
  • If damage taken at 0 equals or exceeds your Hit Point Maximum, you die.

A creature can be stabilized with a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check using the Help action.

5e / 2014

Dying is not a named 2014 condition. If damage reduces you to 0 Hit Points without killing you outright, you fall Unconscious and make Death Saving Throws.

  • At the start of each turn at 0 Hit Points, roll 1d20.
  • 10 or higher succeeds; 9 or lower fails.
  • Three successes make you Stable. Three failures kill you.
  • A natural 1 counts as two failures. A natural 20 restores 1 Hit Point.
  • Damage at 0 Hit Points causes a failure; a Critical Hit causes two.
  • Damage equal to or greater than your Hit Point Maximum can cause instant death.

Another creature can use an action and succeed on a DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check to stabilize you.

Pathfinder 1E

A dying creature is Unconscious and near death. A creature with negative Hit Points that has not become Stable is dying.

  • A dying creature can take no actions.
  • On its next turn and every turn thereafter, it attempts a DC 10 Constitution check to become Stable.
  • The check takes a penalty equal to the creature’s negative Hit Point total.
  • A natural 20 is an automatic success.
  • On a failed check, the creature loses 1 Hit Point.
  • If negative Hit Points equal or exceed the creature’s Constitution score, it dies.

Healing, first aid and the Stable rules can stop the continuing Hit Point loss. This is a different subsystem from 5e Death Saving Throws.

D&D 3.5e

A character at –1 to –9 Hit Points is dying. The character immediately becomes Unconscious, can take no actions and normally loses 1 Hit Point each round until becoming Stable or dying.

  • Each round, a dying character has a 10% chance to become Stable.
  • On a failed stabilization roll, the character loses 1 Hit Point.
  • A DC 15 Heal check can stabilize a dying character.
  • Any healing that restores at least 1 Hit Point stops the continuing loss and makes the character Stable.
  • At –10 Hit Points or lower, the character is dead.

This fixed –10 death threshold is one of the major differences from Pathfinder 1E, where the death threshold depends on Constitution.

Fast Edition Check

Edition Near-death system Death threshold
5.5e / 2024 0 HP + Death Saving Throws Three failed Death Saves or instant-death rule
5e / 2014 0 HP + Death Saving Throws Three failed Death Saves or instant-death rule
Pathfinder 1E Negative HP + Constitution checks Negative HP equal to Constitution
D&D 3.5e –1 to –9 HP + 10% stabilization –10 HP
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