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





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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







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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











    $endgroup$















      2












      2








      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











      $endgroup$




      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




      dnd-5e character-death






      share|improve this question















      share|improve this question













      share|improve this question




      share|improve this question








      edited 53 mins ago









      V2Blast

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      26.1k590160










      asked 2 hours ago









      Shane WaldenShane Walden

      190110




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          1 Answer
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          $begingroup$

          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











          $endgroup$









          • 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












          Your Answer





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          1 Answer
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          active

          oldest

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          1 Answer
          1






          active

          oldest

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          active

          oldest

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          active

          oldest

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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











          $endgroup$









          • 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
















          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











          $endgroup$









          • 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














          4












          4








          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











          $endgroup$



          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














          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer








          edited 1 hour ago

























          answered 1 hour ago









          convoliutionconvoliution

          973517




          973517








          • 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














          • 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








          1




          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




          $begingroup$
          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


















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