Downed characters

[jimmybackman1]

How do you stabilize somebody that is downed and is doing death saves? also cant seem to find option to feed them health pots...

[Starwight/ttv]

You can't "feed" them health potions. TECHNICALLY in RAW, there isn't anything that states one character can give another a potion. Most DMs will allow it, but it's technically not RAW.

THAT SAID, to answer your question, you need to use the help action. That will allow you to stabilize the person making death saves.

[Admod, the Equivocal]

I highly recommend turning on turn mode if you win a combat with some downed character asap because you can lose them if they continue to do death saves even after the combat is over and you're not quick enough.

I kind of wish combat turns kept going as long as you had downed characters just to make things easier.

[jimmybackman1]

Originally posted by Admod, the Equivocal:

I highly recommend turning on turn mode if you win a combat with some downed character asap because you can lose them if they continue to do death saves even after the combat is over and you're not quick enough.

I kind of wish combat turns kept going as long as you had downed characters just to make things easier.

Ah tyvm, hopefully they just make it so when you win a combat, everyone just stabilizes automatically, saves times and clicks.

[Grimaldus]

you just need to find a 'help' action to 'give him/her a hand', it's in same action bar with throw and jump, just look carefully.
I wasn't aware of this option at first myself and find it weird, so I assume you just need to find that option and it will solve your problem.
Just note that help option will not give downed character any more then just bit health (most of time it just 1 point) after you help them, and AI tend to attack character with less health, so most of time it will end up with 'downed, help, downed again, help' cycle.

[Mosey]

If you want to feed someone a potion, use 'throw item' and try to aim slightly off center. Basically a ranged heal.

[Archform]

you can cast a healing spell to help them too.

[Starwight/ttv]

Originally posted by Mosey:

If you want to feed someone a potion, use 'throw item' and try to aim slightly off center. Basically a ranged heal.

Never tried this, I'll play around with it. So thrown potions have a small AOE? Definitely not RAW, but hey--at my tables I allow people to use an action to throw someone else a potion and they have to make a dex check to see if they can catch it.

[Grimaldus]

Originally posted by Mosey:

If you want to feed someone a potion, use 'throw item' and try to aim slightly off center. Basically a ranged heal.

wait, you could do that?! I gonna try that when I got the chance, thx for the info.

[Foolswalkin]

Originally posted by Archform:

you can cast a healing spell to help them too.

This. Healing word is a bonus action spell and its best use is on a downed ally, since any healing starts at 0. So if, for example, you had 4 hp left, ate a 20 point crit, and got healing worded for 3, gratz! You have 3 hp. Go get em, tiger!

[Starwight/ttv]

Originally posted by Foolswalkin:

Originally posted by Archform:

you can cast a healing spell to help them too.

This. Healing word is a bonus action spell and its best use is on a downed ally, since any healing starts at 0. So if, for example, you had 4 hp left, ate a 20 point crit, and got healing worded for 3, gratz! You have 3 hp. Go get em, tiger!

Only problem is, it takes a spell slot to use. Personally, I find it's better to use help and have the formerly downed character eat some food; this will help conserve those spell slots.

[Stabbey]

Originally posted by Boop My Snoot:

You can't "feed" them health potions. TECHNICALLY in RAW, there isn't anything that states one character can give another a potion. Most DMs will allow it, but it's technically not RAW.

It's something which should be added, because it heals more than 1 HP, which could be vitally important if they're attacked again.

[Starwight/ttv]

Originally posted by Stabbey:

Originally posted by Boop My Snoot:

You can't "feed" them health potions. TECHNICALLY in RAW, there isn't anything that states one character can give another a potion. Most DMs will allow it, but it's technically not RAW.

It's something which should be added, because it heals more than 1 HP, which could be vitally important if they're attacked again.

As someone else mentioned, casting healing word will bring them up to HP. There are stronger healing spells at later levels too. Remember, we are capped at level 4. Level 5 you start seeing power spikes in 5e, and you start to get a lot more useful spells too.

**EDIT**

That said, at my tables I allow people to use health potions on other characters, and I think most DMs probably allow this to some extent.

[Foolswalkin]

Originally posted by Boop My Snoot:

Originally posted by Foolswalkin:

This. Healing word is a bonus action spell and its best use is on a downed ally, since any healing starts at 0. So if, for example, you had 4 hp left, ate a 20 point crit, and got healing worded for 3, gratz! You have 3 hp. Go get em, tiger!

Only problem is, it takes a spell slot to use. Personally, I find it's better to use help and have the formerly downed character eat some food; this will help conserve those spell slots.

That’s true. But help takes an action, and so you lose an attack. Depends on the fight, but a 1st level spell slot is usually worth less to me than an attack in combat once we’re at a place where someone is down.

[MyLittleJohny]

Originally posted by Stabbey:

Originally posted by Boop My Snoot:

You can't "feed" them health potions. TECHNICALLY in RAW, there isn't anything that states one character can give another a potion. Most DMs will allow it, but it's technically not RAW.

It's something which should be added, because it heals more than 1 HP, which could be vitally important if they're attacked again.

It shouldn't, in DnD, the 1hp, when you are rolling save throws, you are unconcious. This means you can't do ANY action. Not even drink, nothing. Let's say you can't even breath to be clear :-)

It's there just to save people from death, cause any other character in the dnd game just dies. You are "critically injured" and unconcious. Healing potions don't work.

[MyLittleJohny]

Originally posted by Foolswalkin:

Originally posted by Boop My Snoot:

Only problem is, it takes a spell slot to use. Personally, I find it's better to use help and have the formerly downed character eat some food; this will help conserve those spell slots.

That’s true. But help takes an action, and so you lose an attack. Depends on the fight, but a 1st level spell slot is usually worth less to me than an attack in combat once we’re at a place where someone is down.

To you too, downed character can't eat food. They are unconcious, basically dead. You might be able to use first aid kit on them, but instead of it, there is this pull up action in BG3.