4th & Dragon : Dungeons and Dragons...and stuff

A lot of confusion came up in our last session when a player dropped below 0 HP in combat (Yeah, we’re just starting out). None of the players had any healing abilities left (Cleric-less party) so all that was available was the Heal skill. Pgs 185 (Heal skill) and p295 (Death and Dying) were a bit confusing as to what actually happens.

1) One player was arguing that they could receive the Use Second Wind first aid (provided they hadn’t already used their Second Wind; which they hadn’t). Agree or disagree?

2) Most people felt that they couldn’t use their Second Wind until they had been stabilized. Agree or disagree?

3) If a player has already used their Second Wind, and they’ve been stabilized and no one has any healing powers left, do they just remain there until combat is over?

4) Using the Heal skill to stabilize explicitly states that it doesn’t change their HP. However, p295 also states that any healing restores you to at least 1 HP. Can you be stabilized and then Healed somehow (another Heal skill check? healing surge? without using powers!) to bring this about?

5) Once the player was stabilized and combat was over, it wasn’t clear what healing options were now available to us (other than an extended rest).

1) This is correct.

2) These people are incorrect.

3) If they were dying and rolled a death saving throw, they either got worse (1-9); stayed the same (10-19); or gained hp equal to their surge value and used a surge (20). There is no stabilization unless the healing skill is involved. If that is the case, then yes, they just lay there.

4) The stabilization use of the Heal skill does not give hp. It only stabilizes. This would be a valid option if the character does not have any healing surges left.

5) Any encounter powers return after five minutes and may be used during said short rest (so any encounter healing powers the group might have, including Second Winds). Healing Surges would not be replenished though, and therefore the need of an extended rest might be caused by the lack of surges.

I’d have the people in #2 read pg. 185, heal & first aid. nowhere does it say you need to be ‘stabilized.’

Also, i’d have them invest in a potion of healing

Talae:
Ok. This makes sense to me.

sirtalys:
They had run out of pots, too. It was the first time our only options were Heal skill actions so we ran around like chickens with our heads cut off.

Thanks, guys!

haha, it certainly happens

You can also use a healing check on your teammate to get him use his second wind without having him take action to use it. Its DC 10, page 185 PHB.