D&D: Five Ways To Cheat Death
Death will have its due—unless you’re playing D&D, in which case you can cheat the Reaper more often than Bill and/or Ted.
And if you’re already shouting at your monitor that Bill & Ted won every game they played against the Grim Reaper, not only are you right, but you have my respect. Indeed they did. But in D&D you don’t actually play against the Reaper, so much as snatch yourself back to the land of the living before you’re even in a speck of danger.
And of course, 5th Edition D&D gives you plenty of ways to do exactly that. So even though you may be able to sink Death’s battleship, here are five ways to cheat death all the same.
Swear An Oath Of The Ancients
Paladins who take up the Oath of the Ancients are a little more about keeping the light shining in the world. Typically by having a good time and loving the beautiful and life-giving things of the world.
But in addition to loving to party and being merciful and kind, Oath of the Ancient Paladins are all about staying alive no matter the cost. One of their Sacred Oath features, Undying Sentinel, allows them to stay at 1hp the first time they would drop to 0 hit points each day. And on top of that, they suffer none of the drawbacks of old age.
Follow The Way Of The Long Death
Monks who follow the Way of the Long Death are even better at cheating death. Their study of death affords them mastery over their Ki which they can use to stay alive even in the face of the most devastating attacks.
When a Way of the Long Death Monk who has the Mastery of Death feature would be reduced to 0 hit points, they can instead spend 1 ki point to remain standing. And they can do this as long as they have Ki to spend. Which can go a long way if they don’t burn it all on Stunning Fists.
Rage Against Death
Higher level Barbarians are adept at cheating death as long as they’re raging. Once they attain the Relentless Rage feature, they can keep fighting despite being reduced to 0 hit points, as long as they’re capable of making a DC 10 Constitution save. Sure the save goes up by 5 every time they use the feature. But they’ll be at 1hp.
And while this alone makes it easy to keep fighting in the face of death, Zealot Barbarians in particular are astounding at staying alive. Their Rage Beyond Death feature lets them keep fighting even if they’re reduced to 0 hit points, though it can be risky if they do not get some healing by the time their rage ends.
Shadow Sorcery Saving Throws
Shadow Sorcerers are able to cheat death faster than any other class. The Strength from the Grave feature grants them the ability to make a Charisma saving throw (of DC 5 + damage dealt) whenever they take damage that would reduce them to 0 hit points.
On a success, they drop to 1 hit point instead. Unless it was via radiant damage or a critical hit. But those are relatively rare, until your DM decides to scour the Monster Manual.
Kindle The Wildfire
Druids of the Circle of the Wildfire are all about the wild and at times life-giving powers of the flames. This is characterized by their ability to summon a wildfire spirit that can aid them in all sorts of ways.
But once they gain the Blazing Revival feature, a Wildfire Druid can sacrifice their wildfire spirit, causing it to drop to 0 hit points, while the Wildfire Druid regains a full half their total hit points and immediately rise to their feet in a blaze of glory, showing the rest of the classes that cheating death can mean more than just “having 1 hit point left”. And don’t worry, you can summon that spirit right back and it’ll be just fine!
How do you like to cheat death in D&D?
