How To Improve Death Saves In D&D 5E

The rules-as-written (RAW) of Dungeons & Dragons 5E provide a simple but uninspiring way to handle dying characters. When you hit 0 HP, you roll a d20 on your turn:

• 1-9 is a failure.
• 10+ is a success.
• Three failures? You die. Three successes? You stabilize.

It’s straightforward and can be exciting the first time around. But let’s be honest: after a while, it gets repetitive. While your party is having a blast fighting monsters, all you can do is roll a d20, skip your turn, and sit out the action.

Being At 0 HP Shouldn't Feel Punishing

We asked ourselves: How can Death Saves in D&D 5E be more engaging without breaking RAW?

The result? Cacklin Slayers' Death Saves Deck:  a set of 20 hand-drawn cards (9 failures, 11 successes) that replaces your death save roll with a random card draw. And this is where the fun begins.

Make Your Character Shine While You're Down

Every card in the Death Saves Deck includes a roleplay prompt in the form of a deathbed flashback:

• Successes bring back your character’s greatest memories.
• Failures dredge up their darkest regrets.

Instead of skipping your turn, you get a spotlight moment to enrich your character’s backstory and entertain your friends.

Add Drama To Your Death Saves

When combat starts in Dungeons & Dragons, roleplaying often takes a backseat. The Death Saves Deck adds a narrative twist to an otherwise mechanical process, allowing players to share a story moment in between rolling math rocks.

Want to juice up your D&D 5E Death Saving Throws without breaking RAW? Check out Cacklin Slayers' Death Saves Deck!