System Reference Document 5.2.1
18
 Rolling a 1 or 20. When you roll a 1 on the d20 
for a Death Saving Throw, you suffer two failures. If 
you roll a 20 on the d20, you regain 1 Hit Point.
 Damage at 0 Hit Points. If you take any damage 
while you have 0 Hit Points, you suffer a Death Sav -
ing Throw failure. If the damage is from a Critical 
Hit, you suffer two failures instead. If the damage 
equals or exceeds your Hit Point maximum, you die.
Stabilizing a Character
You can take the Help action to try to stabilize a 
creature with 0 Hit Points, which requires a suc -
cessful DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check.
 A Stable creature doesn’t make Death Saving 
Throws even though it has 0 Hit Points, but it still 
has the Unconscious condition. If the creature takes 
damage, it stops being Stable and starts making 
Death Saving Throws again. A Stable creature that 
isn’t healed regains 1 Hit Point after 1d4 hours.
Temporary Hit Points
Some spells and other effects confer Temporary Hit 
Points, which are a buffer against losing actual Hit 
Points, as explained below.
Lose Temporary Hit Points First
If you have Temporary Hit Points and take damage, 
those points are lost first, and any leftover damage 
carries over to your Hit Points. For example, if you 
have 5 Temporary Hit Points and take 7 damage, 
you lose those points and then lose 2 Hit Points.
Duration
Temporary Hit Points last until they’re depleted or 
you finish a Long Rest (see “Rules Glossary”).
They Don’t Stack
Temporary Hit Points can’t be added together. If 
you have Temporary Hit Points and receive more 
of them, you decide whether to keep the ones you 
have or to gain the new ones. For example, if a spell 
grants you 12 Temporary Hit Points when you al -
ready have 10, you can have 12 or 10, not 22.
They’re Not Hit Points or Healing
Temporary Hit Points can’t be added to your Hit 
Points, healing can’t restore them, and receiving 
Temporary Hit Points doesn’t count as healing. Be -
cause Temporary Hit Points aren’t Hit Points, a crea-
ture can be at full Hit Points and receive Temporary 
Hit Points.
 If you have 0 Hit Points, receiving Temporary Hit 
Points doesn’t restore you to consciousness. Only 
true healing can save you.