The party I DM for has only three characters and they elected not to take a healer. This is fine with me as the DM, and they all seem to enjoy the characters they've taken. I try and hand out a few more heal potions than I normally would and with their damage dealing capability (two weapon ranger, fighter, and wizard) they handle most of my encounters fairly well.
The problem is, once one of the characters is brought below 0 hp, they are knocked unconscious and dying. It is very difficult to get them up again. The awake characters can use the Heal skill to stabilize a dying player. The dying character can get a healing surge on a death save of 20 (although I assume once you're stabilized, you stop saving). A heal check can trigger a second wind, but usually the dying character has spent his second wind already…
What options does the party have, or what house-rules could I create to allow the one player to reenter the combat if they fall early?
Best Answer
It is a standard action to administer a healing potion to an adjacent player, even an unconscious one. This will allow the fallen PC to pop back up. Its not much worse than a heal check (also a standard that required adjacency) in that it may (or may not) cost a minor to pull the potion, but at least its a RAW option.
You can also expend a standard action to make a DC 10 heal check to allow a character to expend their second wind (they don't have to be unconscious).
My real suggestion though is to have one of your characters MC healer. Its a bit of a feat investment, but in this party it is sorely needed. It is a fairly limited solution, but if your other characters have some personal healing effects (also a must in this situation) it can be saved for such a moment when a comrade has fallen and it is inconvenient to try another solution.