If a combat encounter is completed, and a character in the party is dying, what happens during the following rest period?
During the rest period, it's a fair given that allies may try to use whatever healing powers they have available to revive the dying character. This may include the use of Heal checks as well.
However the question still remains as to what happens if, at the end of the rest, no healing powers have successfully been used on the dying character?
How many death saves does a dying character have to throw for during a short rest? How about during an extended?
Can a dying character reap the normal healing benefits of a rest? (Spend healing surges during a short rest, or regain full HP and surges during an extended rest.)
Is dying considered "strenuous" – that is, can a dying character who is only healed at the end of a rest reap the other benefits (restored encounter/daily powers, etc) of that rest?
Best Answer
If there are any dying characters, or any characters taking ongoing damage, then do not go out of rounds. Keep ticking them down as long as a character could potentially die.
Consulting the rulebooks reveals that this is not explicitly stated anywhere, but I don't feel like it is such a stretch.
My feeling is that if the characters are still in danger then there can be no rest. For my groups, usually a round or two of basic heal checks after combat is over are all that is required to stabilize anyone that needs help.
The rule my group has formalized upon is that for an encounter to end, both the players and DM must agree that it is over.