Tonguez
A suffusion of yellow
which is an issue with DnD healing rules not with "dramatic death"Well sure, but we still had Cure Light Wounds. If a PC drops to 0*, they're unconscious and bleeding out. If you're able to talk, you're obviously at positive hit points.
*Or just dead, depending on what version of the rules you go by.
So someone being able to gasp out their final breath, or perform a few final actions and then keeling over is a complete segregation of narrative and gameplay mechanics. Just like "the villain has a knife to the NPC's throat and threatens to kill them" when a knife is unlikely to do enough hit point damage to kill most people.
I mean, yes, obviously, the rules should take a backseat to these kinds of events, but it's still jarring when it comes up and you realize that all your magic and power to preserve life is suddenly negated by "Cutscene Power"!
its why I let healing word restore HP only but require Medicine Skill to stop bleeding and close wounds - a victim can still bleed out if they arent treated with Skill. I'd drop cure wounds from Ravenloft myself or at least nerf it by making it a concentration spell until real healing occurs.