Does Evasion allow half damage even when unconscious?

Question

Evasion is a class feature gained by Rogues and Monks at level 7:

At 7th level, your instinctive agility lets you dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as a blue dragon’s lightning breath or a Fireball spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.

Does this feature allow a character to "dodge" area effects, taking half damage, even if they are unconscious?

Answer 1

Yes. RAW, Evasion means a character only takes half damage, even when unconscious.

The relevant part of Evasion text, that you've quoted says:

When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail. (SRD p. 28, 38, 40)

The Unconscious condition states:

An unconscious creature is incapacitated (SRD p. 359)

Which means they:

can’t take actions or reactions. (SRD p. 358)

However, nothing in the ability Evasion says that it requires an action or reaction for use. So Evasion is an 'always on' ability.

The triggering condition is being 'subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw', not whether or not the creature is actaully able to make that throw, due to other conditions already affecting them. If this caveat was intended it should be explicit (in 5e 'there aren't any secret rules').

However, also while Unconscious:

The creature automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws. (SRD p. 359)

So, while a character is unconscious they'll automatically fail Dexterity saving throws, but thanks to Evasion they'll still only take half damage.

If this ruling seems odd to you (and I can see why it might), then you are, of course, always welcome to rule otherwise in your own game.

But, mitigating circumstances mean that this isn't as bad as it seems...

Firstly, when a character is already unconscious due to HP loss, they are less likely to be targeted by AOE attacks (so this will be an issue less frequently than you might imagine).

But secondly, and much more importantly (presuming that the target isn't simply asleep or drugged, and with the exception of the 'massive damage' rule), how much damage you take whilst unconscious doesn't normally matter at all.

What matters is how many death saves you've failed.

If you take any damage while you have 0 hit points, you suffer a death saving throw failure. (SRD p. 98)

Taking any damage is always going to equate to one failed death save, whether or not it's halved. (Critical hits would cause two failed death saves, but non-attacks such as spells and other abilities that force you to make a Dexterity save can't be critical hits anyway.)

So, Evasion will not help a character to take less failed death saves.

Answer 2

Yes.

(Unfortunately)

Nothing in the Evasion description calls out that they should not be incapacitated and even Sage Advice indicates that you don't need to be able to move or take an action to use it.

Sage Advice:

Can a rogue use Evasion if they are surprised? The rule states that if you are surprised, you can’t move or take an action. A surprised rogue can use Evasion, since that feature doesn’t require the rogue to take an action or move. (emphasis mine)

The PHB Errata also has nothing to address this, yet. Although, It would not be unreasonable to expect a future tag being eventually added that the Rogue can't be incapacitated.

Incapacitated + Unconscious just indicate that you fail the Dexterity save automatically and cannot take actions/reactions or move, which results in half for this case.

On a side note: Thank you for pointing out another House Rule I have to write up :S

My house rule for any interested is that the rogue/monk must be able to move, so his movement cannot be reduced to zero. Been thinking about this for a while and ran it by my players. It just doesn't seem right that you "...nimbly dodge out of the way..." and can do so without being able to move.

Answer 3

RAW - Technically, yes.

As weird as it may seem, Evasion makes you harder to hit in those circumstances. Full stop. It's because the wording of the ability doesn't give exceptions and exclusions for being unconscious, which means it allows it.

---

Rules as Interpreted

That said, a DM could justify not allowing Evasion to work when unconscious or incapacitated. Even though it should work by RAW, I'd personally advise my players I won't allow it to benefit them when they couldn't logically evade an attack simply because of the flavor associated with it.

your instinctive agility lets you dodge out of the way of certain area effects

Logically speaking, your instincts can't help you avoid attacks if you're unconscious or otherwise incapacitated, so it doesn't make sense to still allow Evasion to save you. I wouldn't be so strict as to say they have to have movement speed, but at the very least, their instincts need to logically be able to kick in. That isn't to say how I go about it is the correct way, but a DM isn't restricted to just the RAW answer. A DM has the right to Interpret the text in order to make for a better overall experience, and this is how I choose to interpret it personally.

Answer 4

No, if the inability to move as a result of being Unconscious includes all bodily movement

Evasion

your instinctive agility lets you dodge out of the way of certain area effects

Dictionary Definition of Dodge

an act of evading by sudden bodily movement

Unconscious Condition

An unconscious creature is incapacitated (see the condition), can’t move or speak, and is unaware of its surroundings

This answer depends on interpreting the ambiguity in what it means to be unable to move. D&D makes a distinction between positional movement (i.e. the ability to cross distances) and ambulatory movement (e.g. the ability to swing a sword, or dodge a fireball). Typically, each creature has a certain amount of the former which is carefully tracked in combat situations. Nonetheless, even when a creature has no ability to positionally move, that creature may still take actions requiring ambulatory movement (such as swinging a sword.)

Note that errata has previously established that the language "can't move" may only refer to positional movement.

Can a rogue use Evasion if they are surprised? The rule states that if you are surprised, you can’t move or take an action (ed. or a reaction). A surprised rogue can use Evasion, since that feature doesn’t require the rogue to take an action or move.

You will need to decide whether creatures that are paralyzed, petrified, unconscious, or stunned are merely unable to move positionally, or if they are also unable to make any ambulatory movements.

Unless you have a good reason to allow unconscious (or even petrified) creatures to eerily crawl around within a 5' square, prone, unable to perceive their surroundings but still able to use their free object interaction, I strongly recommend that you interpret such conditions as restricting all ambulatory movement.

---

No, if automatically failing a save does not count as attempting to make the Saving Throw

Evasion

When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage

Unconscious Condition

The creature automatically fails Strength and Dexterity Saving Throws.

This answer depends on interpreting automatic failure on saving throws as representing an inability to even attempt them, which would negate the conditions for evasion working.

Note that there will be unintended consequences if you allow that automatic failure means you tried and failed. Specifically, certain class features such as the Fighter's Indomitable or the Monk's Diamond Soul allow you to re-roll a saving throw that you have failed.

Unless you have a good reason to allow unconscious (or even petrified) Fighters to continue to dodge Acid Splashes or to break themselves free from the roots generated by an Entangle spell, I strongly recommend you interpret automatic saving throw failure as an inability to attempt the throw at all.

Answer 5

Depends on reading of the rules

The answer is "yes" if "automatically fails a saving throw" counts as "making a saving throw". However, people at many tables read "automatically fails a save" as "isn't allowed to make it". In this case, the requirement of Evasion won't be fulfilled:

you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw

providing the Unconscious condition stops a creature from making a saving throw:

The creature automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws.

Anyways, when the outcome if uncertain, the developers suggest to "go with what's best for your story" instead of nitpicking specific wordings from the rules.

Answer 6

I would also say that this does not work.

You can't "nimbly dodge" something when you're incapacitated or totally unaware of that thing you're trying to dodge.
I seems most likely the rules writers assumed any reader understands what dodging is.

If you go for the "RAW" and decide no mention means it works then this is likely to risk damaging believability.
Your players may just shrug and move on.
On the other hand, one seemingly innocuous but (apparently) illogical interpretation can open the door for many future questions. In my experience these can end up with a focus on how-are-the-rules-supposed-to-work questions rather than storyline.

What I find disappointing is that the writers didn't seemingly think to consider or mention unexpected attacks.

As a referee you are the interface with the make believe world - the story teller. More immersive games are usually more enjoyable. The more "suspension of disbelief" the players are required to apply in order to play the game the less they are likely to enjoy the experience.
If you stress over wordage then you'll also just end up tying yourself in knots. The story is the aim. Focus on that.

The idea is that the referee takes the rules and interprets them. The "rules" are lore not law. They're more loose description than hard and fast laws, where deep meaning can be squeezed out of the words.

Answer 7

No, it does not.

The requirements for evasion to work are "When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw" and unconscious prevents you from making a Dexterity saving throw.

The creature automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws.

Automatically failing a saving throw means you are not allowed to make the saving throw. You do not meet the requirement for Evasion to work.

Answer 8

No it does not. Effectively while unconscious you do not have the opportunity to roll a saving throw. Therefore you can’t use evasion. Taken from a logical standpoint, you also cannot use a dodge reaction if unconscious. Sometimes as a DM you have to make use an interpretation that relies on common sense.