All Questions
Tagged with character-death hit-points
14
questions
9
votes
4
answers
3k
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Do you have hit points while dead?
There are a few effects in D&D 5e that cause a creature to die without regard to its hit points.
One of them is the exhaustion condition, which has the effect of "Death" on a character ...
- 18.7k
16
votes
2
answers
2k
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Is there a general rule that covers interaction between effects that cause death at 0 hit points and features that prevent death at 0 hit points?
There are a large number of questions on this site and online regarding the interaction between effects that cause death at 0 hit points and features that prevent death at 0 hit points.
Effects that ...
- 6,813
15
votes
6
answers
3k
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By RAW could I save a level 1 character that took damage exceeding twice its HP?
Yesterday I DMed a session with a party of four level 1 characters:
druid, sorcerer, monk, barbarian, and a level 1 warlock whose player was absent.
The sorcerer specifically is a new player (less ...
- 296
5
votes
3
answers
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Does a creature Shapechanged into a Balor activate the Death Throes feature when reduced to 0 Hit Points?
Say a PC casts Shapechange on himself to turn into a Balor. This grants him some sweet abilities, such as:
Death Throes. When the balor dies, it explodes, and each creature within 30 feet of it ...
- 10.1k
31
votes
1
answer
6k
views
Can massive damage kill you while at 0 HP?
The rules on "Instant Death" state:
Massive damage can kill you instantly. When damage reduces you to 0 hit points and there is damage remaining, you die if the remaining damage equals or exceeds ...
- 76.6k
3
votes
1
answer
670
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Are automatic death saving throw failures from damage at 0 HP unbalanced against large groups of small enemies?
Since taking damage while at 0 hp counts as a failed death save, wouldn't a larger group of enemies potentially be more lethal than a smaller group of equal CR total? It doesn't matter how much damage ...
- 1,180
28
votes
2
answers
4k
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Does reducing a character's max HP with a spell also reduce the "negative HP" threshold needed to cause instant death?
Here's my situation: In a fight with a group of vampire thralls, the party's wizard got caught in a corner and was being savaged by vampire bites, his max HP dropping from 24 to 11. They fended off ...
- 4,987
20
votes
2
answers
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Does a creature die outright if they drop below negative max hit points of their polymorphed form?
Does a creature die outright if they drop below negative max hit points of their polymorphed form?
I know a creature will revert to their normal form upon reaching 0 hit points, but a creature dies ...
- 5,667
17
votes
1
answer
3k
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If I have a lower-level Aid cast on me, am reduced to less than 5 HP, and then have a higher-level Aid cast on me, what happens?
For reference: Does casting Aid stack? (No), What happens to the current hit points when Aid ends? (You lose the current hit points that you gained, effectively taking 5 damage).
My question is:
If I ...
- 15.1k
4
votes
0
answers
366
views
Reviving someone who died due to a reduction of his maximum hit points [duplicate]
Some creatures, such as the Specter (MM, p. 279), have a feature that reduces a victims maximum hit points:
Life Drain. Melee Spell Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. , one
creature. Hit: 10 (3d6) ...
- 26.2k
11
votes
2
answers
2k
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Does dying cause a creature explicitly to drop to zero hit points?
The typical way to die involves dropping to zero hit points first.
But if something such as Power Word Kill, kills a creature instantly, is it specified in the rules that the creature “drops to zero ...
- 26k
23
votes
2
answers
5k
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Does going to 0 hp due to the Immolation spell mean instant death? And is that reasonable?
The new Elemental Evil spell immolation specifies:
If damage from this spell reduces a target to 0 hit points, the target
is turned to ash.
Does this mean the victim gets no death saves and ...
- 23.7k
12
votes
3
answers
18k
views
When is a monster/NPC considered dead?
I am playing in a 5E campaign as a player and after a first few encounters there is something I don't quite get.
Do monsters/enemies follow the same death rules that are used for PCs (i.e. not ...
- 1,531
16
votes
3
answers
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What HP does Finger of Death leave you at when it kills you?
Let's say you're at 23 HP and your CON score is 15. You're hit by Finger of Death cast by a 13th level Wizard, and as a result suffer 130 damage. Are you left at -107 HP, or does it simply drop you to ...
- 264