Damage and Healing

Injury and the risk of death are constant companions of those who explore fantasy gaming worlds. The thrust of a sword, a well-placed arrow, or a blast of flame from a fireball spell all have the potential to damage, or even kill, the hardiest of creatures. ___ ### Hit Points Hit points represent a combination of physical and mental durability, the will to live, and luck. Creatures with more hit points are more difficult to kill. Those with fewer hit points are more fragile. A creature's current hit points can be any number from the creature's hit point maximum down to 0. This number changes frequently as a creature takes damage or receives healing. Whenever a creature takes damage, that damage is subtracted from its hit points. The loss of hit points has no effect on a creature's capabilities until the creature drops to 0 hit points. ##### Temporary Hit Points Some spells and special abilities confer temporary hit points to a creature. Temporary hit points aren't actual hit points; they are a buffer against damage, a pool of hit points that protect you from injury. When you have temporary hit points and take damage, the temporary hit points are lost first, and any leftover damage carries over to your normal hit points. For example, if you have 5 temporary hit points and take 7 damage, you lose the temporary hit points and then take 2 damage. Because temporary hit points are separate from your actual hit points, they can exceed your hit point maximum. A character can, therefore, be at full hit points and receive temporary hit points. Healing can't restore temporary hit points, and they can't be added together. If you have temporary hit points and receive more of them, you decide whether to keep the ones you have or to gain the new ones. For example, if a spell grants you 12 temporary hit points when you already have 10, you can have 12 or 10, not 22. If you have 0 hit points, receiving temporary hit points doesn't restore you to consciousness or [[#Stabilizing a Creature|stabilize]] you. They can still absorb damage directed at you while you're in that state, but only true healing can save you. Unless a feature that grants you temporary hit points has a duration, they last until they're depleted or you finish a [[Survival Needs#Long Rest|long rest]]. ___ ### Damage Rolls Each weapon, spell, and harmful monster ability specifies the damage it deals. You roll the damage die or dice, add any modifiers, and apply the damage to your target. Magic weapons, special abilities, and other factors can grant a bonus to damage. With a penalty, it is possible to deal 0 damage, but never negative damage. When attacking with a weapon, you add your ability modifier--the same modifier used for the attack roll--to the damage. A spell tells you which dice to roll for damage and whether to add any modifiers. If a spell or other effect deals damage to more than one target at the same time, roll the damage once for all of them. For example, when a [[Wizard|Wizard]] casts [[Arcane Spells#Fireball|fireball]] or a [[Cleric|Cleric]] casts [[Divine Spells#Flame Strike|flame strike]], the spell's damage is rolled once for all creatures caught in the blast. ##### Critical Hits 🛠 When you score a critical hit, you deal extra damage against the target. Roll the attack’s damage dice as usual, then add the maximum value of those dice to the total. If you have any other dice that would be rolled as part of your attack (spells, [[Rogue#Sneak Attack|sneak attack]], [[Paladin#Empowered Smite|empowered smite]], etc.), you add the maximum value of all those dice instead of rolling for them. Finally, double the ability modifier of your attack and add that to your damage. For example, if you're playing a [[Paladin|Paladin]] and score a critical hit with a maul after casting the [[Divine Spells#Wrathful Smite|wrathful smite]] spell and choosing to use your [[Paladin#Empowered Smite|empowered smite]] ability, roll 2d6 for the weapon damage as normal, and then add an additional 12 (the maximum value of the damage dice). Then, instead of rolling 1d6 psychic damage for [[Divine Spells#Wrathful Smite|wrathful smite]], you add 6. Next, instead of rolling 2d8 radiant damage for your [[Paladin#Empowered Smite|empowered smite]], you add 16. Lastly, instead of adding your Strength modifier to the attack as normal, you double it. Here's a breakdown of the total damage of the example attack listed above for a [[Paladin|Paladin]] with a +3 strength modifier. >- 2d6 bludgeoning damage +12 bludgeoning damage >- +6 psychic damage >- +16 radiant damage >- +6 bludgeoning damage >- Total: 25¹ bludgeoning damage, 16 radiant damage, 6 psychic damage for 47¹ damage. ¹ *- using an average 2d6 roll of 7. Full range of total damage is 42-52* ##### Powerful Blows 🛠 With proper training, when you make an attack roll against a creature and exceed the target's AC by 5 of more, you can add 10 to your damage total. Performing a Powerful Blow requires practice with weaponry and can only be performed after taking any of the Weapon Mastery [[Feats|feats]]. If you score a [[#Critical Hits 🛠|critical hit]], and a Powerful Blow triggers, apply damage as normal. ___ ### Damage Types Different attacks, damaging spells, and other harmful effects deal different types of damage. Damage types have no rules of their own, but other rules, such as damage resistance, rely on the types. The damage types follow, with examples to help a DM assign a damage type to a new effect. **Acid** The corrosive spray of an adult black dragon's breath and the dissolving enzymes secreted by a black pudding deal acid damage. **Bludgeoning** Blunt force attacks--hammers, falling, constriction, and the like--deal bludgeoning damage. **Cold** The infernal chill radiating from an ice devil's spear and the frigid blast of a young white dragon's breath deal cold damage. **Fire** Ancient red dragons breathe fire, and many spells conjure flames to deal fire damage. **Force** Force is pure magical energy focused into a damaging form. Most effects that deal force damage are spells, including [[Arcane Spells#Magic Missile|magic missile]] and [[Divine Spells#Spiritual Weapon|spiritual weapon]]. **Lightning** A [[Arcane Spells#Lightning Bolt|lightning bolt]] spell and a blue dragon wyrmling's breath deal lightning damage. **Necrotic** Necrotic damage, dealt by certain [[Creature Type#Undead|undead]] and a spell such as [[Occult Spells#Chill Touch|chill touch]], withers matter and even the soul. **Piercing** Puncturing and impaling attacks, including spears and monsters' bites, deal piercing damage. **Poison** Venomous stings and the toxic gas of an adult green dragon's breath deal poison damage. **Psychic** Mental abilities such as a psionic blast deal psychic damage. **Radiant** Radiant damage, dealt by a [[Divine Spells#Flame Strike|flame strike]] spell or an angel's smiting weapon, sears the flesh like fire and overloads the spirit with power. **Slashing** Swords, axes, and monsters' claws deal slashing damage. **Thunder** A concussive burst of sound, such as the effect of the [[Occult Spells#Thunderwave|thunderwave]] spell, deals thunder damage. ___ ### Damage Resistance and Vulnerability Some creatures and objects are exceedingly difficult or unusually easy to hurt with certain types of damage. ###### Resistance If a creature or an object has resistance to a damage type, damage of that type is halved against it. ###### Vulnerability If a creature or an object has vulnerability to a damage type, damage of that type is doubled against it. ###### Immunity If a creature or an object has immunity to a damage type or effect, it takes no damage and/or suffers no effect. Resistance and then vulnerability are applied after all other modifiers to damage. For example, a creature has resistance to bludgeoning damage and is hit by an attack that deals 25 bludgeoning damage. The creature is also within a magical aura that reduces all damage by 5. The 25 damage is first reduced by 5 and then halved, so the creature takes 10 damage. Multiple instances of resistance or vulnerability that affect the same damage type count as only one instance. For example, if a creature has resistance to fire damage as well as resistance to all nonmagical damage, the damage of a nonmagical fire is reduced by half against the creature, not reduced by three-quarters. ___ ### Healing Unless it results in death, damage isn't permanent. Even death is reversible through powerful magic. [[Survival Needs#Rest|Rest]] can restore a creature's hit points, and magical methods such as a cure wounds spell or a [[Adventuring Gear#Healing Potions|potion of healing]] can remove damage in an instant. When a creature receives healing of any kind, hit points regained are added to its current hit points. A creature's hit points can't exceed its hit point maximum, so any hit points regained in excess of this number are lost. For example, a [[Druid|Druid]] grants a [[Ranger|Ranger]] 8 hit points of healing. If the ranger has 14 current hit points and has a hit point maximum of 20, the [[Ranger|Ranger]] regains 6 hit points from the [[Druid|Druid]], not 8. A creature that has died can't regain hit points until magic such as the [[Other Spells#Revivify|revivify]] spell has restored it to life. ___ ### Dropping to 0 Hit Points When you drop to 0 hit points, you either begin dying, die outright, or fall unconscious, as explained in the following section. ##### Dying 🛠 If damage reduces you to 0 hit points and fails to [[#Instant Death|outright kill you]], you begin dying, and your character adopts the [[Conditions#Dying 🛠|dying]] condition. This condition ends if you fail or succeed 3 [[#Death Saving Throws 🛠|death saving throws]], or if you regain any hit points. ###### Death Saving Throws 🛠 >When you end your turn with 0 hit points, the DM makes a special saving throw on your behalf, called a death saving throw, to determine whether you creep closer to death or hang onto life. Unlike other saving throws, this one isn't tied to any ability score. You are in the hands of fate now, aided only by spells and features that improve your chances of succeeding on a saving throw. > >The DM will roll a d20. If the roll is 10 or higher, it is counted as a success. Otherwise, it is counted as a failure. A success or failure has no effect by itself. > >After three successes, you fall [[Conditions#Unconscious|unconscious]] and are [[#Stabilizing a Creature|stable]]. Alternatively after three failures, you fall [[Conditions#Unconscious|unconscious]] -- healing magic, potions and [[#Stabilizing a Creature|stabilization]] no longer work and you may only be roused to speak your final words (which may include a [[Ailments#Curses#Minor and Major Curses|curse]]). The successes and failures don't need to be consecutive; The DM will keep track of both until three of a kind have been rolled. > >The results of any failed death saves are recorded and kept until your next [[Survival Needs#Rest|rest]]. For example, if a character adopts the [[Conditions#Dying 🛠|dying]] condition but is revived after making 2 failed death saves, the next time they are [[Conditions#Dying 🛠|dying]] before resting, they will already have 2 failed death saves recorded, despite being a new instance of the condition. > > >**Pushing On** >While at 0 Hit Points, you remain aware of your surroundings, can speak only falteringly, and you are only capable of using your action to either crawl half your movement or use the [[Actions in Combat#Help|help]] action on your turn. If you choose to use either of these options, an additional death saving throw will be made at the end of your turn. > >**Rolling 1 or 20** >When a death saving throw is made, a 1 on the d20 roll counts as two failures. If a 20 is rolled on the d20, you regain 1 hit point, the [[Conditions#Dying 🛠|dying]] condition ends. > >**Damage at 0 Hit Points** >If you take any damage while you have 0 hit points, it is counted as a death saving throw failure. If the damage is from a [[#Critical Hits 🔗|critical hit]], you suffer two failures instead. If the damage equals or exceeds your hit point maximum, you suffer [[#Instant Death|instant death]]. ###### Stabilizing a Creature >The best way to save a creature with 0 hit points is to heal it. If healing is unavailable, the creature can at least be stabilized so that no longer rolls [[#Death Saving Throws 🛠|death saving throws]]. > >You can use your action to administer first aid to a dying creature and attempt to stabilize it, which requires a successful DC 10 [[Abilities & Skills#Medicine|Medicine]] check. > >A creature that has been stabilized falls [[Conditions#Unconscious|unconscious]], but no longer makes [[#Death Saving Throws|death saving throws]] even though it has 0 hit points. If the creature takes any damage, it stops being stable, wakes from [[Conditions#Unconscious|unconsciousness]], adopts the [[#Dying 🛠|dying]] condition and must start making [[#Death Saving Throws|death saving throws]] again. A stable creature that isn’t healed may roll 1 hit die after 1 hour of being stabilized, or may take a long rest to recover half of their current hit point maximum. ##### Instant Death 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 your hit point maximum. For example, a [[Cleric|Cleric]] with a maximum of 12 hit points currently has 6 hit points. If she takes 18 damage from an attack, she is reduced to 0 hit points, but 12 damage remains. Because the remaining damage equals her hit point maximum, the [[Cleric|Cleric]] dies. ##### Knocking a Creature Out Before you make an attack, you can declare your intent to deal non-lethal damage rather than kill. This may only be done with a melee weapon, or a ranged weapon that deals bludgeoning damage. If the attack roll hits, you deal half the damage you normally would, and that damage is done as bludgeoning damage instead of the weapon's normal damage type. If you are attacking with weapon that has the [[Armour & Weapons#Weapon Properties#Nonlethal|nonlethal]] property, it does its full damage instead. If the attack reduces the target to 0 hit points, it falls [[Conditions#Unconscious|unconscious]] and is stable. Some effects add additional damage. An attack with such benefits cannot knock a creature [[Conditions#Unconscious|unconscious]] unless the weapon has the [[Armour & Weapons#Weapon Properties#Nonlethal|nonlethal]] property and the bonus feature deals the same damage type as the weapon (like when using [[Rogue#Sneak Attack|Sneak Attack]]). Effects that deal bonus damage of a different type (like the [[Divine Spells#Banishing Smite|banishing smite]] spell, or a weapon with a fire enchantment) cannot be used to knock a creature [[Conditions#Unconscious|unconscious]]. No spell can be used to deal non-lethal damage unless it states such in the spell's description, even if the spell deals bludgeoning damage. ##### Monsters and Death Most DMs have a monster die the instant it drops to 0 hit points, rather than having it fall [[Conditions#Unconscious|unconscious]] and make [[#Death Saving Throws|death saving throws]]. Mighty villains and special nonplayer characters are common exceptions; the DM might have them either fall [[Conditions#Unconscious|unconscious]] or begin [[Conditions#Dying 🛠|dying]], following the same rules as player characters. ___ ### Resurrection 🛠 Resurrection is complicated, and not always successful. When a creature has died, the following rules are used to return them to life. When an attempt to resurrect a creature is made, a resurrection check is made against their death DC, which begins at 13. Each time a creature dies, their death DC is increased by 2. When a creature is targeted by the [[Other Spells#Revivify|revivify]] spell, the caster makes a resurrection check, plus their spellcasting ability check against the target's death DC. On a success, the spell takes hold and the creature is resurrected. On a failure, the creature's death DC is increased by 2, and they can't be resurrected until they are resurrected by a spell with a casting time longer than 1 action. When a creature is targeted by a resurrection spell with a casting time longer than 1 action, such as [[Divine Spells#Raise Dead|raise dead]] or [[Divine Spells#Resurrection|resurrection]], a ritual is initiated in which up to 3 creatures can contribute in order to call the creature's soul back to their body from [[Planes of Existence#The Hollow|The Hollow]]. The creature makes an ability check with a skill the DM deems appropriate for the action the player suggests, against a DC that the DM also determines. For each successful check, the creature's Death DC is lowered by 3 for this ritual. For each failure, it increases by 1 for this ritual. After all three creatures have participated in the ritual and the final Death DC has been decided, the DM speaks with the player of the fallen character privately, where the player will make the final resurrection check, with no modifier, against the total Death DC. The required Death DC is not revealed to the player until after their roll has been made. On a success, the creature is returned to life if its soul is willing, and the creature's death DC permanently increased by 2. On a failure, the creature's soul is lost to [[Planes of Existence#The Hollow|The Hollow]], and further resurrection rituals fail automatically. Only the strongest of magic can bypass this ritual, in the form the [[Divine Spells#True Resurrection|true resurrection]] or [[Other Spells#Wish|wish]] spells. These spells can also return to life a creature whose soul was lost from a failed ritual.