Sometimes an attacker wants to incapacitate a foe, rather than deal a killing blow. When an attacker reduces a creature to 0 hit points with a melee attack, the attacker can knock the creature out. The attacker can make this choice the instant the damage is dealt. The creature falls unconscious and is stable.
So to answer your questions:
Hp doesn't go below 0 normally anyway. I don't see any mention about instant death not still being a possibility (if damage exceeds remaining HP by more than max HP).
I suppose it would be up to the dm if the triggered effect requires the creature to be conscious. Auraburst I understand, similar to a glyph of warding would activate on condition.
If the triggered effect is something like: Creature takes flight and attempts to escape. Imo would need the creature to be conscious.
I suppose it would be up to the dm if the triggered effect requires the creature to be conscious. Auraburst I understand, similar to a glyph of warding would activate on condition.
If the triggered effect is something like: Creature takes flight and attempts to escape. Imo would need the creature to be conscious.
? As opposed to dead? Let me take a look at some death trigger effects wording.
Ok, so the vampire's misty escape (being the flies away type effect) specifically replaces the unconsciousness of 0 HP, so can't be KO'd.
Monsters with traits like magmin's death burst trigger when it does, not from having 0 HP. A notable exception I found is the gas spore which does explode at 0 HP, so can't be KO'd.
Overall, these types of effects are fairly uncommon though.
in earlier d&d versions, vampires being undead were immune to nonlethal damage anyways.
I can't find the source if that's still the case.
Didn't non-lethal damage also have to be tracked separately from other damage? In 5e it is just the finishing strike that can choose to be non-lethal as long as it's melee. I don't know of a rule like you describe in 5e.
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Can someone link me or at least reference how non lethal damage works? As a monk I feel like I havent used this properly.
Does it all just knock an opponent no lower than zero resulting in unconsciousness?
What about events that trigger at zero hit points like some kind of aura blast. Would using non lethal prevent the aurablast due to being unconscious?
The rules you're looking for: https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/phb/combat#KnockingaCreatureOut
So to answer your questions:
Hp doesn't go below 0 normally anyway. I don't see any mention about instant death not still being a possibility (if damage exceeds remaining HP by more than max HP).
Effects that trigger at 0 HP still happen.
Ty, that was the exact info I needed.
I suppose it would be up to the dm if the triggered effect requires the creature to be conscious. Auraburst I understand, similar to a glyph of warding would activate on condition.
If the triggered effect is something like: Creature takes flight and attempts to escape. Imo would need the creature to be conscious.
? As opposed to dead? Let me take a look at some death trigger effects wording.
Ok, so the vampire's misty escape (being the flies away type effect) specifically replaces the unconsciousness of 0 HP, so can't be KO'd.
Monsters with traits like magmin's death burst trigger when it does, not from having 0 HP. A notable exception I found is the gas spore which does explode at 0 HP, so can't be KO'd.
Overall, these types of effects are fairly uncommon though.
in earlier d&d versions, vampires being undead were immune to nonlethal damage anyways.
I can't find the source if that's still the case.
Didn't non-lethal damage also have to be tracked separately from other damage? In 5e it is just the finishing strike that can choose to be non-lethal as long as it's melee. I don't know of a rule like you describe in 5e.