as i and my Party are pretty new to DnD i hope someone of you can help us/me out.
we do wonder how DOT is managed in DnD or if it is even a thing in DnD
I mean like after a slashing attack a weapon causes Bleed and the target bleeds for x amount of rounds.
If not standard are there some who uses DOT and if so how? Do you make it like one of the following or to all the others out there what would you chose?
attack with DOT Causing Weapon.
- Target has to make a Const/etc saving throw if not successful Target takes x amount of DOT for x Rounds - Target takes additional DOT Damage and rolls xDx dice for how long effect lasts - Target takes additional DOT Damage and attacker rolls xDx dice for how long effect lasts
if someone has more ideas how to handle such mechanic feal free to add!
It can work however you want. While there are limits in this site in an actual game the only limit is your imagination and what the DM permits.
DOT is a thing, and the only one that springs to mind is Witch Bolt which is a spell attack and if you succeed and maintain concentration for the duration you can do 1d12 damage every turn automatically.
There are spells that cause damage at the start of turns, some at the end and some which allow saves each time and some do not, and some are statuses applied while others are areas of effect. Take a look through the spells and weapons and you'll see plenty of stuff.
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Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond. Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ thisFAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
I believe damage-over-time effects are rare because it adds an overhead to the turn-by-turn of combat (and no one likes forgetting something and rolling back things to resolve it), but they exist.
Cyb3rM1nd (I think I'm going to use "Cybermind" from now on >.> ) mentions one of the most common spells on that field, and there are many that work similarly without being true DoTs (such as those that deal damage every round that you remain in their area).
The most common non-magical equivalent is being on fire, such as by an Alchemist's Fire (flask).
And if you want a magic item that does it, check out Sword of Wounding.
The game assumes that weapon attacks that don't reduce a target to 0 HP have no lasting effects and don't strike any vitals; you're only inflicting minor cuts and bruises or draining the target's stamina.
The DMG has an optional rule for injuries, but the DM controls when they happen and the suggested triggers are all rare (critical hits, being reduced to 0 HP, failing a death saving throw by 5 or more.) A bleeding effect could be incorporated using that rule.
Various spells and monster abilities inflict damage every round, but most allow a saving throw every round to end it early, and the ones that don't are usually curses, poisons or diseases that can be cured or removed.
Thanks so far for all your input, i guess i have to think about it a bit more if i want to incorporate it. But Either way i can explain now why or why not. :)
There is a precedence for DoT in 5e via the item Alchemist's Fire.
If you are set on fire by it, you take 1d4 fire damage at the start of each of your turns until it is put out.
However, as others have mentioned in the thread, making DoTs a mainstay of your world will add a lot of extra dice rolling to resolve an action that had already been taken, and you'll have to be careful with how much overhead you're adding to your combat encounters just by rolling a set of DoTs and recording results every round.
I'm planning on making a bit of a homebrew cantrip for a vampire ranger in my group.
Essentially, this guy is going to be able to summon spectral throwing knives. As he's level 5, and I want to start making the players feel badass, if he's within 5ft of a fleshy corpse, he'll have a second blade made of blood that has a chance to deal damage over time effects (similar to poison).
I'm thinking 1d4 for the standard blade damage, 1d6 for the blood blade, and 1d4 for the poison effect.
The effect won't stack, and will stick on that enemy for 3 turns.
Not sure what you guys would have to say on the DoT, but I think it's pretty balanced
So, I hope this helps. But, DoT is also dependent on how and what causes the damage, and the timeframe the damage takes.
the exact example I used: "I would like to take my javelin, and spread its point around in the feces of my party members in our camp's latrine, so that when the javelin pierces an enemy, it then deposits the excrement into them. Which is fatal over time. How much damage would they take from this version of a vietnam war pit trap" and his ruling was such: "the damage won't be noticed within the frame of combat at all. In fact, probably wouldn't even take anything for about 3-4 hours (he rolled 2d4), half that if they fail a con save of 15, then, they could easily get rid of it if they wished with lesser restoration or anything like that, and it wouldn't be lethal for....(googled this part). Sepsis would kill them if they couldn't treat it within 28 days"
So, in my example, not an effective idea. But, Hopefully the entire scope of that, helps with your Damage over Time questions.
I think the most common DoT is fire in one form or another. If you and your DM want to put in the game, go for it. I would recommend that the damage be a straight up number rather than a roll or just roll once and have that amount be the DoT. It will save a lot of time.
Just in case you were wondering, there are HoTs as well =)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
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Hi fellow gamers,
as i and my Party are pretty new to DnD i hope someone of you can help us/me out.
we do wonder how DOT is managed in DnD or if it is even a thing in DnD
I mean like after a slashing attack a weapon causes Bleed and the target bleeds for x amount of rounds.
If not standard are there some who uses DOT and if so how?
Do you make it like one of the following or to all the others out there what would you chose?
attack with DOT Causing Weapon.
- Target has to make a Const/etc saving throw if not successful Target takes x amount of DOT for x Rounds
- Target takes additional DOT Damage and rolls xDx dice for how long effect lasts
- Target takes additional DOT Damage and attacker rolls xDx dice for how long effect lasts
if someone has more ideas how to handle such mechanic feal free to add!
Thanks in advance for all you input :)
Regards
It can work however you want. While there are limits in this site in an actual game the only limit is your imagination and what the DM permits.
DOT is a thing, and the only one that springs to mind is Witch Bolt which is a spell attack and if you succeed and maintain concentration for the duration you can do 1d12 damage every turn automatically.
There are spells that cause damage at the start of turns, some at the end and some which allow saves each time and some do not, and some are statuses applied while others are areas of effect. Take a look through the spells and weapons and you'll see plenty of stuff.
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond.
Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ this FAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
I believe damage-over-time effects are rare because it adds an overhead to the turn-by-turn of combat (and no one likes forgetting something and rolling back things to resolve it), but they exist.
Cyb3rM1nd (I think I'm going to use "Cybermind" from now on >.> ) mentions one of the most common spells on that field, and there are many that work similarly without being true DoTs (such as those that deal damage every round that you remain in their area).
The most common non-magical equivalent is being on fire, such as by an Alchemist's Fire (flask).
And if you want a magic item that does it, check out Sword of Wounding.
There are a few, but they are rare. I agree with Onxy on why.
Bonfire cantip, flaming sphere, Melf's Acid Arrow, the warlock invocation Cloud of Flies from XgtE.
These are all abilities that trigger when you start/end your turn or enter the square.
The game assumes that weapon attacks that don't reduce a target to 0 HP have no lasting effects and don't strike any vitals; you're only inflicting minor cuts and bruises or draining the target's stamina.
The DMG has an optional rule for injuries, but the DM controls when they happen and the suggested triggers are all rare (critical hits, being reduced to 0 HP, failing a death saving throw by 5 or more.) A bleeding effect could be incorporated using that rule.
Various spells and monster abilities inflict damage every round, but most allow a saving throw every round to end it early, and the ones that don't are usually curses, poisons or diseases that can be cured or removed.
The Forum Infestation (TM)
Thanks so far for all your input, i guess i have to think about it a bit more if i want to incorporate it. But Either way i can explain now why or why not. :)
There is a precedence for DoT in 5e via the item Alchemist's Fire.
If you are set on fire by it, you take 1d4 fire damage at the start of each of your turns until it is put out.
However, as others have mentioned in the thread, making DoTs a mainstay of your world will add a lot of extra dice rolling to resolve an action that had already been taken, and you'll have to be careful with how much overhead you're adding to your combat encounters just by rolling a set of DoTs and recording results every round.
I'm planning on making a bit of a homebrew cantrip for a vampire ranger in my group.
Essentially, this guy is going to be able to summon spectral throwing knives. As he's level 5, and I want to start making the players feel badass, if he's within 5ft of a fleshy corpse, he'll have a second blade made of blood that has a chance to deal damage over time effects (similar to poison).
I'm thinking 1d4 for the standard blade damage, 1d6 for the blood blade, and 1d4 for the poison effect.
The effect won't stack, and will stick on that enemy for 3 turns.
Not sure what you guys would have to say on the DoT, but I think it's pretty balanced
So, I hope this helps. But, DoT is also dependent on how and what causes the damage, and the timeframe the damage takes.
the exact example I used: "I would like to take my javelin, and spread its point around in the feces of my party members in our camp's latrine, so that when the javelin pierces an enemy, it then deposits the excrement into them. Which is fatal over time. How much damage would they take from this version of a vietnam war pit trap" and his ruling was such: "the damage won't be noticed within the frame of combat at all. In fact, probably wouldn't even take anything for about 3-4 hours (he rolled 2d4), half that if they fail a con save of 15, then, they could easily get rid of it if they wished with lesser restoration or anything like that, and it wouldn't be lethal for....(googled this part). Sepsis would kill them if they couldn't treat it within 28 days"
So, in my example, not an effective idea. But, Hopefully the entire scope of that, helps with your Damage over Time questions.
Blank
I think the most common DoT is fire in one form or another. If you and your DM want to put in the game, go for it. I would recommend that the damage be a straight up number rather than a roll or just roll once and have that amount be the DoT. It will save a lot of time.
Just in case you were wondering, there are HoTs as well =)
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale