Theoretically, if an enemy has 100 max health and I polymorph them into a rat, then deal 201 damage does the enemy instantly die?
If the enemy is a PC then yes. Characters who receive enough damage in one hit to take their hit point count to its negative hit point maximum are instantly killed due to massive damage. This typically happens to PCs mostly in tier 1 and mostly on critical hits.
However, if you are talking about an NPC, these usually die at zero hit points unless it is a special NPC and the DM is applying the same death save rules for that NPC as they do for PCs. For a regular NPC, doing 101 damage would be sufficient to get their original form to 0 hit points and kill the NPC.
Rat has 1 hit point, so theoretically if you do 101 damage in one hit it should die.
Polymorph has a specific rule about what happens when it reaches 0 hit points. So 101 hit points of damage would result in the character with 100 hp being knocked out, but not killed outright.
I didn't know that enemies don't get knocked unconscious when they reach 0 hp. I must have missed that. Thank you for the information!
There isn't really a rule but it is reference in the introduction to the Monster Manual. Specifically it says: "A monster usually dies or is destroyed when it drops to 0 hit points."
As you can see it is not a firm rule but a suggestion to DMs. The next sentence goes on to direct the reader to the Player's Handbook for more information about hit points.
I didn't know that enemies don't get knocked unconscious when they reach 0 hp. I must have missed that. Thank you for the information!
There isn't really a rule but it is reference in the introduction to the Monster Manual. Specifically it says: "A monster usually dies or is destroyed when it drops to 0 hit points."
As you can see it is not a firm rule but a suggestion to DMs. The next sentence goes on to direct the reader to the Player's Handbook for more information about hit points.
Here is the rule from the PHB in case anyone is interested:
"Monsters and Death
Most DMs have a monster die the instant it drops to 0 hit points, rather than having it fall unconscious and make death saving throws.
Mighty villains and special nonplayer characters are common exceptions; the DM might have them fall unconscious and follow the same rules as player characters."
So it is quite possible for different NPCs/monsters to have different mechanics in use when they hit zero hit points. Some may die outright at zero hit points (which is most common) while others could come back.
Rat has 1 hit point, so theoretically if you do 101 damage in one hit it should die.
Polymorph has a specific rule about what happens when it reaches 0 hit points. So 101 hit points of damage would result in the character with 100 hp being knocked out, but not killed outright.
You said enemy so I assumed an NPC/Monster which does die at zero unlike PCs.
Rat has 1 hit point, so theoretically if you do 101 damage in one hit it should die.
Polymorph has a specific rule about what happens when it reaches 0 hit points. So 101 hit points of damage would result in the character with 100 hp being knocked out, but not killed outright.
You said enemy so I assumed an NPC/Monster which does die at zero unlike PCs.
As numerous people have pointed out in this thread, that's not true. What's true is that DMs usually don't bother with death saves for most monsters as a matter of convenience, but the starting point is that monsters follow the same rules that PCs do.
Rat has 1 hit point, so theoretically if you do 101 damage in one hit it should die.
Polymorph has a specific rule about what happens when it reaches 0 hit points. So 101 hit points of damage would result in the character with 100 hp being knocked out, but not killed outright.
You said enemy so I assumed an NPC/Monster which does die at zero unlike PCs.
As numerous people have pointed out in this thread, that's not true. What's true is that DMs usually don't bother with death saves for most monsters as a matter of convenience, but the starting point is that monsters follow the same rules that PCs do.
Interesting as I've never had a DM do it that way. They always play you must do non lethal damage or they die at zero.
Rat has 1 hit point, so theoretically if you do 101 damage in one hit it should die.
Polymorph has a specific rule about what happens when it reaches 0 hit points. So 101 hit points of damage would result in the character with 100 hp being knocked out, but not killed outright.
You said enemy so I assumed an NPC/Monster which does die at zero unlike PCs.
As numerous people have pointed out in this thread, that's not true. What's true is that DMs usually don't bother with death saves for most monsters as a matter of convenience, but the starting point is that monsters follow the same rules that PCs do.
Interesting as I've never had a DM do it that way. They always play you must do non lethal damage or they die at zero.
Most common yes but not a requirement. I've had some important NPCs and villains make death saves and use PC mechanics from time to time. It isn't as if NPCs would really die any differently than PCs.
I think it is just a base assumption that the PCs will typically make sure after the battle that the opponents are actually not coming back. The main reason DMs just have the creatures die at zero is that unless the opponents have healers (and it can be fun occasionally to have the party face some yo-yo healing unexpectedly) the NPC is out of the fight and will remain out of it even if they stabilize on their own. In addition, for most NPCs that almost die in a fight, they are unlikely to play a future role in any storyline (they are playing bit parts :) ). It is typically only NPCs that are significant to the story that might use PC death mechanics just in case they might put in a later appearance.
It typically isn't worth having random NPCs coming back during a fight at 1 hit point and slowing things down in the remote chance that they rolled a 20 on a death save.
Most common yes but not a requirement. I've had some important NPCs and villains make death saves and use PC mechanics from time to time. It isn't as if NPCs would really die any differently than PCs.
I think it is just a base assumption that the PCs will typically make sure after the battle that the opponents are actually not coming back. The main reason DMs just have the creatures die at zero is that unless the opponents have healers (and it can be fun occasionally to have the party face some yo-yo healing unexpectedly) the NPC is out of the fight and will remain out of it even if they stabilize on their own. In addition, for most NPCs that almost die in a fight, they are unlikely to play a future role in any storyline (they are playing bit parts :) ). It is typically only NPCs that are significant to the story that might use PC death mechanics just in case they might put in a later appearance.
It typically isn't worth having random NPCs coming back during a fight at 1 hit point and slowing things down in the remote chance that they rolled a 20 on a death save.
Perhaps it is because I have only played Adventurer's League? Maybe their rules say they die at zero.
Most common yes but not a requirement. I've had some important NPCs and villains make death saves and use PC mechanics from time to time. It isn't as if NPCs would really die any differently than PCs.
I think it is just a base assumption that the PCs will typically make sure after the battle that the opponents are actually not coming back. The main reason DMs just have the creatures die at zero is that unless the opponents have healers (and it can be fun occasionally to have the party face some yo-yo healing unexpectedly) the NPC is out of the fight and will remain out of it even if they stabilize on their own. In addition, for most NPCs that almost die in a fight, they are unlikely to play a future role in any storyline (they are playing bit parts :) ). It is typically only NPCs that are significant to the story that might use PC death mechanics just in case they might put in a later appearance.
It typically isn't worth having random NPCs coming back during a fight at 1 hit point and slowing things down in the remote chance that they rolled a 20 on a death save.
Perhaps it is because I have only played Adventurer's League? Maybe their rules say they die at zero.
As far as I know, no, Adventurers League uses the same rules as everyone else. The main difference is that AL is strictly RAW so house rules aren't allowed.
The most likely reason you probably haven't run into it is because it often is just not worth the time investment tracking death saves for NPCs. Also, players often like the feeling of success when a villain is defeated. There isn't necessarily quite the same feeling of success if the characters have to make sure the BBEG is dead by hitting them a couple more times. As a result, for both narrative and game efficiency reasons, most DMs just take creatures out of the battle when they hit zero hit points. However, there is no requirement for them to do that.
Theoretically, if an enemy has 100 max health and I polymorph them into a rat, then deal 201 damage does the enemy instantly die?
Rat has 1 hit point, so theoretically if you do 101 damage in one hit it should die.
If the enemy is a PC then yes. Characters who receive enough damage in one hit to take their hit point count to its negative hit point maximum are instantly killed due to massive damage. This typically happens to PCs mostly in tier 1 and mostly on critical hits.
However, if you are talking about an NPC, these usually die at zero hit points unless it is a special NPC and the DM is applying the same death save rules for that NPC as they do for PCs. For a regular NPC, doing 101 damage would be sufficient to get their original form to 0 hit points and kill the NPC.
I didn't know that enemies don't get knocked unconscious when they reach 0 hp. I must have missed that. Thank you for the information!
Yes. you are correct.
Polymorph has a specific rule about what happens when it reaches 0 hit points. So 101 hit points of damage would result in the character with 100 hp being knocked out, but not killed outright.
There isn't really a rule but it is reference in the introduction to the Monster Manual. Specifically it says: "A monster usually dies or is destroyed when it drops to 0 hit points."
As you can see it is not a firm rule but a suggestion to DMs. The next sentence goes on to direct the reader to the Player's Handbook for more information about hit points.
Here is the rule from the PHB in case anyone is interested:
"Monsters and Death
Most DMs have a monster die the instant it drops to 0 hit points, rather than having it fall unconscious and make death saving throws.
Mighty villains and special nonplayer characters are common exceptions; the DM might have them fall unconscious and follow the same rules as player characters."
So it is quite possible for different NPCs/monsters to have different mechanics in use when they hit zero hit points. Some may die outright at zero hit points (which is most common) while others could come back.
You said enemy so I assumed an NPC/Monster which does die at zero unlike PCs.
As numerous people have pointed out in this thread, that's not true. What's true is that DMs usually don't bother with death saves for most monsters as a matter of convenience, but the starting point is that monsters follow the same rules that PCs do.
Interesting as I've never had a DM do it that way. They always play you must do non lethal damage or they die at zero.
Most common yes but not a requirement. I've had some important NPCs and villains make death saves and use PC mechanics from time to time. It isn't as if NPCs would really die any differently than PCs.
I think it is just a base assumption that the PCs will typically make sure after the battle that the opponents are actually not coming back. The main reason DMs just have the creatures die at zero is that unless the opponents have healers (and it can be fun occasionally to have the party face some yo-yo healing unexpectedly) the NPC is out of the fight and will remain out of it even if they stabilize on their own. In addition, for most NPCs that almost die in a fight, they are unlikely to play a future role in any storyline (they are playing bit parts :) ). It is typically only NPCs that are significant to the story that might use PC death mechanics just in case they might put in a later appearance.
It typically isn't worth having random NPCs coming back during a fight at 1 hit point and slowing things down in the remote chance that they rolled a 20 on a death save.
Perhaps it is because I have only played Adventurer's League? Maybe their rules say they die at zero.
As far as I know, no, Adventurers League uses the same rules as everyone else. The main difference is that AL is strictly RAW so house rules aren't allowed.
The most likely reason you probably haven't run into it is because it often is just not worth the time investment tracking death saves for NPCs. Also, players often like the feeling of success when a villain is defeated. There isn't necessarily quite the same feeling of success if the characters have to make sure the BBEG is dead by hitting them a couple more times. As a result, for both narrative and game efficiency reasons, most DMs just take creatures out of the battle when they hit zero hit points. However, there is no requirement for them to do that.