Draining Swipe. Melee Attack Roll: +4, reach 5 ft. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) Necrotic damage, and the target’s Strength score decreases by 1d4. The target dies if this reduces that score to 0. If a Humanoid is slain by this attack, a Shadow rises from the corpse 1d4 hours later.
now does this mean if a shadow kills a creature using draining swipe a shadow rises 1d4 hours later OR if the target dies due to being reduced to strength zero a shadow rises 1d4hours later?
Draining Swipe. Melee Attack Roll: +4, reach 5 ft. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) Necrotic damage, and the target’s Strength score decreases by 1d4. The target dies if this reduces that score to 0. If a Humanoid is slain by this attack, a Shadow rises from the corpse 1d4 hours later.
now does this mean if a shadow kills a creature using draining swipe a shadow rises 1d4 hours later OR if the target dies due to being reduced to strength zero a shadow rises 1d4hours later?
I think its the former but want to be sure
Both.
Both the damage and the Strength drain can kill a target. Any creature killed by it ("slain") rises as a Shadow. So, the answer is both.
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Looking at the 2025 Shadow you can see that their Draining Swipe does two things when the attack lands:
Causes 5 (1d6+2) Necrotic Damage.
Reduces target's strength by 1d4.
Now, if the target's HP or Strength are reduced to Zero by the attack, then it is 'slain' by the attack and a Shadow rises from the corpse 1d4 hours later.
The only part I don't understand about this is that I know some creatures kill as soon as the player reaches Zero HP, like the Rot Grub. Is this creatures attack stating the same thing, as in, they cannot be healed and have failed all of their death saves, meaning they will need to be resurrected? What if they are resurrected before the Shadow emerges from the corpse, does it still come out later? What if they are resurrected after the Shadow emerges from their corpse, are they different somehow?
Thanks!
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Breathe, dragons; sing of the First World, forged out of chaos and painted with beauty. Sing of Bahamut, the Platinum, molding the shape of the mountains and rivers; Sing too of Chromatic Tiamat, painting all over the infinite canvas. Partnered, they woke in the darkness; partnered, they labored in acts of creation.
Looking at the 2025 Shadow you can see that their Draining Swipe does two things when the attack lands:
Causes 5 (1d6+2) Necrotic Damage.
Reduces target's strength by 1d4.
Now, if the target's HP or Strength are reduced to Zero by the attack, then it is 'slain' by the attack and a Shadow rises from the corpse 1d4 hours later.
The only part I don't understand about this is that I know some creatures kill as soon as the player reaches Zero HP, like the Rot Grub. Is this creatures attack stating the same thing, as in, they cannot be healed and have failed all of their death saves, meaning they will need to be resurrected? What if they are resurrected before the Shadow emerges from the corpse, does it still come out later? What if they are resurrected after the Shadow emerges from their corpse, are they different somehow?
Thanks!
This attack kills the target instantly if it reduces the target's Strength to 0. In that case, the target is dead and can no longer be healed.
It doesn't kill the target instantly if it reduces the target's HP to 0. That follows the normal rules for being at 0 HP — the target is Unconscious and needs to make death saves, etc.
The Shadow can only emerge from a corpse, so if the dead target is resurrected before that happens, the Shadow doesn't emerge later. Strictly speaking it doesn't say that the creature turns into a Shadow, just that a Shadow rises from the corpse, so I guess you could still resurrect them afterward, though that seems a little ambiguous.
IMX Shadow very rarely rises from a corpse because in most case it combat PCs which are rarely slain by such low CR monsters unless DM focus fire using many of them.
Shadows 5e
Draining Swipe. Melee Attack Roll: +4, reach 5 ft. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) Necrotic damage, and the target’s Strength score decreases by 1d4. The target dies if this reduces that score to 0. If a Humanoid is slain by this attack, a Shadow rises from the corpse 1d4 hours later.
now does this mean if a shadow kills a creature using draining swipe a shadow rises 1d4 hours later OR if the target dies due to being reduced to strength zero a shadow rises 1d4hours later?
I think its the former but want to be sure
Both.
Both the damage and the Strength drain can kill a target. Any creature killed by it ("slain") rises as a Shadow. So, the answer is both.
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.
Greetings Cadel2010,
Looking at the 2025 Shadow you can see that their Draining Swipe does two things when the attack lands:
Now, if the target's HP or Strength are reduced to Zero by the attack, then it is 'slain' by the attack and a Shadow rises from the corpse 1d4 hours later.
The only part I don't understand about this is that I know some creatures kill as soon as the player reaches Zero HP, like the Rot Grub.
Is this creatures attack stating the same thing, as in, they cannot be healed and have failed all of their death saves, meaning they will need to be resurrected?
What if they are resurrected before the Shadow emerges from the corpse, does it still come out later?
What if they are resurrected after the Shadow emerges from their corpse, are they different somehow?
Thanks!
Breathe, dragons; sing of the First World, forged out of chaos and painted with beauty.
Sing of Bahamut, the Platinum, molding the shape of the mountains and rivers;
Sing too of Chromatic Tiamat, painting all over the infinite canvas.
Partnered, they woke in the darkness; partnered, they labored in acts of creation.
This attack kills the target instantly if it reduces the target's Strength to 0. In that case, the target is dead and can no longer be healed.
It doesn't kill the target instantly if it reduces the target's HP to 0. That follows the normal rules for being at 0 HP — the target is Unconscious and needs to make death saves, etc.
The Shadow can only emerge from a corpse, so if the dead target is resurrected before that happens, the Shadow doesn't emerge later. Strictly speaking it doesn't say that the creature turns into a Shadow, just that a Shadow rises from the corpse, so I guess you could still resurrect them afterward, though that seems a little ambiguous.
pronouns: he/she/they
IMX Shadow very rarely rises from a corpse because in most case it combat PCs which are rarely slain by such low CR monsters unless DM focus fire using many of them.
Chances of occuring increases if multiple Shadow gang up on PC unconscious at 0 HP and Revivify or similar magic isn't used before then.
But it's not a DM popular tactic.