melee spell with only are failed for life

Is the intent that only Melee weapon attacks can knock foes Unconscious, or can melee spell attacks as well?

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sage Advice & Errata

Is the intent that only Melee weapon attacks can knock foes Unconscious, or can melee spell attacks as well? If you reduce a creature to 0 Hit Points with a melee attack, you can knock the creature

out. That melee attack isn’t restricted to weapons. Even a melee spell attack can be used to knock a creature out.

Periapt of Wound Closure

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide

While wearing this pendant, you gain the following benefits. Life Preservation. Whenever you make a Death Saving Throw, you can change a roll of 9 or lower to a 10, turning a failed save into a

Vampiric Touch

Spells Player’s Handbook

The touch of your shadow-wreathed hand can siphon life force from others to heal your wounds. Make a melee spell attack against one creature within reach. On a hit, the target takes 3d6 Necrotic

damage, and you regain Hit Points equal to half the amount of Necrotic damage dealt. Until the spell ends, you can make the attack again on each of your turns as a Magic action, targeting the same

Staff of Thunder and Lightning

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide

is used, it can’t be used again until the next dawn. Lightning. When you hit with a melee attack using the staff, you can cause the target to take an extra 2d6 Lightning damage (no action

required). Thunder. When you hit with a melee attack using the staff, you can cause the staff to emit a crack of thunder audible out to 300 feet (no action required). The target you hit must succeed on a

Rod of Lordly Might

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide

height above it. Drain Life. When you hit a creature with a melee attack using the rod, you can force the target to make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes an extra

with a melee attack using the rod, you can force the target to make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target has the Paralyzed condition for 1 minute. The target repeats the

Speak with Dead

Spells Player’s Handbook

You grant the semblance of life to a corpse of your choice within range, allowing it to answer questions you pose. The corpse must have a mouth, and this spell fails if the deceased creature was

Undead when it died. The spell also fails if the corpse was the target of this spell within the past 10 days. Until the spell ends, you can ask the corpse up to five questions. The corpse knows only what

Arcane Vigor

Spells Player’s Handbook

You tap into your life force to heal yourself. Roll one or two of your unexpended Hit Point Dice, and regain a number of Hit Points equal to the roll’s total plus your spellcasting ability

modifier. Those dice are then expended. Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. The number of unexpended Hit Dice you can roll increases by one for each spell slot level above 2.

Sword of Vengeance

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide

other than this one. In addition, while the weapon is on your person, you must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw whenever you take damage from another creature in combat. On a failed save, you must

attack the creature that damaged you until you drop to 0 Hit Points or it does or until you can’t reach the creature to make a melee attack against it. You can break the curse in the usual

Fount of Moonlight

Spells Player’s Handbook

A cool light wreathes your body for the duration, emitting Bright Light in a 20-foot radius and Dim Light for an additional 20 feet. Until the spell ends, you have Resistance to Radiant damage, and

your melee attacks deal an extra 2d6 Radiant damage on a hit. In addition, immediately after you take damage from a creature you can see within 60 feet of yourself, you can take a Reaction to force

Dark Shard Amulet

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide

a casting time of an action, and you make a DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana) check. On a successful check, you cast the spell. On a failed check, the spell fails, and the action used to cast it is wasted. In either case, you can’t use this property again until you finish a Long Rest.

amulet as a Spellcasting Focus for your Warlock spells. Unknown Spell. As a Magic action, you can try to cast a cantrip that you don’t know. The cantrip must be on the Warlock spell list and have

Gulthias Blight

Monsters Monster Manual

Life-Draining Root. Slam. Melee Attack Roll: +12;{"diceNotation":"1d20+12", "rollType":"to hit", "rollAction":"Slam"}, reach 10 ft. Hit: 25 (4d8 + 7);{"diceNotation":"4d8+7", "rollType":"damage

ft. Hit: 20 (3d8 + 7);{"diceNotation":"3d8+7", "rollType":"damage", "rollAction":"Thorn Volley", "rollDamageType":"Piercing"} Piercing damage. Life-Draining Root. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 20

Scarab of Protection

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide

against a Necromancy spell or a harmful effect originating from an Undead, you can take a Reaction to expend 1 charge and turn the failed save into a successful one. The scarab crumbles into powder and

is destroyed when its last charge is expended. Spell Resistance. You have Advantage on saving throws against spells.

Hat of Wizardry

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide

Intelligence (Arcana) check. On a successful check, you cast the spell. On a failed check, the spell fails, and the action used to cast the spell is wasted. In either case, you can’t use this property again until you finish a Long Rest.

spells. Unknown Spell. As a Magic action, you can try to cast a cantrip that you don’t know. The cantrip must be on the Wizard spell list and have a casting time of an action, and you make a DC 10

Staff of Charming

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide

staff and turn the spell back on its caster as if you had cast the spell. Resist Enchantment. If you fail a saving throw against an Enchantment spell that targets only you, you can turn your failed save

This staff has 10 charges. While holding the staff , you can use any of its properties: Cast Spell. You can expend 1 of the staff’s charges to cast Charm Person, Command, or Comprehend

Eye and Hand of Vecna

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide

, and you gain the following benefits: Great Strength. Your Strength becomes 20 unless it is already 20 or higher. Icy Touch. Any melee spell attack you make with the hand and any melee attack made

benefits: Truesight. You have Truesight out to 240 feet. Spellcasting. The eye has 8 charges and regains 1d4 + 4 expended charges daily at dawn. You can cast a spell on the Eye of Vecna Spells table

Cauldron of Rebirth

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide

This Tiny pot bears relief scenes of heroes on its cast-iron sides. You can use the cauldron as a Spellcasting Focus for your spells, and it functions as a suitable component for the Scrying spell

) for at least 8 hours, the salt is consumed and the creature returns to life as if by Raise Dead at the next dawn. Once used, this property can’t be used again for 7 days.

Spirit Naga

Monsters Monster Manual

Fiendish Restoration. If it dies, the naga returns to life in 1d6;{"diceNotation":"1d6", "rollType":"roll", "rollAction":"Fiendish Restoration"} days and regains all its Hit Points. Only a Wish spell

can prevent this trait from functioning.Multiattack. The naga makes three attacks, using Bite or Necrotic Ray in any combination. Bite. Melee Attack Roll: +7;{"diceNotation":"1d20+7", "rollType":"to

Wand of Orcus

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide

. On a failed save, the creature dies and, if it is a Humanoid, turns into a Zombie. Magic Weapon. You can wield the wand as a magic Mace that grants a +3 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls made

from it (save DC 18). The table indicates how many charges you must expend to cast the spell. Spell Charge Cost Animate Dead 1 Blight 2 Circle of Death 3 Finger of

Spell Scroll of Fireball

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide

a failed check, the spell disappears from the scroll with no other effect. Copying this Scroll into a Spellbook. A Wizard can copy this Spell Scroll into a spellbook. When copied in this way, the

This Spell Scroll bears the words of the Fireball spell, written in a mystical cipher. If Fireball is on your spell list, you can read the scroll and cast it without Material components. Otherwise

Specter

Monsters Monster Manual

rolls.Life Drain. Melee Attack Roll: +4;{"diceNotation":"1d20+4", "rollType":"to hit", "rollAction":"Life Drain"}, reach 5 ft. Hit: 7 (2d6);{"diceNotation":"2d6", "rollType":"damage", "rollAction":"Life Drain

Reincarnate

Spells Player’s Handbook

You touch a dead Humanoid or a piece of one. If the creature has been dead no longer than 10 days, the spell forms a new body for it and calls the soul to enter that body. Roll 1d10 and consult the

life. It retains the capabilities it had in its original form, except it loses the traits of its previous species and gains the traits of its new one.

Will-o'-Wisp

Monsters Monster Manual

"} Force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.Shock. Melee Attack Roll: +4;{"diceNotation":"1d20+4", "rollType":"to hit", "rollAction":"Shock"}, reach 5 ft. Hit: 11 (2d8 + 2);{"diceNotation":"2d8+2

", "rollType":"damage", "rollAction":"Shock", "rollDamageType":"Lightning"} Lightning damage.Lightning, PoisonAcid, Bludgeoning, Cold, Fire, Necrotic, Piercing, SlashingConsume Life. Constitution

Raise Dead

Spells Player’s Handbook

With a touch, you revive a dead creature if it has been dead no longer than 10 days and it wasn’t Undead when it died. The creature returns to life with 1 Hit Point. This spell also

neutralizes any poisons that affected the creature at the time of death. This spell closes all mortal wounds, but it doesn’t restore missing body parts. If the creature is lacking body parts or organs

Resurrection

Spells Player’s Handbook

With a touch, you revive a dead creature that has been dead for no more than a century, didn’t die of old age, and wasn’t Undead when it died. The creature returns to life with all its

Hit Points. This spell also neutralizes any poisons that affected the creature at the time of death. This spell closes all mortal wounds and restores any missing body parts. Coming back from the dead

Wraith

Monsters Monster Manual

Drain. Melee Attack Roll: +6;{"diceNotation":"1d20+6", "rollType":"to hit", "rollAction":"Life Drain"}, reach 5 ft. Hit: 21 (4d8 + 3);{"diceNotation":"4d8+3", "rollType":"damage", "rollAction":"Life

Guardian Naga

Monsters Monster Manual

Celestial Restoration. If the naga dies, it returns to life in 1d6;{"diceNotation":"1d6", "rollType":"roll", "rollAction":"Celestial Restoration"} days and regains all its Hit Points unless Dispel

Evil and Good is cast on its remains.Multiattack. The naga makes two Bite attacks. It can replace any attack with a use of Poisonous Spittle. Bite. Melee Attack Roll: +8;{"diceNotation":"1d20+8

Thorn Whip

Spells Player’s Handbook

You create a vine-like whip covered in thorns that lashes out at your command toward a creature in range. Make a melee spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 1d6 Piercing damage

Sword of Kas

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide

3d6 Psychic damage. On a failed save, the wielder is dominated by the sword, as if by the Dominate Monster spell, and the sword demands blood. The spell effect ends when the sword’s demand is met

Kas, provided the sword is within 30 feet of the spell’s caster. Upon casting Wish, the creature makes a DC 18 Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, nothing happens, and the Wish spell is wasted. On a successful save, the Sword of Kas is destroyed.

Shocking Grasp

Spells Player’s Handbook

Lightning springs from you to a creature that you try to touch. Make a melee spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 1d8 Lightning damage, and it can’t make Opportunity

Dracolich

Monsters Monster Manual

Legendary Resistance (3/Day, or 4/Day in Lair). If the dracolich fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead. Life Suppression. Creatures within 60 feet of the dracolich can’t

ritual consumes.Multiattack. The dracolich makes three Rend attacks. It can replace one attack with a use of Spellcasting to cast Ray of Sickness (level 2 version). Rend. Melee Attack Roll: +13

Chill Touch

Spells Player’s Handbook

Channeling the chill of the grave, make a melee spell attack against a target within reach. On a hit, the target takes 1d10 Necrotic damage, and it can’t regain Hit Points until the end of your

Steel Wind Strike

Spells Player’s Handbook

You flourish the weapon used in the casting and then vanish to strike like the wind. Choose up to five creatures you can see within range. Make a melee spell attack against each target. On a hit, a

Dust of Sneezing and Choking

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide

automatically. On a failed save, a creature begins sneezing uncontrollably; it has the Incapacitated condition and is suffocating. The creature repeats the save at the end of each of its turns, ending

the effect on itself on a success. The effect also ends on any creature targeted by a Lesser Restoration spell.

Flame Blade

Spells Player’s Handbook

as a Bonus Action. As a Magic action, you can make a melee spell attack with the fiery blade. On a hit, the target takes Fire damage equal to 3d6 plus your spellcasting ability modifier. The flaming

blade sheds Bright Light in a 10-foot radius and Dim Light for an additional 10 feet. Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. The damage increases by 1d6 for each spell slot level above 2.

Staff of Power

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide

throws, and spell attack rolls. Spells. While holding the staff , you can cast one of the spells on the following table from it, using your spell save DC. The table indicates how many charges you

must expend to cast the spell. Spell Charge Cost Cone of Cold 5 Fireball (level 5 version) 5 Globe of Invulnerability 6 Hold Monster 5 Levitate 2 Lightning

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