39
\$\begingroup\$

Say that a character has 5 HP remaining and is dealt 10 damage from an attack. Of course, 5 - 10 = -5, so the character has dropped below 0 Hit Points and follows the rules for making death saving throws (provided they didn't get dealt enough damage for instant death). However, it's not clear to us if the character remains at -5 Hit Points or if they bounce back up to 0 Hit Points (like many rules in 5e, knowledge of past editions may be a hindrance to interpreting them).

If negative Hit Points exist, then characters will take longer to recover naturally (since stable characters recover at a rate of 1 HP per 1d4 hours). Also, a natural 20 on a death saving throw, which recovers one Hit Point, would not make them instantly conscious. Finally, it would mean that instant death is a greater possibility, as you need less to reach the threshold if you are attacked again.

However if negative Hit Points do not exist and characters bounce up to 0 after crossing the 0 HP threshold, then characters will always regain 1 HP and become conscious after waiting 1d4 hours or rolling a natural 20 on a death saving throw. Also, this would mean that instant death is far less likely because someone who attacks an unconscious character would always need to deal maximum HP damage or they don't kill you (and if they don't, then I guess their damage means nothing, which seems rather odd).

Unfortunately, the example provided with the basic rules isn't helpful because it describes someone taking enough damage for instant death, but not someone who got less than that. Furthermore, the rules describe "Dropping to 0 Hit Points", but not "Dropping Below 0 Hit Points" and seems to omit what happens when you take more damage than the HP you have remaining, but less than enough for Instant Death. Our group spent a while debating this when we played from the Starter Edition and we weren't sure given that some previous versions of D&D had them while others didn't. So do negative hit points exist or do characters "bounce up to 0 HP"?

\$\endgroup\$
2
  • \$\begingroup\$ "someone who attacks an unconscious character would always need to deal maximum HP damage or they don't kill you (and if they don't, then I guess their damage means nothing, which seems rather odd)." - I've not read the rules in question but presumably by what you've said any further hit that does even one point of damage will take them below 0 and thus trigger another death saving throw or similar. So while the magnitude of the damage may not be relevant the hit is still relevant. \$\endgroup\$
    – Chris
    Jul 22, 2014 at 14:46
  • \$\begingroup\$ "Also, this would mean that instant death is far less likely because someone who attacks an unconscious character would always need to deal maximum HP damage or they don't kill you (and if they don't, then I guess their damage means nothing, which seems rather odd)." - Not true. If you take damage while at zero Hit Points, you automatically accrue failed Death Save. A critical hit at zero Hit Points accrues two Death Saves. \$\endgroup\$
    – Neil B
    Jul 23, 2014 at 9:53

4 Answers 4

63
\$\begingroup\$

According to the Basic PDF (page 74)

A creature's current hit points (usually just called hit points) can be any number from the creature's hit point maximum down to 0.

So no, negative hit points do not exist in 5e. The archived development-poll blog post "A Close Call with Negative Hit Points" explains the history of negative hit points and part of the reasoning for the change in 5e.

\$\endgroup\$
3
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ But there is one reason to hit creatures at 0 hit points: any successful attack counts as two failed saves for the death saving throws. Creature reamins at 0 hp. \$\endgroup\$ Dec 6, 2016 at 15:18
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ @Mindwin - Just a correction: ANY attack within 5' while you are unconcious becomes 2 failed saves because it's a critical hit as well. Non-critical hits are 1 failed save, for example a ranged attack further than 5' away or being on fire. \$\endgroup\$ Nov 18, 2017 at 7:21
  • 2
    \$\begingroup\$ @Mindwin There is also another reason to attack a creature at 0 HP: if you deal its maximum HP in damage, it is an instant kill. So, although negative HP does not exist, reaching "-X" in one hit, where X is the maximum hit points of that character, still has some meaning. Which is awkward, for me, anyway. \$\endgroup\$
    – HellSaint
    Jun 27, 2020 at 2:22
28
\$\begingroup\$

I see that I have unknowingly answered this very question another place on the Internet. My answer takes the form of a flowchart, hope that's ok. I'll drop it here in the hope that it can shed additional light on the whole below-zero-hp-case in D&D 5e.

enter image description here

\$\endgroup\$
6
  • 9
    \$\begingroup\$ This flowchart is incorrect; instadeath only happens if the remaining damage exceeds hit point maximum. \$\endgroup\$ Jan 4, 2015 at 21:27
  • \$\begingroup\$ @matt Patch: "START HERE: Took damage exceeding your current HP". And "Damage taken exceeds current HP + max HP?" -- there might be subtle issues (ie, if you are reduced to 0 HP without taking damage), but you could add another transition for that case. \$\endgroup\$
    – Yakk
    Apr 18, 2016 at 14:30
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ What does it mean to have dropped to 0 but not have been knocked out? How does this occur? \$\endgroup\$
    – bowdens
    Jun 27, 2020 at 7:58
  • \$\begingroup\$ @bowdens this is the normal result for any lethal attack, for example if someone hits you with a sword. \$\endgroup\$ Jun 27, 2020 at 9:20
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ @user-63873687 right - I found the rules text: "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." It seems the normal result would be to go to death saving throws - at least that is the most overwhelmingly common thing for enemies to do to players at my table. \$\endgroup\$
    – bowdens
    Jun 27, 2020 at 9:31
12
\$\begingroup\$

D&D 5th edition doesn't have the concept of negative hit points. When you run out of hit points you have zero left; at that point dying is modelled by death saving throws and the instant death from damage rule.

\$\endgroup\$
0
\$\begingroup\$

Negative hit points don't exist per se, however the concept does remain to a certain extent.

From 5e PHB (page 197):

Instant Death

Massive damage can kill you instantly. When damage reduces you to 0 hit points and there is damage remaining, you die if the remaining damage equals or exceeds your hit point maximum.

In other words, if you drop to negative hit points equal to your hit point total you die right away.

\$\endgroup\$
2
  • 6
    \$\begingroup\$ This doesn't involve negative hit points at any stage. The calculation is simply that if you receive damage, and you are at or hit 0, take the remainder: if it's >= your maximum health, you die. (If it isn't, nothing special happens here: your hit points are still 0.) No concept of negative hit points is invoked at any point during that calculation. \$\endgroup\$ Aug 20, 2014 at 14:01
  • 4
    \$\begingroup\$ @doppelgreener It's conceptually related. And in D&D, its heritage is in fact directly related. \$\endgroup\$
    – aramis
    Sep 27, 2014 at 18:08

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .