Role-playing Games Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for gamemasters and players of tabletop, paper-and-pencil role-playing games. It only takes a minute to sign up.
Sign up to join this community
Can I choose to not use the Ranger's Colossus Slayer feature when I hit an injured target with a bow and arrow?
When my DM found out about Colossus Slayer, he started making all my 1s on attack rolls a guaranteed hit against someone in my party as long as they're in my range. We're level 3 at the moment, and essentially half- and one-shotting my teammates every time I roll a 1 feels pretty sucky.
As far as the rules are concerned, no.
When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, the creature takes an extra 1d8 damage if it’s below its hit point maximum.
There's no "you can" or anything like that here, it's given as a definitive statement. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, it takes extra damage. So if you don't want to deal extra damage, don't hit it with a weapon attack.
With that said, ask your DM - they might be totally ok with you choosing not to gain the benefit of one of your class features. After all, if you didn't have the ability, there wouldn't even be a question.
With that also said, it sounds like you're worried about killing something. It's worth pointing out here that as long as you use a melee attack, you can knock an enemy out rather than killing them if you reduce their hit points to 0.
The unofficial ruling by Crawford himself in answer to Is the damage from Colossus Slayer optional?:
Jeremy Crawford
@JeremyECrawford
You choose whether to deal the extra damage of Colossus Slayer. #DnD
12:04 PM - 3 May 2016
When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, the creature takes an extra 1d8 damage if it's below its hit point maximum.
—PH page 93
There is no wording that hints at it being optional. Compare this wording to that of volley or whirlwind attack, which both state that "[y]ou can use your action to…" (bold mine for emphasis).
Or, if you prefer, compare it to another damage-adding feature: the cleric's Divine Strike (PH page 63):
Once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can cause the attack to deal an extra 1d8 damage…
Again, bold added by me for emphasis. 5e is very good at calling out features that are optional with appropriate wording.
1) You can choose not to use the ability BUT you decide when you roll.
So your question now, based on the info with your question is something like:
"Can I choose not to use Colossus Slayer after rolling a 1"
2) House rule. There isn't an official version that says anything about hitting friendlies on 1s in 5e. There isn't any sort of critical fumble rule at all. So it is up to the DM/group.
2a) Typical implementations are along the lines of declare the attack you are using, roll, and the DM makes the call on the results. So if you intend to use the Colossus Slayer when you let the arrow fly, it uses it where it lands, enemy, friendly, self, or broad side of a barn.
That being said, 1s always hit friends is terribly daft. You would be very hard pressed to find a worse implementation of the critical failure concept. (They are out there, yes, but this is easily in the running for worst.) There is no logical justification for that other than the DM isn't willing to just pull Colossus Slayer from the rules and say you can't use it. e.g.: think of all those poor people that are killed every year near the archery ranges and Renaissance fests... oh? that doesn't happen? exactly.
Original answer to the question about using the ability. I don't recall the wording but it didn't specify ranged nor did it have the details of accidentally injuring party members. It was specific to choosing to limit damage vs do full damage while using the Colossus Slayer option:
Kind of... you can choose to knock out instead of kill which I think is what you really care about right? PHB pg. 198:
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 damage is dealt
So you have to use the 1d8 but if they only have 1 hit point left and you manage to do way more than you wanted, you don't have to "apply" more than it takes to knock them out.
The wording may suggest that it's not optional. Someone who's a real stickler for the letter of the law would say that the ability does not give you the option to not do the extra damage.
Conceptually, however, I would say that makes no sense. The ability represents your superior combat skill. You could always choose to go easy on your foe and not use that superior skill. As a DM, I absolutely make it optional.
Alternately, I might rule that the extra damage from a critical hit is not optional. A crit means that you got lucky and struck a vital point on your enemey. If your goal was to go easy on your opponent, then you donked up by accidentally stabbing their kidney.
