GreenTengu
Adventurer
I think it ought to really depend on the monster and how you consider hit points.
First, there is a tendency to label something like say... a Lizardfolk a "monster" while not using that same label for a Dragonborn. But there is no reason that these two things ought to be different in the capacity you are describing. So all those things that are effectively just like PC races except they happen to be cast in the role of the villains while similar things are cast in the role of the heroes, they ought to be no different than PCs. Obviously something like Trolls would be an exception.
And there is nothing about humanoids in general that ought to suggest that they would recover differently than any other animal. So anything that is a living creature that has a biology comparable to other living creatures regardless if it has a few special abilities can just function the same as a PC.
So you aren't really asking about monsters in general when you come to the example of a golem.
Undead and constructs-- that's the issue. Well... in the case of some undead, they apparently regenerate by devouring blood or flesh of the living. Those that don't fall under the same question constructs do.
There is no method by which constructs and such undead are described as regenerating. I think it would be correct to say that any damage done to them is permanent damage unless someone replaces the parts they have lost or reinforces them and patches the damaged areas.
But do hit points automatically mean damage?
Well... no. Hit points can represent physical exhaustion, mental stress and emotional drive. Someone fainting from stress or fear is quite similar to someone falling down from blood loss-- except maybe you might skip the death saves.
But then.... can golems and skeletons become exhausted? Do they become stressed? Can they be demoralized or become frightened into fainting? Hmm.... I think in their case one might argue that their natures are such that they are immune to such things generally.
So, in your particular example-- you might be legitimately dealing with something that doesn't heal at all. And, yes, the payers can abuse this if the DM doesn't handle things in a crafty manner.
First, there is a tendency to label something like say... a Lizardfolk a "monster" while not using that same label for a Dragonborn. But there is no reason that these two things ought to be different in the capacity you are describing. So all those things that are effectively just like PC races except they happen to be cast in the role of the villains while similar things are cast in the role of the heroes, they ought to be no different than PCs. Obviously something like Trolls would be an exception.
And there is nothing about humanoids in general that ought to suggest that they would recover differently than any other animal. So anything that is a living creature that has a biology comparable to other living creatures regardless if it has a few special abilities can just function the same as a PC.
So you aren't really asking about monsters in general when you come to the example of a golem.
Undead and constructs-- that's the issue. Well... in the case of some undead, they apparently regenerate by devouring blood or flesh of the living. Those that don't fall under the same question constructs do.
There is no method by which constructs and such undead are described as regenerating. I think it would be correct to say that any damage done to them is permanent damage unless someone replaces the parts they have lost or reinforces them and patches the damaged areas.
But do hit points automatically mean damage?
Well... no. Hit points can represent physical exhaustion, mental stress and emotional drive. Someone fainting from stress or fear is quite similar to someone falling down from blood loss-- except maybe you might skip the death saves.
But then.... can golems and skeletons become exhausted? Do they become stressed? Can they be demoralized or become frightened into fainting? Hmm.... I think in their case one might argue that their natures are such that they are immune to such things generally.
So, in your particular example-- you might be legitimately dealing with something that doesn't heal at all. And, yes, the payers can abuse this if the DM doesn't handle things in a crafty manner.
