D&D 5E Bear Spirit Totem Questions

Uller · Jun 13, 2019

The druid in our group used this tonight and we weren't sure exactly how it works.

Here is the relevant text:

Bear Spirit:
Each creature of your choice in the aura when the spirit appears gains temporary hit points equal to 5 + your druid level. In addition, you and your allies gain advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws while in the aura.

Temporary HP: Unless a feature that grants you temporary hit points has a duration, they last until they're depleted or you finish a long rest.

So...I ruled that only characters in the aura at the time it was created that had line of effect to the aura got the temporary HP (one character was in range but around a corner so he didn't get them).

In order to get the strength bonus the characters had to be in the aura. If they left it they would lose that benefit but if they re-entered it they got it back.

The temporary HP will last until the aura dissipates regardless if the characters stay in range or not (so they will last for 10 rounds)

Is this correct?

I let my players know this is the way it would work for tonight but may change after I look up the relevant rules.

jgsugden · Jun 13, 2019

Looks right to me based upon the language you posted - I did not double check that it was accurate.

Dausuul · Jun 13, 2019

That all looks right to me. Was there anything in particular that you were unsure about?

Charlaquin · Jun 13, 2019

Why would the temp HP go away when the spirit disappears? I don’t see anything in the effect that specifies a limited duration, so from my reading they should last until depleted or until the character who has them finished a long rest, yes? Otherwise looks like a solid ruling to me.

Paul Farquhar · Jun 13, 2019

Charlaquin said:
Why would the temp HP go away when the spirit disappears? I don’t see anything in the effect that specifies a limited duration, so from my reading they should last until depleted or until the character who has them finished a long rest, yes? Otherwise looks like a solid ruling to me.

Temporary HP: Unless a feature that grants you temporary hit points has a duration

The spirit persists for 1 minute.

3chr

Uller · Jun 13, 2019

Paul Farquhar said:
3chr

So I guess this is my biggest question...do the temp hp expire with the totem or not? Nine temp hp for the whole 4th level party (and familiars!) is a pretty big deal. Having it last for 1 minute vs all day is pretty important. So I don't want to set a precedent where the druid is just dropping that totem after every short rest essentially increasing the entire party's hp by 25 or 30% all the time. At the same time I don't want to unfairly nerf a charcater just because I'm unfamiliar with her class.

I think letting it expire after a minute seems fair.

Charlaquin · Jun 13, 2019

Paul Farquhar said:
3chr

The spirit persists for one minute. The temp HP are not the spirit.

EDIT: For counter-examples, the spell Heroism does specify that the subject gains temporary hit points “until the spell ends” and Potion of Heroism specifies that the subject gains the temporary HP for an hour.

Charlaquin · Jun 13, 2019

Uller said:
So I guess this is my biggest question...do the temp hp expire with the totem or not? Nine temp hp for the whole 4th level party (and familiars!) is a pretty big deal. Having it last for 1 minute vs all day is pretty important. So I don't want to set a precedent where the druid is just dropping that totem after every short rest essentially increasing the entire party's hp by 25 or 30% all the time. At the same time I don't want to unfairly nerf a charcater just because I'm unfamiliar with her class.

I think letting it expire after a minute seems fair.

At the end of the day, you’re the DM. If you think having it expire after a minute is fair, that’s your call to make.

Uller · Jun 13, 2019

Charlaquin said:
The spirit persists for one minute. The temp HP are not the spirit.

EDIT: For counter-examples, the spell Heroism does specify that the subject gains temporary hit points “until the spell ends” and Potion of Heroism specifies that the subject gains the temporary HP for an hour.

And Aid says for the Duration specifically. So I would find that pesuasive that since no duration is specified for bear totem it must be all day...But just comparing the Bear totem to the unicorn...the unicorn also allows an increase in hp and it does last all day (since it is healing). But you have to also expend spell slots and it is only druid level additional hp per spell cast.
So allowing the temp hp from the bear totem to last all day seems way more powerful to me. So I think I'm sold on they expire with the totem.

Oofta · Jun 13, 2019

The temp HP are permanent until used, but people do have to be in the aura when the spirit appears: in the aura when the spirit appears gains temporary hit points. I see no reason why they would go away if not in the aura. In addition, it's kind of odd ... if you leave the aura and come back do you get new temp HP?

On the other hand, if you want the other benefits you have to be in the aura: you and your allies gain advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws while in the aura

So if your buddy isn't in the aura when the spirit appears, they don't get the temp HP. On the other hand, if they enter the aura (or the spirit goes to them) the will get the advantage. It's the only reason to give the spirit mobility, if the aura didn't benefit people in the aura there would be no reason for it to stick around, it would just be an instantaneous effect.

So basically I agree, other than the temp HP going away.