D&D 5E concentration and temp HP

[marsupial_riot]

hello all,

we have had some debate at my table about how the concentration mechanic works in conjunction with temporary hit points. concentration checks are required whenever the target takes damage. the question is if the target has enough temporary hit points to cover all of the incoming damage so that no regular hit points are lost, is a concentration check still required?

in other words, when you lose temporary hit points are you still "taking damage"

thanks for any insight or help

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

Yes. (My opinion, don't have a RAW quote, but seems obvious to me.)

 

[miniaturehoarder]

Crawford thinks so. I'm inclined to agree, otherwise that really makes the fiend pact much better than the other warlock pacts.

https://twitter.com/JeremyECrawford/status/503958007177166848

Mathew Reuther ‏ Aug 25
@JeremyECrawford If my Temporary Hit Points are 10 and I take 30 damage from an attack, what is the DC of my Concentration Check?

Jeremy Crawford
@Mathew_Reuther The DC is 15. When temporary hit points absorb damage for you, you're still taking damage, just not to your real hit points.

 

[Uchawi]

My opinion is temporary hit points are a short reprieve (shot of adrenaline), but do nothing from preventing the subject from experiencing more damage (pain, fatigue, etc.). It depends on how you view hit points, in regards to explaining it.

 

[marsupial_riot]

Crawford thinks so. I'm inclined to agree, otherwise that really makes the fiend pact much better than the other warlock pacts.

much better or more suited to a particular type of build? any warlock (or character) can have temporary hit points. but having temporary hit points that might help you to avoid concentration check would be incredibly handy in extending the life of your spells if you were a more melee oriented (like the blade pact) caster.

perhaps it is mostly a philosophical argument.

to me when i read this line under temporary hit points:

Temporary hit points aren’t actual hit points; they are a buffer against damage, a pool of hit points that protect you from injury.

it makes me thing that the damage never gets to your character but is instead absorbed by this "buffer"

 

[Keisa]

Consider the case of a druid, who gets temp points in wild form. Having temp hp protect against concentration checks would mean that he would never lose spells while in wild form. That would be definitely not meet the intent of concentration checks.

I play a moon druid and would not want to see this.

 

[marsupial_riot]

Consider the case of a druid, who gets temp points in wild form. Having temp hp protect against concentration checks would mean that he would never lose spells while in wild form. That would be definitely not meet the intent of concentration checks.

I play a moon druid and would not want to see this.

i am not sure what you mean. druids do not get temporary hit points when they wild shape. they have two separate pools of hit points, they assume the hit points and hit die of the beast form they transform into and they track their original hit points separately in case their hit points are reduced to zero in beast form. those are not temporary hit points, they are real hit points.

if while in wild shape form it were to gain temp, i am not sure how that changes the situation. he could in fact lose concentration once the temp runs out, or through other environmental factors. plus with only being able to concentrate on one spell that he would have had to cast before he transformed (since he cannot cast in beast form), i am not really sure how that makes my question invalid.

please expound if i am missing something.