D&D 5E Dying From Exhaustion While Petrified

[Fanaelialae]

I was reading the 5e Petrified condition today, and it occurred to me that it doesn't say anything about not needing food or drink while petrified. It does say that the creature "ceases aging", and it could be argued that the intent of this to imply that the creature no longer requires food or drink, but it's rather vague. If some powerful entity granted a character eternal youth (ceasement of aging), I wouldn't assume that to mean that they no longer require food or drink. Other effects, like the Donjon card from the DoMT, clearly state that they place the creature in suspended animation.

Please bear in mind, IMC I would not have a creature die from exhaustion due to petrification. IMO, petrification should effectively function as suspended animation, and that is how I've always run it at my table.

This post is simply out of curiosity, to see if there's perhaps some rule I've overlooked. By a strict reading of 5e RAW, can a creature that is petrified die from exhaustion as a result of not being able to eat or drink? It seems to me that the answer is technically yes, but it is certainly possible I've missed something.

 

[Shardstone]

Can you imagine how much it would suck to die of dehydration while turned into stone? Your mouth must be so dang dry.

 

[Distracted DM]

I was reading the 5e Petrified condition today, and it occurred to me that it doesn't say anything about not needing food or drink while petrified. It does say that the creature "ceases aging", and it could be argued that the intent of this to imply that the creature no longer requires food or drink, but it's rather vague. If some powerful entity granted a character eternal youth (ceasement of aging), I wouldn't assume that to mean that they no longer require food or drink. Other effects, like the Donjon card from the DoMT, clearly state that they place the creature in suspended animation.

Please bear in mind, IMC I would not have a creature die from exhaustion due to petrification. IMO, petrification should effectively function as suspended animation, and that is how I've always run it at my table.

This post is simply out of curiosity, to see if there's perhaps some rule I've overlooked. By a strict reading of 5e RAW, can a creature that is petrified die from exhaustion as a result of not being able to eat or drink? It seems to me that the answer is technically yes, but it is certainly possible I've missed something.

I don't think you've missed anything.
But other stuff is RAI vs RAW interpretation: For instance, a paralyzed or unconscious or stunned rogue and Evasion.

 

[aco175]

What about not breathing. You can live 3 days without water and 3 weeks without food, but only 3 minutes without air. I do not think it is the case and that the 'ceases aging' part means that your body no longer needs these things until the condition is gone.

 

[Reynard]

The condition blatantly states you are turned to stone (or similar). Do stones eat or drink or breath?

 

[Azzy]

I don't think you've missed anything.
But other stuff is RAI vs RAW interpretation: For instance, a paralyzed or unconscious or stunned rogue and Evasion. View attachment 353209

Wait... Jeremy Crawford posted a RAI interpretation? (Yes, along with a RAW one, but still.) What reality are we living in?

 

[Clint_L]

For me, common sense generally trumps RAW, and this is certainly an instance where the common sense ruling seems obvious: a petrified character does not need, nor could consume, food or drink.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Yep, gameworld logic always trumps RAW. There are lots of examples of petrification as a form of suspended animation, from the Chronicles of Narnia to Baldur's Gate. Clearly a petrified character does not need to eat, sleep, breathe, etc. If the rules suggest they do, then the rules are wrong.

 

[aco175]

I know that more than once I had a long petrified NPC come back to life. One was the BBEG who was trying to complete his past deeds, but shifted to bring back his past love and raise an undead army, similar to the Mummy movie. Another time, all the PCs started off being brought back from being petrified some 10-100 years after.

 

[Reynard]

I know that more than once I had a long petrified NPC come back to life. One was the BBEG who was trying to complete his past deeds, but shifted to bring back his past love and raise an undead army, similar to the Mummy movie. Another time, all the PCs started off being brought back from being petrified some 10-100 years after.

I once had my PC cleric get turned to stone by a Gorgon in a random encounter. The site became a sort of shrine to the character's faith. years later, we decided to revisit the setting and my character was revived. Everyone thought he was "the chosen one" but really he was just a 3rd level BECMI cleric trying to survive. He didn't.