D&D 5E Request for clarification: Undead Fortitude

[Gorg]

I'm wondering two things about this ability for Zombies:

1. does this apply just when a zombie is dropped to exactly 0 hp- or for any attack that drops it below 0?

2. do I roll that saving throw every time it hits 0 hp, or just the first time?

I'm wondering, because I fought some Ash Zombies in the ruins of Thunder Tree today, and I applied it each time. The zombies rolled very well, and 2 of them were struck in a whack a mole loop at 1 hp for 3 rounds, lol. It was beginning to get annoying- "THESE THINGS WON'T FREAKING DIE!!!" lol. Could have caused some real hurt, if they weren't trying to gang up on the cleric- who had protection from evil active. They never hit him, but eventually, if you make enough rolls...

 

[overgeeked]

"Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the zombie to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead."

1. There are no negative hit points in 5E. Zero is the lowest you can go.

2. Every time. That's the point.

Zombies very much are the "these things won't freaking die" monster of D&D. That's the fun of them. They don't stop coming unless you get a lucky head shot (critical hit) or burn them with divine fury (radiant damage).

 

[Benjamin Olson]

1. There is no below zero in 5e. "Reduce to zero" covers a creature with 5 HP remaining taking 5 damage, 6 damage, or (potentially) 50 damage. The one major caveat is that enough damage in one hit to take a player character (or other creature for whom you choose to do death saves) to zero and then do their entire maximum HP beyond that will kill the character instantly.

2. Roll the save for them every time. If it was just once it would say as such.

5e Zombies can be a slog. It is advisable to use radiant damage (which circumvents the ability) or hit them hard (the highest amount of damage a standard zombie could possibly make their fortitude save on is 18 points). But for a low level group without a Cleric, Paladin, or someone else with radiant damage abilities and/or undead, it can be a serious and frustrating encounter, or worse, a dull and tedious one.

If there is one place where I think no DM should ever be criticized for fudging a die it is in letting a lingering zombie who is clearly no longer a real threat in an encounter that is clearly effectively over just die.

 

[overgeeked]

If there is one place where I think no DM should ever be criticized for fudging a die it is in letting a lingering zombie who is clearly no longer a real threat in an encounter that is clearly effectively over just die.

You could make it easier to deal with by making it more like the troll's regeneration. If they hit 0 hp on a round where they took a critical hit or radiant damage they go down for good, even if the critical or the radiant did not take them to 0 hp.

 

[billd91]

Undead Fortitude is why I love 5e zombies.

 

[Umbran]

But for a low level group without a Cleric, Paladin, or someone else with radiant damage abilities and/or undead, it can be a serious and frustrating encounter, or worse, a dull and tedious one.

5e zombies are actually awesome to use with low level PCs... for encounters where actually killing the monsters isn't the only (or even best) way to get through the encounter. Their unrelenting menace can be used to drive players to other creative thinking...

 

[Flamestrike]

1. does this apply just when a zombie is dropped to exactly 0 hp- or for any attack that drops it below 0?

Negative HP dont exist.

 

[Charlaquin]

“They just won’t freaking die” is exactly how fighting zombies should feel. And I agree with Umbran, they are best used for encounters where killing all the enemies is not the primary goal.

Also, I add fire damage to the list of things that can kill them without a save. Because killing the zombies with fire is a well-known trope, and I think it should work.

 

[Stalker0]

“They just won’t freaking die” is exactly how fighting zombies should feel. And I agree with Umbran, they are best used for encounters where killing all the enemies is not the primary goal.

Also, I add fire damage to the list of things that can kill them without a save. Because killing the zombies with fire is a well-known trope, and I think it should work.

Also if you double tap, as that is one of the rules of zombieland.

 

[Charlaquin]

Also if you double tap, as that is one of the rules of zombieland.

You could make that work if you wanted to. Just limit their Undead Fortitude ability to only work once per round. Making it a reaction would accomplish that pretty cleanly.