D&D 5E Spectres, Hit point loss and temp HP

[aramis erak]

What are the 10 temp hit points? Where do they come from?

Spells and Class Features

Spells	Class Features
Armor of Agathys Enhance Ability (Bear's Strength) False Life Heroism	Fighter-Battlemaster's Rally Manuever Warlock-Fiend Pact's Dark One's Blessing Wizard-Conjurer's Durable Summons

 

[Psikerlord#]

I would rule option 1

 

[Scorpio616]

I would rule 3 as well. Temp HP are not Barrier HP. They don't stop any effects.

 

[KarinsDad]

Option 3 is the correct ruling. A character with 10 temporary hit points who takes 15 points of damage has STILL taken 15 points of damage. There is NOTHING in the rules that suggests that damage to temporary hit points doesn't count as real damage. Yes, this makes temporary hit points less effective against life draining attacks.

The example on page 197 disagrees with this interpretation. In that example, the "creature takes 10 damage" from an initial amount of 25 (lowered by 5 via a spell and halved by resistance). The creature does not take 25 damage.

There is a difference between the "damage applied" (as per the terminology under "Damage Rolls" on page 196) and "damage taken". You are discussing the damage that is applied (i.e. rolling the dice and adding any modifiers).

 

[guachi]

I'll vote for ruling 1 and reference the text regarding temporary hit points someone posted earlier.

 

[Rod Staffwand]

Easy. I'd go with #1.

The specter inflicts 15 damage: the Temporary HPs take 10 damage; the fighter takes 5 damage and loses 5 HP from his max.

Now if it was a Super Death Specter that could cast Power Word Kill at-will and the fighter had 95 hit points + 10 temporary hit points, the fighter would die, since he has 100 HP or fewer.

 

[77IM]

If temp hit points had a different name, "damage buffer" or something, would it make these sorts of questions easier to answer?

 

[Shadowdweller00]

The example on page 197 disagrees with this interpretation. In that example, the "creature takes 10 damage" from an initial amount of 25 (lowered by 5 via a spell and halved by resistance). The creature does not take 25 damage.

There is a difference between the "damage applied" (as per the terminology under "Damage Rolls" on page 196) and "damage taken". You are discussing the damage that is applied (i.e. rolling the dice and adding any modifiers).

The example does nothing of the sort. There ARE effects that explicitly reduce damage. These include resistance and the Heavy Armor Master feat, the (lore) bard's cutting words ability, and the monk's deflect missiles ability. Temporary hit points do no such thing.

 

[KarinsDad]

The example does nothing of the sort. There ARE effects that explicitly reduce damage. These include resistance and the Heavy Armor Master feat, the (lore) bard's cutting words ability, and the monk's deflect missiles ability. Temporary hit points do no such thing.

Sure they do.

Let's take an example of a PC with 50 current hit points out of a total of 50 total hit points, 5 temporary hit points, getting hit by the Spectre for 10 points of damage.

With my interpretation, the PC loses 5 temporary hit points, takes 5 points of damage, loses 5 from his current hit points and loses 5 from his total hit points: 45 current hit points, 45 total hit points.
With your interpretation, the PC loses 5 temporary hit points, takes 5 points of damage, loses 5 from his current hit points and loses 10 from his total hit points: 45 current hit points, 40 total hit points.

But wait, a PC cannot have more current hit points than total hit points. Hence with your interpretation, either his total hit points would have to go up to 45, or his current hit points would have to go down to 40. Which is it?

The math does not appear to support your POV.


Don't let the phrase "hit points" inside the phrase "temporary hit points" confuse you. Temporary hit points are not hit points. They are a damage mitigation game mechanic. Just like resistance and Arcane Ward and other game mechanics, they lower "damage applied" to "damage taken".

The temporary hit point section of the rules states that temporary hit points are a buffer against damage. As such, the damage is not actually taken.

Although we do not have an explicit RAW rule on this, the intent of temporary hit points appears to be to mitigate damage and your interpretation is not allowing them to do that. Also, your interpretation has a math issue no matter how you answer the question above.

 

[Shadowdweller00]

But wait, a PC cannot have more current hit points than total hit points. Hence with your interpretation, either his total hit points would have to go up to 45, or his current hit points would have to go down to 40. Which is it?

The math does not appear to support your POV.

Which aspect of a maximum are you having comprehension problems with?