Temporary Hit Points and Dying

[VorpalStare]

If you are at negative hit points and dyring, can receiving temporary hit points, such as those granted by an Aid spell, make you stable? If your new hit point total is positive, do you regain consciousness? Continue bleeding to death, while conscious?

This happened in a recent game, and I've looked around in the rules but haven't found anything definitive to cover this situation.

 

[shilsen]

If you are at negative hit points and dyring, can receiving temporary hit points, such as those granted by an Aid spell, make you stable?

Yes.

If your new hit point total is positive, do you regain consciousness?

Yes.

Continue bleeding to death, while conscious?

No.

When you are benefiting from temporary hit points, you behave as normal for whatever your current hit point total is. The only difference is that temporary hit points are either lost first when you take damage or go away when the duration of the effect granting you temporary hit points ends. So if you are at -9 hp and receive 15 temporary hp, you are at 6 hp and will remain there unless you take damage. When the duration of the temporary hp ends, you go straight back to -9, unless you've received some healing in the interim.

 

[Jdvn1]

Exactly what shilsen said.

 

[VorpalStare]

This is what I thought should happen. But I can't find support for this anywhere in the rules. Note that the Aid spell is an Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting] spell and so does not qualify as healing according to the rules on death and dying.

Assuming the temporary hit points make the character stable, is he still stable when they expire, even if he hasn't received any healing in the meantime? What if the temporary hit points don't bring him up to a positive total?

On a similar question, a character with full normal hit points and some additional temporary hit points, is subject to the Infernal Woulds ability of a Bearded Devil. This supernatural ability states in part: An injured creature loses 2 addition hit points each round. (MM p 52) Even if some temporary hit points remain after the character is hit, is he considered injured for purposes of this effect and continue to bleed? How about a victim of the Arterial Strike feat (CW p. 96), (which is not a supernatural ability)?

I was hoping the rules mudiness on temporary hit points was clarified somewhere.

Thanks for your input.

 

[Jdvn1]

Trying a new tag...

[Glossary]Temporary Hit Points[/glossary]

Hit points gained for a limited time through certain spells (such as aid) and magical effects. When a character with temporary hit points is dealt damage, deduct the damage from temporary hit points first, then deduct any remaining damage (if any) to the character's actual (nontemporary) hit points. Temporary hit points can cause a character's hit point total to exceed its normal maximum.

Key notes: Temporary Hit Points are hit points. That you have them for a limited time is moot. The only idfference is that they're deducted first and they can cause you to exceed your maximum hit points. Otherwise, they function exactly the same.

 

[Jdvn1]

Assuming the temporary hit points make the character stable, is he still stable when they expire, even if he hasn't received any healing in the meantime? What if the temporary hit points don't bring him up to a positive total?

Any healing causes him to stabilize. Any damage afterwards causes him to become unstable. That's assume the character is stable and still below 0 hp. If he's positive, he's good to go. When it goes away, he would probably merely fall unconscious.

On a similar question, a character with full normal hit points and some additional temporary hit points, is subject to the Infernal Woulds ability of a Bearded Devil. This supernatural ability states in part: An injured creature loses 2 addition hit points each round. (MM p 52) Even if some temporary hit points remain after the character is hit, is he considered injured for purposes of this effect and continue to bleed? How about a victim of the Arterial Strike feat (CW p. 96), (which is not a supernatural ability)?

I was hoping the rules mudiness on temporary hit points was clarified somewhere.

Thanks for your input.

I'd say he isn't considered injured. Losing temporary hit points isn't like being damaged. I'm not very familiar with those abilities, but I believe they both would work the same way.