D&D 5E What can an elf do during a trance?

[Greenstone.Walker]

Or, to put it another way, what does "semiconscious" mean?

For example:
Can a trancing elf maintain barbarian rage? A level 20 barbarian with endless unlimited rage.
Can they make perception checks? At disadvantage or normal?
Do attacks against them have advantage?
Can they maintain concentration?
Do they keep holding items or do they drop them? Holding two weapons so if they are attacked then they can use dual wielding on the first round of combat.
Is there any disadvantage or automatic failure of saving throws?

What conditions, if any, would you apply to an elf while trancing? We know they are not unconscious because the book uses the term "semiconscious" (a term it doesn't actually define) but what about incapacitated, paralysed, or stunned? Would they be blinded and deafened?

 

[Warmaster Horus]

Cluck like a chicken? Revisit their past life as a cowboy?

 

[Gardens & Goblins]

Dance. Dance like nobody is watching.

 

[jaelis]

I would treat a semiconcious creature as stunned.

Can a trancing elf maintain barbarian rage?

Certainly not. You need to either attack or take damage during a rage, I wouldn't say either of those was consistent with trancing.

Can they make perception checks? At disadvantage or normal?

Yes. I would have a sleeping character rely on passive perception (at disadvantage), while I would let a trancing elf roll a check (at disadvantage) if their passive failed.

Do attacks against them have advantage?

I would say yes, following the stunned condition.

Can they maintain concentration?

No, I would say you are incapacitated while trancing.

Do they keep holding items or do they drop them?

I would say you have to sit or lie down to trance. Since you can't be forced into a trance state I don't see how dropping an item would come up.

Is there any disadvantage or automatic failure of saving throws?

Based on the stun rules, I would have them autofail Str and Dex saves.

 

[Croesus]

TRANCE
Elves don't need to sleep. Instead, they meditate deeply, remaining semiconscious, for 4 hours a day. (The common word for such meditation is "trance.") While meditating, you can dream after a fashion; such dreams are actually mental exercises that have become reflexive through years of practice. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep.

It sounds very similar to folks who are so deep inconcentration on a task, they don't notice anything around them. So for simplicity, I'd treat it as being asleep/unconscious.

UNCONSCIOUS
• An unconscious creature is incapacitated (see the condition), can't move or speak, and is unaware of its surroundings
• The creature drops whatever it's holding and falls prone.
• The creature automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws.
• Attack rolls against the creature have advantage.
• Any attack that hits the creature is a critical hit if the attacker is within 5 feet of the creature.

INCAPACITATED
• An incapacitated creature can't take actions or reactions.

 

[Storyteller Hero]

An elf can commune with the harmony and beauty of nature.

♫ Kumbayaaaaaah, Kumba-ya-haaaaaaaaa... ♫

 

[aco175]

I agree with Jaelis above, there are many good points there. I may treat the elf as a semi-asleep and allow them a Perception check at disadvantage. I would err on the side of less in this case over giving more abilities vs. the other races. I know that other races have abilities elves do not, but in this case I find it makes them too powerful if they can do more than basic alertness. 4 hours "sleep" is a good thing on its own.