D&D 5E When you reduce a creature's hit points to 0

[Fanaelialae]

Because you have to draw the line somewhere. For instance, which of these would count:
- Warlock pushes target over the cliff
- Warlock uses suggestion to convince target to jump off cliff
- Warlock uses suggestion to convince 3rd party to push target off cliff
- Warlock cast an illusion concealing cliff, and target walks off
- Warlock convinces target to camp near cliff, knowing there is a ogre living nearby who likes to throw sleeping adventurers over

You are welcome to rule on those however you like, I won't argue. Some of them make my brain hurt though, so I'm inclined to rule you get the benefit only when they are killed by damage you did directly, via either an attack or a spell.

I prefer the murder metric. Assuming all the facts are known, would it be considered murder (discounting mitigating factors such as self defense)? IANAL, but I believe that all but the last of those examples would be murder (to the best of my understanding the last might at most be an accomplice to murder, as it is not murder to convince someone to go to a location you know to be dangerous).

It makes sense to me that a fiend wouldn't care how you kill someone, just that you do. Besides, some of those means are reasonably clever, and I see no reason to promote EB spam over something a bit more inventive.

YMMV

 

[jaelis]

And ruling that way is fine, but is it the most fun for your game?

I believe so,yes, because it would enable me to quickly move on with the action rather than debating or pondering about whether the warlock earned a few temp hp But absolutely YMMV.

I prefer the murder metric. Assuming all the facts are known, would it be considered murder

mmm... just out of curiosity, what about an accidental death? Perhaps the target was caught in a fireball intended for someone else? Or a potion of poison thought to be a potion of healing?

 

[Fanaelialae]

mmm... just out of curiosity, what about an accidental death? Perhaps the target was caught in a fireball intended for someone else? Or a potion of poison thought to be a potion of healing?

Same as self-defense (ignore it, a kill is a kill). Although I might throw in that the warlock senses that the patron is pleased (in the case of the fireball it would be approval for such reckless violence, whereas the potion would probably provoke a sense of amusement).

 

[Bardbarian]

The way I look at it is if the warlock caused the kill, then the patron rewards the effort. so if its A-B-C then I would give it
- Warlock pushes target over the cliff
- Warlock uses suggestion to convince target to jump off cliff
both directly lead to the kill. I would award it.

- Warlock uses suggestion to convince 3rd party to push target off cliff
- Warlock cast an illusion concealing cliff, and target walks off
Rely on the actions of another party and are based on their ability to succeed or fail at an action, i generally would not give it.

the caveat at my table is if you do something really cool or really clever you get all the good stuff you deserve. At least the first time. Cleverness loses a bit in repetition.

 

[Mark Johnson2]

If a warlock attacks a guy, does MOST of the damage, and then another player finishes them off, does the warlock get the blessing?

 

[Mistwell]

Arise foul thread!

If a warlock attacks a guy, does MOST of the damage, and then another player finishes them off, does the warlock get the blessing?

No. You have to be the one that reduces them to zero hit points. You got to be the guy who sends their soul out of their body, essentially.

 

[Dausuul]

Some traits like Dark One's Blessing refer to reducing the hit points of the target to 0. How would you rule it if the target dies from falling damage? Did the attacker reduce the hit points of the target to 0 or did the fall do that?

Strictly speaking, I would say it's the fall. But as DM, I might allow it to work anyway if the fall was due to, say, being Repelling Blasted off a cliff. I feel like you deserve the bonus when you pull off a cool move.

 

[CapnZapp]

Some traits like Dark One's Blessing refer to reducing the hit points of the target to 0. How would you rule it if the target dies from falling damage? Did the attacker reduce the hit points of the target to 0 or did the fall do that?

It's the "Guns don't kill people; people kill people" lunacy, only in reverse.

If you stab him with a dagger, did you kill him... or was it the dagger?

This is obviously absurd.

So my reply is: if you pushed him over the cliff (either with your hands or with a spell), it triggers, just as if you stabbed him with a dagger or cast Fireball over his head.