Does damage vulnerability affect death saving throws?












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$begingroup$


I know that a critical hit, which deals double damage, immediately causes an unconscious creature to fail two death saving throws. Vulnerability also causes a creature to take double damage against certain attacks.



Does taking damage from a type a creature is vulnerable to cause two failed death saving throws as well, or does it simply have a higher chance of killing them instantly (if the target is damaged equal to or greater than its hit point maximum)?










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$endgroup$

















    6












    $begingroup$


    I know that a critical hit, which deals double damage, immediately causes an unconscious creature to fail two death saving throws. Vulnerability also causes a creature to take double damage against certain attacks.



    Does taking damage from a type a creature is vulnerable to cause two failed death saving throws as well, or does it simply have a higher chance of killing them instantly (if the target is damaged equal to or greater than its hit point maximum)?










    share|improve this question











    $endgroup$















      6












      6








      6





      $begingroup$


      I know that a critical hit, which deals double damage, immediately causes an unconscious creature to fail two death saving throws. Vulnerability also causes a creature to take double damage against certain attacks.



      Does taking damage from a type a creature is vulnerable to cause two failed death saving throws as well, or does it simply have a higher chance of killing them instantly (if the target is damaged equal to or greater than its hit point maximum)?










      share|improve this question











      $endgroup$




      I know that a critical hit, which deals double damage, immediately causes an unconscious creature to fail two death saving throws. Vulnerability also causes a creature to take double damage against certain attacks.



      Does taking damage from a type a creature is vulnerable to cause two failed death saving throws as well, or does it simply have a higher chance of killing them instantly (if the target is damaged equal to or greater than its hit point maximum)?







      dnd-5e saving-throw character-death vulnerability






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      share|improve this question













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      share|improve this question








      edited Dec 29 '18 at 20:12









      Rubiksmoose

      56.5k9274424




      56.5k9274424










      asked Dec 29 '18 at 20:01









      MeldornMeldorn

      785




      785






















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          12












          $begingroup$

          Vulnerability has no special effect on death saving throws



          The rule for taking damage at 0 HP is:




          Damage at 0 Hit Points. If you take any damage while you have 0 hit points, you suffer a death saving throw failure. If the damage is from a critical hit, you suffer two failures instead. If the damage equals or exceeds your hit point maximum, you suffer instant death.




          The two failed throws comes only from a critical hit not from other forms of increased damage.



          Critical hits and vulnerability are two separate mechanics with two separate names and that function differently, and there is no reason to conflate the two.1 If the death saving throw rules were meant to include them, they would have listed vulnerability by name in the description.



          Of course, because the damage to a vulnerable creature is increased they do have a greater chance of suffering instant death, but they would only take one failed death saving throw assuming they survive.





          1 - Vulnerability actually doubles damage, but critical hits only has you roll the damage dice twice. It is a subtle but important distinction, but critical hits do not double the damage.






          share|improve this answer











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            12












            $begingroup$

            Vulnerability has no special effect on death saving throws



            The rule for taking damage at 0 HP is:




            Damage at 0 Hit Points. If you take any damage while you have 0 hit points, you suffer a death saving throw failure. If the damage is from a critical hit, you suffer two failures instead. If the damage equals or exceeds your hit point maximum, you suffer instant death.




            The two failed throws comes only from a critical hit not from other forms of increased damage.



            Critical hits and vulnerability are two separate mechanics with two separate names and that function differently, and there is no reason to conflate the two.1 If the death saving throw rules were meant to include them, they would have listed vulnerability by name in the description.



            Of course, because the damage to a vulnerable creature is increased they do have a greater chance of suffering instant death, but they would only take one failed death saving throw assuming they survive.





            1 - Vulnerability actually doubles damage, but critical hits only has you roll the damage dice twice. It is a subtle but important distinction, but critical hits do not double the damage.






            share|improve this answer











            $endgroup$


















              12












              $begingroup$

              Vulnerability has no special effect on death saving throws



              The rule for taking damage at 0 HP is:




              Damage at 0 Hit Points. If you take any damage while you have 0 hit points, you suffer a death saving throw failure. If the damage is from a critical hit, you suffer two failures instead. If the damage equals or exceeds your hit point maximum, you suffer instant death.




              The two failed throws comes only from a critical hit not from other forms of increased damage.



              Critical hits and vulnerability are two separate mechanics with two separate names and that function differently, and there is no reason to conflate the two.1 If the death saving throw rules were meant to include them, they would have listed vulnerability by name in the description.



              Of course, because the damage to a vulnerable creature is increased they do have a greater chance of suffering instant death, but they would only take one failed death saving throw assuming they survive.





              1 - Vulnerability actually doubles damage, but critical hits only has you roll the damage dice twice. It is a subtle but important distinction, but critical hits do not double the damage.






              share|improve this answer











              $endgroup$
















                12












                12








                12





                $begingroup$

                Vulnerability has no special effect on death saving throws



                The rule for taking damage at 0 HP is:




                Damage at 0 Hit Points. If you take any damage while you have 0 hit points, you suffer a death saving throw failure. If the damage is from a critical hit, you suffer two failures instead. If the damage equals or exceeds your hit point maximum, you suffer instant death.




                The two failed throws comes only from a critical hit not from other forms of increased damage.



                Critical hits and vulnerability are two separate mechanics with two separate names and that function differently, and there is no reason to conflate the two.1 If the death saving throw rules were meant to include them, they would have listed vulnerability by name in the description.



                Of course, because the damage to a vulnerable creature is increased they do have a greater chance of suffering instant death, but they would only take one failed death saving throw assuming they survive.





                1 - Vulnerability actually doubles damage, but critical hits only has you roll the damage dice twice. It is a subtle but important distinction, but critical hits do not double the damage.






                share|improve this answer











                $endgroup$



                Vulnerability has no special effect on death saving throws



                The rule for taking damage at 0 HP is:




                Damage at 0 Hit Points. If you take any damage while you have 0 hit points, you suffer a death saving throw failure. If the damage is from a critical hit, you suffer two failures instead. If the damage equals or exceeds your hit point maximum, you suffer instant death.




                The two failed throws comes only from a critical hit not from other forms of increased damage.



                Critical hits and vulnerability are two separate mechanics with two separate names and that function differently, and there is no reason to conflate the two.1 If the death saving throw rules were meant to include them, they would have listed vulnerability by name in the description.



                Of course, because the damage to a vulnerable creature is increased they do have a greater chance of suffering instant death, but they would only take one failed death saving throw assuming they survive.





                1 - Vulnerability actually doubles damage, but critical hits only has you roll the damage dice twice. It is a subtle but important distinction, but critical hits do not double the damage.







                share|improve this answer














                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer








                edited Dec 29 '18 at 21:13









                V2Blast

                23.2k374146




                23.2k374146










                answered Dec 29 '18 at 20:10









                RubiksmooseRubiksmoose

                56.5k9274424




                56.5k9274424






























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