Does damage vulnerability affect death saving throws?












4














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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    4














    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









    New contributor




    Meldorn is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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      4












      4








      4







      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









      New contributor




      Meldorn is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.











      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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      edited 4 hours ago









      Rubiksmoose

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      47.9k6237362






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          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.






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            8














            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




























              8














              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


























                8












                8








                8






                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














                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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                edited 3 hours ago









                V2Blast

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                19.6k356121










                answered 4 hours ago









                Rubiksmoose

                47.9k6237362




                47.9k6237362






















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