![]() ![]() So to spell it out clearly, and to answer the actual question, let us look at the actual scenario under these circumstances: The reason that you would revert in step 3 is because you are taking enough damage to drop you to 0 hit points, at which point the hit point reduction is interrupted by the Druid reverting to their normal form, and then the hit point reduction can continue here. Regarding AceCalhoon's own answer, this would be applying the second interpretation of the Instant Death rules. (Supposing of course, that Instant Death is not checked immediately.) If the Druid is reduced to 0 hit points in their normal form from this, Instant Death is checked here.The Druid is now in normal form, and must take the remaining 9 damage.The Druid is dropped to 0 from taking 1 of that damage, so they revert to their normal form, regaining their previous hit point total. ![]() ![]() The Druid takes 10 damage while in animal form.The Druid is in animal form and has 1 hit point left.I would like to point out here and now what really sells me to my case:įor example, if you take 10 damage in animal form and have only 1 hit point left, you revert and take 9 damage.įrom what I can tell, this reads like the following: As long as the excess damage doesn't reduce your normal form to 0 hit points, you aren't knocked unconscious. For example, if you take 10 damage in animal form and have only 1 hit point left, you revert and take 9 damage. However, if you revert as a result of dropping to 0 hit points, any excess damage carries over to your normal form. When you revert to your normal form, you return to the number of hit points you had before you transformed. When you transform, you assume the beast's hit points and Hit Dice.You Automatically revert if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die.SO, for the third time here, let us look at the relevant Wild Shape text: Wild Shape I will make a case that instant death is checked after a reversion to normal form. Ace makes a case for both possibilities equally, and anax makes a case for instant death checking before reverting to normal form. So if you rule that instant-death is very fatal for shapeshifters, hope your players never realize that they can just start turning the bad guys into box turtles and stepping on them.ĪceCalhoon and anaximander have both provided some well thought out and thoroughly explained answers here already. The 4th-level spell Polymorph uses the same mechanics as the Druid's wildshape ability. Because it's the only one that supports my playstyle. Therefore, I must rule for interpretation two. Well, you aren't going to have many druids turning into things other than tigers or bears. But if turning into a sparrow to serenade the innkeeper's daughter means you instantly die when you fail the perception check to spot her cat Boots. There is ultimately no way to resolve the atomicity of the instant death process, short of "Word of God" from a developer.įor my table, I like Druids to use their abilities as something other than a combat cooldown. He reaches zero, reverts to druid, instant death is checked against his druid hit points, and the special-case against unconsciousness kicks in to keep him on his feet. If you subscribe to the second, then the spider-druid can take a normal amount of damage before dying. There is an explicit special case to prevent unconsciousness, but there isn't one to prevent death. They take the damage, it is instantly fatal, and they revert form. If you subscribe to the first interpretation, then a spider-druid dies when they take 2 points of damage. The example is also done in very distinct steps: The cleric takes damage, is reduced to 0 hit points, then the remaining damage is checked, then the cleric dies. Nothing "remains" unless it is "remaining after" something else. "Remains" implies a two phase process: apply the damage, and then check what's left. Any sequencing in the description is purely to help understand the process. You apply the damage, and then under certain circumstances the target dies. Instant death is fundamentally, a single, atomic, operation. There are two ways to interpret the instant death rules: Because the remaining damage equals her hit point maximum, the cleric dies. If she takes 18 damage from an attack, she is reduced to 0 hit points, but 12 damage remains. When damage reduces you to 0 hit points, and there is damage remaining, you die if the remaining damage equals or exceeds your hit point maximum. If you revert as a result of dropping to 0 hit points, any excess damage carries over to your normal form. You automatically revert if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die. The relevant rules are Wild Shape on pages 66 - 67: ![]()
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