Secret Lesson 24

Hit Points, Damage Rolls, Critical Hits, and Saving Throws Against Damage

You now know how to:

  • make attacks

  • determine hits and misses

  • fight at range

  • fight in melee

  • Grapple and Shove

  • use Opportunity Attacks

  • fight while mounted

  • fight underwater

Now we reach the consequence of many successful attacks and harmful effects:

DAMAGE

Damage reduces a creature's:

HIT POINTS

The SRD places these rules under:

DAMAGE AND HEALING

because injury, survival, recovery, and death all revolve around the Hit Point system.

WHAT ARE HIT POINTS?

Hit Points, usually abbreviated:

HP

represent:

DURABILITY

and:

THE WILL TO LIVE

A creature with more Hit Points is generally harder to kill.

HIT POINTS ARE AN ABSTRACT GAME MEASURE

Hit Points do not have to represent only literal wounds.

They can reflect a combination of things such as:

  • physical durability

  • stamina

  • determination

  • the ability to remain in the fight

The SRD specifically defines them in terms of durability and the will to live.

HIT POINT MAXIMUM

Your:

HIT POINT MAXIMUM

is the number of Hit Points you have when:

UNINJURED

 

EXAMPLE

Hit Point Maximum:

35 HP

When fully restored:

Current HP:

35

CURRENT HIT POINTS

Your current Hit Points can range from:

YOUR HIT POINT MAXIMUM

down to:

0

The SRD states that:

0 IS THE LOWEST HIT POINT TOTAL

 

EXAMPLE

Maximum HP:

35

Possible current HP values include:

35

28

17

3

0

But not:

−5

Your current Hit Points don't go below 0 under the general rule.

TAKING DAMAGE

Whenever you take damage:

SUBTRACT THE DAMAGE FROM YOUR CURRENT HIT POINTS

 

EXAMPLE

Current HP:

30

Damage:

8

Calculation:

30 − 8 = 22

New current HP:

22

ANOTHER EXAMPLE

Current HP:

7

Damage:

12

Your HP cannot go below 0.

New current HP:

0

What happens when a creature reaches 0 Hit Points is important enough to receive its own detailed treatment in:

LESSON 27

LOSING HIT POINTS DOESN'T NORMALLY WEAKEN YOUR STATISTICS

This is a very important rule.

The SRD states that losing Hit Points has:

NO EFFECT ON YOUR CAPABILITIES UNTIL YOU REACH 0 HP

 

EXAMPLE

Maximum HP:

50

Current HP:

2

Unless another rule applies, you can still:

  • move normally

  • attack normally

  • cast spells normally

  • use Actions normally

Your low Hit Point total doesn't automatically impose penalties.

THERE IS NO GENERAL “WOUNDED PENALTY”

A creature at:

1 HP

is not automatically:

  • slower

  • weaker

  • less accurate

  • disadvantaged on attacks

simply because its HP is low.

If another rule imposes such an effect, follow that rule.

But ordinary Hit Point loss alone doesn't do it.

BLOODIED

The SRD introduces a useful state called:

BLOODIED

A creature is Bloodied when it has:

HALF ITS HIT POINTS OR FEWER REMAINING

 

EXAMPLE

Maximum HP:

40

Half:

20

The creature is Bloodied when its current HP is:

20 OR LOWER

ANOTHER EXAMPLE

Maximum HP:

31

Half is:

15.5

Using the game's normal rounding-down rule:

the relevant whole-number threshold is:

15 HP

So at 15 HP or fewer, the creature is Bloodied.

BLOODIED HAS NO EFFECT BY ITSELF

Being Bloodied:

HAS NO GAME EFFECT ON ITS OWN

However, other rules can trigger when a creature becomes or is Bloodied.

EXAMPLE

If no feature mentions Bloodied:

being Bloodied changes nothing mechanically.

But if a monster ability says:

“When this creature is Bloodied...”

then that ability can react to the condition described by the rule.

DAMAGE ROLLS

Weapons, spells, and damaging monster abilities specify:

HOW MUCH DAMAGE THEY DEAL

Usually this involves:

DAMAGE DICE

plus any applicable modifiers.

BASIC DAMAGE PROCESS

When an effect tells you to roll damage:

1. ROLL THE DAMAGE DICE

2. ADD ANY APPLICABLE MODIFIERS

3. DEAL THAT DAMAGE TO THE TARGET

 

EXAMPLE

A weapon deals:

1D8 + 3

You roll:

5

Add:

+3

Total:

8 DAMAGE

The target loses:

8 HP

before applying any other rule that might modify the damage.

DAMAGE CAN BE 0

If a penalty reduces damage sufficiently:

DAMAGE CAN BE 0

But the SRD states that damage cannot become:

NEGATIVE

 

EXAMPLE

Damage roll:

2

Penalty:

−4

You do not deal:

−2 damage

Instead:

0 DAMAGE

Damage cannot become negative.

NEGATIVE DAMAGE DOESN'T HEAL

Because damage bottoms out at:

0

a sufficiently large penalty doesn't turn an attack into healing.

WEAPON DAMAGE

When attacking with a weapon, you normally add:

THE SAME ABILITY MODIFIER USED FOR THE ATTACK ROLL

to:

THE DAMAGE ROLL

 

EXAMPLE — STRENGTH WEAPON

Weapon damage:

1d8

Strength Modifier:

+3

The weapon attack used Strength.

On a hit:

1D8 + 3 DAMAGE

EXAMPLE — DEXTERITY WEAPON

Suppose a weapon attack uses:

Dexterity +4

and the weapon deals:

1d6

On a hit, the normal weapon-damage calculation is:

1D6 + 4

because Dexterity was the ability modifier used for the attack.

FINESSE AND DAMAGE

You learned earlier that some weapons allow you to choose between:

STRENGTH

and:

DEXTERITY

for the attack.

If you use Dexterity for the attack, the normal rule uses that same chosen modifier for the weapon's damage.

The key idea is:

SAME ABILITY MODIFIER FOR ATTACK AND DAMAGE

unless a specific rule says otherwise.

PROFICIENCY BONUS IS NOT NORMALLY ADDED TO DAMAGE

Be careful.

For a typical weapon attack:

Attack Roll

can include:

PROFICIENCY BONUS

Damage Roll

normally includes:

ABILITY MODIFIER

not your Proficiency Bonus.

EXAMPLE

Strength:

+3

PB:

+2

Sword damage:

1d8

Attack Roll:

1D20 + 3 + 2

Damage:

1D8 + 3

Not:

1d8 + 5

unless another feature specifically gives such a bonus.

SPELL DAMAGE

A spell tells you:

  • which dice to roll

  • whether any modifiers are added

 

So you should not automatically apply your spellcasting Ability Modifier to every spell's damage.

EXAMPLE

If a spell says:

3D8 DAMAGE

then roll:

3D8

If the spell or another applicable feature says to add a modifier:

add it.

Otherwise:

don't invent one.

FIXED DAMAGE

Some attacks use:

A FIXED DAMAGE AMOUNT

instead of a damage roll.

The SRD specifies that unless a rule says otherwise:

YOU DON'T ADD YOUR ABILITY MODIFIER TO FIXED DAMAGE THAT DOESN'T USE A ROLL

It gives the Blowgun's damage as an example.

EXAMPLE

Suppose an attack simply states:

1 DAMAGE

and doesn't instruct you to roll damage or add a modifier.

You don't automatically change it to:

1 + Dexterity Modifier

unless another rule specifically says to do so.

ATTACK ROLL AND DAMAGE ROLL ARE DIFFERENT

Remember:

ATTACK ROLL

determines:

WHETHER YOU HIT

A:

DAMAGE ROLL

determines:

HOW MUCH DAMAGE THE HIT DEALS

They are separate mechanics.

EXAMPLE

Attack:

1d20 + 6

Target AC:

15

You roll:

12 + 6 = 18

Hit.

Now roll damage:

1d8 + 4

You roll:

6 + 4 = 10

Target takes:

10 DAMAGE

CRITICAL HITS

You learned earlier that a natural 20 on an Attack Roll normally produces:

A CRITICAL HIT

A Critical Hit causes:

EXTRA DAMAGE

 

HOW TO ROLL CRITICAL HIT DAMAGE

When you score a Critical Hit:

ROLL THE ATTACK'S DAMAGE DICE TWICE

Then:

ADD THEM TOGETHER

Then:

ADD RELEVANT MODIFIERS NORMALLY

 

EXAMPLE — DAGGER

Normal damage:

1D4 + 3

Critical Hit:

2D4 + 3

Not:

2d4 + 6

The damage dice are rolled twice.

The normal modifier is added:

ONCE

EXAMPLE

Critical damage:

2d4 + 3

Rolls:

4 + 2

Then modifier:

+3

Total:

9 DAMAGE

DON'T DOUBLE THE FINAL DAMAGE TOTAL

This is another common mistake.

Suppose normal damage is:

1D8 + 4

Do not:

  1. roll 1d8 + 4

  2. multiply the final answer by 2

Instead:

ROLL THE DAMAGE DICE TWICE

So:

2D8 + 4

 

DON'T DOUBLE THE ABILITY MODIFIER

Normal damage:

1d8 + 4

Critical:

2D8 + 4

not:

2d8 + 8

unless another specific rule separately changes the modifier.

ADDITIONAL DAMAGE DICE ARE ALSO DOUBLED

This is extremely important.

If the attack includes additional damage dice, those dice are also rolled twice.

The SRD gives:

ROGUE'S SNEAK ATTACK

as an example.

EXAMPLE — EXTRA DAMAGE DICE

Suppose an attack normally deals:

1D8 + 3

plus:

2D6

from another part of the attack.

On a Critical Hit:

Weapon damage dice:

1d8 → 2d8

Additional damage dice:

2d6 → 4d6

Modifier:

+3

Final Critical Hit damage:

2D8 + 4D6 + 3

CRITICAL HIT FORMULA

A useful rule:

DOUBLE THE ATTACK'S DAMAGE DICE

DON'T AUTOMATICALLY DOUBLE FIXED MODIFIERS

WHAT IF AN ATTACK HAS NO DAMAGE DICE?

The Critical Hit rule specifically tells you to roll:

THE ATTACK'S DAMAGE DICE TWICE

So if an effect doesn't have damage dice, don't invent extra dice.

Use the rule as written.

SAVING THROWS AND DAMAGE

Not all damage comes from Attack Rolls.

Many effects instead force targets to make:

SAVING THROWS

The spell or effect tells you:

  • which Saving Throw to make

  • what happens on failure

  • what happens on success

The SRD provides two important general rules for damage caused through Saving Throws.

DAMAGE AGAINST MULTIPLE TARGETS

Suppose one effect forces:

TWO OR MORE TARGETS

to make Saving Throws:

AT THE SAME TIME

For that damaging effect:

ROLL THE DAMAGE ONCE FOR ALL TARGETS

 

EXAMPLE — FIREBALL

The SRD uses:

FIREBALL

as its example.

If several creatures are caught in the effect:

each creature makes the required Saving Throw.

But the damage dice are rolled:

ONCE

and that damage result is used for all affected targets.

EXAMPLE

Four targets must save against one damaging effect.

Damage roll:

8d6

You roll:

31 DAMAGE

Do not roll damage four separate times.

The base damage result for all four targets is:

31

Each target's Saving Throw can then determine how much of that result it actually takes according to the effect.

WHY ONE DAMAGE ROLL?

This ensures that all creatures struck by the same simultaneous damaging effect use:

THE SAME DAMAGE RESULT

Their individual Saving Throw outcomes can still differ.

EXAMPLE

Damage rolled once:

24

Target A:

fails → takes the failure result.

Target B:

succeeds → follows the success result.

Target C:

fails.

Target D:

succeeds.

The damage dice are not rerolled for each creature.

HALF DAMAGE ON A SUCCESSFUL SAVE

Many Saving Throw effects say that a creature takes:

HALF DAMAGE

if it succeeds on the save.

When this happens:

ROUND DOWN

 

EXAMPLE — EVEN DAMAGE

Failed-save damage:

24

Successful save with half damage:

24 ÷ 2

=

12 DAMAGE

EXAMPLE — ODD DAMAGE

Failed-save damage:

25

Half:

12.5

Round down:

12 DAMAGE

 

HALF DAMAGE IS BASED ON THE FAILED-SAVE DAMAGE

The SRD defines the halved amount as:

HALF OF THE DAMAGE THAT WOULD BE DEALT ON A FAILED SAVE

 

SUCCESS DOES NOT ALWAYS MEAN HALF DAMAGE

This is very important.

The rule says:

MANY

Saving Throw effects deal half damage on success.

It does not say:

ALL

Saving Throw effects do.

Some effects might say:

  • no damage on success

  • half damage on success

  • a different effect on success

Always read the particular effect.

EXAMPLE

Effect A:

Failure: 20 damage. Success: Half damage.

Successful save:

10 DAMAGE

Effect B:

Failure: 20 damage. Success: No damage.

Successful save:

0 DAMAGE

The general half-damage rule does not override the specific effect.

MULTIPLE TARGETS + HALF DAMAGE

Let's combine the two rules.

A damaging effect hits four creatures.

Damage roll:

27

All four make Saving Throws.

Creature A — fails

Takes:

27

Creature B — succeeds

Half:

27 ÷ 2 = 13.5

Round down:

13

Creature C — succeeds

Takes:

13

Creature D — fails

Takes:

27

One damage roll:

DIFFERENT FINAL DAMAGE BASED ON EACH SAVE

DAMAGE DOESN'T AUTOMATICALLY MEAN AN ATTACK ROLL

This distinction will become increasingly important.

Damage can be produced by:

  • weapon attacks

  • spell attacks

  • Saving Throw effects

  • hazards

  • monster abilities

  • other rules

So:

DAMAGE

and:

ATTACK ROLL

are not synonymous.

DAMAGE DOESN'T AUTOMATICALLY MEAN A SAVING THROW EITHER

Likewise, some damaging effects:

  • make Attack Rolls

  • require Saving Throws

  • simply deal damage under a specific rule

Always follow the effect's resolution method.

COMPLETE WEAPON DAMAGE EXAMPLE

Fighter:

Strength Modifier:

+4

Weapon damage:

1d8

Attack hits.

Normal damage:

1D8 + 4

Roll:

5

Total:

9 DAMAGE

Target current HP:

30

New HP:

21

COMPLETE CRITICAL HIT EXAMPLE

Same Fighter.

Normal weapon damage:

1d8 + 4

Critical Hit:

2D8 + 4

Roll:

6 and 7

Dice total:

13

Modifier:

+4

Final:

17 DAMAGE

COMPLETE CRITICAL HIT WITH EXTRA DICE

Normal attack:

1d8 + 3

Additional damage:

3d6

Critical Hit:

2D8 + 6D6 + 3

Every damage die belonging to the attack is rolled twice.

The fixed +3 is not automatically doubled.

COMPLETE SAVING THROW EXAMPLE

Three creatures are affected simultaneously.

Damage:

6d6

Roll once:

23

The effect says:

Success: Half damage

Creature A fails

23 DAMAGE

Creature B succeeds

23 ÷ 2:

11.5

Round down:

11 DAMAGE

Creature C succeeds

11 DAMAGE

COMPLETE HP EXAMPLE

Character Maximum HP:

40

Current HP:

27

Takes:

9 DAMAGE

New HP:

18

Since half of 40 is:

20

and the character now has 18:

THE CHARACTER IS BLOODIED

But being Bloodied has:

NO GAME EFFECT ON ITS OWN

 

DAMAGE RESOLUTION CHECKLIST

Whenever something deals damage, ask:

1. WHAT CAUSED THE DAMAGE?

Weapon?

Spell?

Monster ability?

Saving Throw effect?

Something else?

2. WHAT DAMAGE DOES THE RULE SPECIFY?

Dice?

Fixed number?

Dice plus modifier?

3. IS AN ABILITY MODIFIER ADDED?

For weapon damage:

normally the same Ability Modifier used for the attack.

For spells and other effects:

follow their individual rules.

4. IS THIS A CRITICAL HIT?

If yes:

ROLL THE ATTACK'S DAMAGE DICE TWICE

including additional damage dice belonging to that attack.

5. IS THIS DAMAGE FROM A MULTI-TARGET SAVING THROW EFFECT?

If two or more targets save simultaneously:

ROLL DAMAGE ONCE

for them all.

6. DOES A SUCCESSFUL SAVE DEAL HALF DAMAGE?

If yes:

DIVIDE BY 2

and:

ROUND DOWN

7. SUBTRACT THE FINAL DAMAGE FROM CURRENT HP

Never reduce current HP below:

0

8. IS THE CREATURE NOW BLOODIED?

If current HP is:

HALF MAXIMUM OR LESS

the creature is Bloodied.

COMMON BEGINNER MISTAKES

MISTAKE 1 — LETTING HIT POINTS GO NEGATIVE

Current Hit Points go only as low as:

0

 

MISTAKE 2 — PENALIZING A CHARACTER JUST FOR HAVING LOW HP

Hit Point loss has no general effect on capabilities until the creature reaches:

0 HP

 

MISTAKE 3 — GIVING BLOODIED AN AUTOMATIC PENALTY

Bloodied has:

NO GAME EFFECT ON ITS OWN

 

MISTAKE 4 — ADDING PROFICIENCY BONUS TO NORMAL WEAPON DAMAGE

PB normally contributes to the:

ATTACK ROLL

not automatically to the weapon's damage roll.

MISTAKE 5 — ADDING A SPELLCASTING MODIFIER TO EVERY SPELL'S DAMAGE

A spell tells you whether a modifier is added.

MISTAKE 6 — ADDING AN ABILITY MODIFIER TO FIXED DAMAGE AUTOMATICALLY

Unless another rule says otherwise, a fixed damage amount that doesn't use a roll doesn't automatically receive your Ability Modifier.

MISTAKE 7 — DOUBLING THE ENTIRE DAMAGE TOTAL ON A CRITICAL HIT

Critical Hits tell you to:

ROLL THE ATTACK'S DAMAGE DICE TWICE

not double the final total.

MISTAKE 8 — DOUBLING THE ABILITY MODIFIER

Normal:

1d8 + 3

Critical:

2D8 + 3

not:

2d8 + 6

MISTAKE 9 — FORGETTING EXTRA DAMAGE DICE ON A CRITICAL

Additional damage dice belonging to the attack, such as Sneak Attack dice, are also rolled twice.

MISTAKE 10 — ROLLING AREA DAMAGE SEPARATELY FOR EVERY TARGET

If one damaging effect forces two or more targets to save simultaneously:

ROLL THE DAMAGE ONCE

 

MISTAKE 11 — ROUNDING HALF DAMAGE UP

Half damage is:

ROUNDED DOWN

 

MISTAKE 12 — ASSUMING EVERY SUCCESSFUL SAVE MEANS HALF DAMAGE

Only apply half damage when the effect specifies that result.

LESSON 24 — KEY TAKEAWAYS

HIT POINTS

Represent:

DURABILITY AND THE WILL TO LIVE

Current HP ranges from:

MAXIMUM HP TO 0

 

TAKING DAMAGE

SUBTRACT DAMAGE FROM CURRENT HP

Hit Point loss doesn't normally affect capabilities before 0 HP.

BLOODIED

At:

HALF MAXIMUM HP OR FEWER

you are Bloodied.

Bloodied has:

NO EFFECT ON ITS OWN

but other rules may interact with it.

DAMAGE ROLLS

Roll the specified damage dice and add applicable modifiers.

Damage can reach:

0

but not a negative number.

WEAPON DAMAGE

Normally add:

THE SAME ABILITY MODIFIER USED FOR THE ATTACK ROLL

 

CRITICAL HIT

ROLL ALL OF THE ATTACK'S DAMAGE DICE TWICE

Then add relevant modifiers normally.

Additional damage dice belonging to the attack are also rolled twice.

MULTIPLE TARGETS AND SAVES

When one damaging effect forces two or more targets to save simultaneously:

ROLL DAMAGE ONCE FOR ALL OF THEM

 

HALF DAMAGE

When an effect says a successful Saving Throw deals half damage:

DIVIDE FAILED-SAVE DAMAGE BY 2

ROUND DOWN

 

NEXT LESSON

LESSON 25 — EVERY DAMAGE TYPE AND HOW DAMAGE WORKS

You now understand how damage numbers are generated.

Next, we examine:

WHAT KIND OF DAMAGE IS BEING DEALT?

In Lesson 25, we will study every Damage Type in the SRD:

  • Acid

  • Bludgeoning

  • Cold

  • Fire

  • Force

  • Lightning

  • Necrotic

  • Piercing

  • Poison

  • Psychic

  • Radiant

  • Slashing

  • Thunder

We will also learn:

  • what Damage Types represent

  • why Damage Types don't have independent rules by themselves

  • how other rules interact with Damage Types

  • examples the SRD provides for each type

  • how the GM can use Damage Types when creating or adjudicating new effects

This prepares us for Lesson 26, where Damage Types become mechanically crucial through:

Resistance

Vulnerability

and:

Immunity

SRD 5.2.1 ATTRIBUTION

This work includes material from the System Reference Document 5.2.1 (“SRD 5.2.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC, available at https://www.dndbeyond.com/srd. The SRD 5.2.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.