Knocking out a creature: use the melee finishing option
This option applies when a melee attack would reduce a creature to zero Hit Points. It changes the resulting Hit Points and starts a specific unconscious recovery process.
Use it at the table
- Confirm the finishing damage comes from a melee attack.
- Instead of reducing the target to zero, choose to leave it at 1 Hit Point; it becomes Unconscious and starts a Short Rest.
- It wakes upon regaining any Hit Points or successful DC 10 Medicine first aid using an action.
Make the call
A melee attack would reduce a guard to zero Hit Points. The attacker chooses the knockout option. At how many Hit Points does the guard remain?
The ruling
One, with Unconscious and the stated recovery process.
The entry explicitly substitutes 1 Hit Point for the reduction to zero. It then imposes Unconscious and starts a Short Rest. Regaining Hit Points or the specified successful first-aid action ends this unconsciousness. Use this edition’s text instead of importing a different knockout procedure.
Watch for this mistake
This permission is tied to a melee attack. Do not extend it to every source of damage, such as a distant area effect, merely because the attacker prefers a nonlethal result.
Ask the table
Was the finishing effect a melee attack, and how will someone provide recovery or first aid?
The source rule
SRD 5.2.1, page 184. Read the official PDF.
When you would reduce a creature to 0 Hit Points with a melee attack, you can instead reduce the creature to 1 Hit Point. The creature then has the Unconscious condition and starts a Short Rest. The creature remains Unconscious until it regains any Hit Points or until someone uses an action to administer first aid to it, which requires a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check.
Source and reuse
This work includes material from the System Reference Document 5.2.1 (“SRD 5.2.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC, available at dndbeyond.com/srd. The SRD 5.2.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, available at creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.
The explanation, example and table prompt are Table Ready adaptations; source text has been reflowed. This guide and its printable card are available under the same CC BY 4.0 license. Independent reference; no official affiliation. These rules are optional for our system-neutral adventures.