Monk's Touch of Death

[Laserlight]

I'm DMing a new section of the campaign, and one of the PCs is a tabaxi Long Death monk with the Touch of Death ability: "When you reduce a creature within 5 feet of you to 0 hit points, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier + your monk level (minimum of 1 temporary hit point)."

As written, she could carry a pouch of earthworms and squish one before every combat. Is that the way it's supposed to work, or is there errata / clarification?

In the first session, she murdered a captive kobold (while a paladin was holding it!) to refresh her THP.

[Clone]

I'm DMing a new section of the campaign, and one of the PCs is a tabaxi Long Death monk with the Touch of Death ability: "When you reduce a creature within 5 feet of you to 0 hit points, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier + your monk level (minimum of 1 temporary hit point)."

As written, she could carry a pouch of earthworms and squish one before every combat. Is that the way it's supposed to work, or is there errata / clarification?

In the first session, she murdered a captive kobold (while a paladin was holding it!) to refresh her THP.

This is a similar (if not identical) ability to that of a Fiend Warlock, where it can be common in some campaigns to keep a bunch of chickens and kill one before each combat session, or so I've read.

I think the best thing for you to do is, if you don't want this to happen, to rule that the THP can only come from beings of a certain size, or at the very least not from farmyard animals. The kobold she killed would be fair game (although unsportsmanlike, poor Paladin) but the bag of worms would be up to your decision.

[Vogonjeltz]

I'm DMing a new section of the campaign, and one of the PCs is a tabaxi Long Death monk with the Touch of Death ability: "When you reduce a creature within 5 feet of you to 0 hit points, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier + your monk level (minimum of 1 temporary hit point)."

As written, she could carry a pouch of earthworms and squish one before every combat. Is that the way it's supposed to work, or is there errata / clarification?

In the first session, she murdered a captive kobold (while a paladin was holding it!) to refresh her THP.

If you let them I suppose it follows the letter of the ability. And of course they'd have to collect these animals, so forth. Also how does the player know combat is about to happen to do this with wasting their first round of combat?

[ad_hoc]

As written, she could carry a pouch of earthworms and squish one before every combat. Is that the way it's supposed to work, or is there errata / clarification?


The table I play with wouldn't invite that sort of player back for the next session.

It is perfectly reasonable for the DM to rule based on what sort of creature they feel would have a life force strong enough to gain the THP. 5e rules are written in plain language. They make no attempt to avoid being abused like that because it is impossible. Instead they are written with the understanding that tables will make rulings which are the most fun for them.

[Laserlight]

Also how does the player know combat is about to happen to do this with wasting their first round of combat?

Unless the ability specifies otherwise, THP lasts until used or until the end of a Long Rest --therefore the monk doesn't have to wait until combat is imminent.

[Flashy]

A handful of extra temporary hit points is really nothing to write home about. Warlocks can get False Life at will, and I don't think I've ever known anyone who thought that was worth the invocation slot.

[The Shadowdove]

I'm DMing a new section of the campaign, and one of the PCs is a tabaxi Long Death monk with the Touch of Death ability: "When you reduce a creature within 5 feet of you to 0 hit points, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier + your monk level (minimum of 1 temporary hit point)."

As written, she could carry a pouch of earthworms and squish one before every combat. Is that the way it's supposed to work, or is there errata / clarification?

In the first session, she murdered a captive kobold (while a paladin was holding it!) to refresh her THP.

Depends on the table. As far as it's written it should work. If it seems like too much cheese for your play style, think of an RP reason why it would.

Perhaps make it so it only gives the minimum in such a case. In agreeing with the life force argument as a valid shut down.

"A worm does not have the life force to grant more than one temporary Hitpoint per life. Neither would any other smaller insect. Perhaps a Rodent would serve as one or two as well. Whereas a small humanoid or medium creature may grant the full ability amount."

This rewards clever use of abilities while making it obvious that, in your world, there has to be a valid reason for things to happen. Also, it forces them to expend more resources like a mage might have to in order to enjoy the full benefit of abilities.

[ad_hoc]

A handful of extra temporary hit points is really nothing to write home about. Warlocks can get False Life at will, and I don't think I've ever known anyone who thought that was worth the invocation slot.

It is quite good early on. I take False Life over Agonizing Blast until level 4 or 5.

[RickAllison]

This is a similar (if not identical) ability to that of a Fiend Warlock, where it can be common in some campaigns to keep a bunch of chickens and kill one before each combat session, or so I've read.

I think the best thing for you to do is, if you don't want this to happen, to rule that the THP can only come from beings of a certain size, or at the very least not from farmyard animals. The kobold she killed would be fair game (although unsportsmanlike, poor Paladin) but the bag of worms would be up to your decision.

Note that there is one word of difference between Long Death and Fiendlock: Fiendlock needs the hostile qualifier. Fiend locks are about cutting down foes while Long Death just gets high off death. The MLD can punch a friendly person unconscious and still get the THP.

A key thing to restrict it, however, is that the creature has to be brought to 0 HP, meaning it has to actually have HP. These are hard to measure, but the smallest we see for creatures that definitely have HP are large scorpions and spiders, rats, and such. So rather than being able to carry around a bucket of worms, a DM can require dangerous creatures like scorpions, or larger creatures like rats or birds.

My personal recommendation is to OK this, but enforce their stock of creatures. They can pick up animals like rats as they go, but the smallest they could reliably buy are chickens for 2 cp each, and those are rather bulky. But I find it gives a fun "witch doctor" vibe as they carry live chickens around and occasionally ritually slaughter them! Don't restrict the ability itself (it doesn't need it), just restrict the creatures to anything that is dangerous or large enough that you as DM would give it HP. Would you ever make someone see if they can kill an earthworm? It doesn't have any complicating factors that justify it.

[Finback]

Maybe stress it needs to be an opponent that is hostile to you - killing a random bug, or a peasant walking along the street and doesn't expect it, does not count.

[Vogonjeltz]

Unless the ability specifies otherwise, THP lasts until used or until the end of a Long Rest --therefore the monk doesn't have to wait until combat is imminent.

I know, but why even bother with the worm in a bag shenanigans?

[Flashy]

It is quite good early on. I take False Life over Agonizing Blast until level 4 or 5.

Good to know! I'll keep that in mind in the future.

[RickAllison]

Maybe stress it needs to be an opponent that is hostile to you - killing a random bug, or a peasant walking along the street and doesn't expect it, does not count.

Only for Fiendlocks. Monks of the Long Death just care about approaching death, not whether the target was hostile or friendly. Knock your best bud unconscious and it still counts! Your statement is fully accurate for Fiendlocks, though.

[Laserlight]

I know, but why even bother with the worm in a bag shenanigans?

Because that way you could start every fight with a THP. You go in front to trigger all the traps, because you can always refill your THP buffer. That sort of thing. (The "worms in a bag" idea was mine, though, not the monk player's).

[Laserlight]

My personal recommendation is to OK this, but enforce their stock of creatures. They can pick up animals like rats as they go, but the smallest they could reliably buy are chickens for 2 cp each, and those are rather bulky. But I find it gives a fun "witch doctor" vibe

Witchdoctors was the last campaign...yeah, I think I'll go along with this.

[Digimike]

Id personally rule that the ability can't give more THP than the creature's max hp. IE of the creature has 6 hp then 6 is what you get.

[The Shadowdove]

Id personally rule that the ability can't give more THP than the creature's max hp. IE of the creature has 6 hp then 6 is what you get.

I like that too.

[Malifice]

I'm DMing a new section of the campaign, and one of the PCs is a tabaxi Long Death monk with the Touch of Death ability: "When you reduce a creature within 5 feet of you to 0 hit points, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier + your monk level (minimum of 1 temporary hit point)."

As written, she could carry a pouch of earthworms and squish one before every combat. Is that the way it's supposed to work, or is there errata / clarification?

In the first session, she murdered a captive kobold (while a paladin was holding it!) to refresh her THP.

Just spit. That kills thousands of mouth bacteria all at once.

I mean come on bro. The intent of that rule couldnt be any clearer. For mine it means Kill something proper like or find another table to play at.

You only need to smack them down once with this kind of thing and it stops happening.

[Laserlight]

Id personally rule that the ability can't give more THP than the creature's max hp. IE of the creature has 6 hp then 6 is what you get.

That's the idea I was trying to crystalize. As it has been written, so let it be done.