need clarification on spells

[liamkirkwood]

in 5e it says spells cannot be stacked i was wondering are there any exceptions to this rule for example if two spells grant additional hit points can that be stacked such as armour of agathys and false life spells.

[Varlon]

Temporary hit points do not stack. If you already have some temp HP, at the moment you get more you decide whether to keep your current temp HP or take the new amount.

[PeteNutButter]

To clarify specific spells do not stack, but similar spells stack. Temporary hit points have their own rule that they don’t stack. Similar effects such as an Aid spell would.

Things like web, entangle and evards black tentacles would stack since they are different spells entirely and often have interactions if you pay attention to the effects spells describe such as restrained.

[PhantomSoul]

What Varlon said!

For the reference, it's on page 198 of the PHB:

Some spells and special abilities confer temporary hit points to a creature. Temporary hit points aren’t actual hit points; they are a buffer against damage, a pool o f hit points that protect you from injury.

When you have temporary hit points and take damage, the temporary hit points are lost first, and any leftover damage carries over to your normal hit points. For example, if you have 5 temporary hit points and take 7 damage, you lose the temporary hit points and then take 2 damage.

Because temporary hit points are separate from your actual hit points, they can exceed your hit point maximum. A character can, therefore, be at full hit points and receive temporary hit points.

Healing can’t restore temporary hit points, and they can’t be added together. If you have temporary hit points and receive more o f them, you decide whether to keep the ones you have or to gain the new ones. For example, if a spell grants you 12 temporary hit points when you already have 10, you can have 12 or 10, not 22.

If you have 0 hit points, receiving temporary hit points doesn’t restore you to consciousness or stabilize you. They can still absorb damage directed at you while you’re in that state, but only true healing can save you. Unless a feature that grants you temporary hit points has a duration, they last until they’re depleted or you finish a long rest.
Emphasis mine