Necrotic damage

[johnbragg]

So last session, my players fought a Spectator who hit them with his Necrotic Ray eye.

I told them that necrotic damage couldn't be healed during the fight, and I'd look up the rest of the necrotic damage definition later. Later on, the PHB didn't tell me anything, rules-wise.

Looking around online, I found https://www.sageadvice.eu/2016/11/14/does-necrotic-damage-always-reduce-max-hp/ , which quotes a Jeremy Crawford tweet saying that no damage type does anything special.

So, unless the monster entry or the spell specifies, Necrotic damage doesn't do anything but regular damage? I feel like there's text about necrotic damage needing special means to heal, but maybe that's just a baseless assumption.

[DarthPenance]

No type of damage does anything special.
There are some effects that deal necrotic damage that reduce the maximum hitpoints or negates regeneration, but it's not innate of the necrotic damage type.

[Theodoxus]

I've found a lot of players who think the "can't regain hit points until the start of the next round" portion of Chill Touch is the necrotic damage, and try to apply it to anything necrotic. This might be the source of your confusion as well...

[Arkhios]

Yeah, damage types have no innate effects other than being a different type. Which is mostly irrelevant unless someone has resistance or is immune against it.

But, you're the DM. If it's not AL you're running, and you feel that innate damage effects need to be a thing, then go for it. Call it a houserule. But as such, it has to apply both ways. Also, if you do add something to one damage, it should be universal and all other damage types should have something uniquely different.

[Ninja_Prawn]

Going by the RAW, damage is damage is damage. Type doesn't really matter unless you have resistance or vulnerability.

The words you want to watch out for are 'Life Drain'. Any ability with that name is going to deal necrotic damage AND reduce maximum hit points so that you can't be fully healed.

[johnbragg]

Going by the RAW, damage is damage is damage. Type doesn't really matter unless you have resistance or vulnerability.

The words you want to watch out for are 'Life Drain'. Any ability with that name is going to deal necrotic damage AND reduce maximum hit points so that you can't be fully healed.

Thanks, everyone. I don't NEED necrotic damage to do anything special. I'm not comfortable enough with 5E to start houseruling around without reason (I've already bought myself enough trouble by giving my players great stats). In session, I just said it can't be healed in combat, and I'd figure it out after combat. After combat, we broke session.

I think I heard or read something about necrotic damage being the 5E version of/ replacement for energy drain.

Sounds like that's Life Drain.

[Talamare]

Say that those monsters had a special rule that negated healing necrotic damage they dealt while they were still alive

Overall, houseruling an entire new mechanic on a damage type might lead to some unforeseen consequences

Personally, I constantly house rule new Resistances and Vulnerabilities onto Monsters. This has minimal consequences (if any).

[Theodoxus]

Me too Talamare...

Just thinking it through though, Fire (ignition ala Firebolt), Acid (continuing damage ala Melf's Acid Arrow), Cold (Slow, as per Frost Bolt), Necrotic (No healing, as per Chill Touch), Lightning (no Reactions, as per Shocking Grasp)... but Thunder? Deafened is kinda meh in the middle of combat... any better penalties? And Radiant.. this one has always tripped me up as damage type; if it's analogous to Positive Energy, it should heal anything not fiendish or undead... so it's not a straight analog. I can get behind it being radiation, so it causes burns like radiation, where necrotic deals necrotizing damage... But then, what would be the rider effect on Radiant? Also no healing? Makes sense, but is kinda meh to have two damage types have the same rider. Perhaps overhealing, like a cancer? That'd be "Fun" on a character, but against NPCs who won't live long enough for it to matter, it's damn near pointless...

I'd be interested in what others would think for a Radiant rider :smallbiggrin:

[Tiadoppler]

Me too Talamare...

Just thinking it through though, Fire (ignition ala Firebolt), Acid (continuing damage ala Melf's Acid Arrow), Cold (Slow, as per Frost Bolt), Necrotic (No healing, as per Chill Touch), Lightning (no Reactions, as per Shocking Grasp)... but Thunder? Deafened is kinda meh in the middle of combat... any better penalties? And Radiant.. this one has always tripped me up as damage type; if it's analogous to Positive Energy, it should heal anything not fiendish or undead... so it's not a straight analog. I can get behind it being radiation, so it causes burns like radiation, where necrotic deals necrotizing damage... But then, what would be the rider effect on Radiant? Also no healing? Makes sense, but is kinda meh to have two damage types have the same rider. Perhaps overhealing, like a cancer? That'd be "Fun" on a character, but against NPCs who won't live long enough for it to matter, it's damn near pointless...

I'd be interested in what others would think for a Radiant rider :smallbiggrin:

Wouldn't Radiant's rider be Blinding?

Also, this is a good way of frying the DM's brain. Aren't spellcasters in combat tough enough to track already?

[Requilac]

I am going to have echo the comment sentiment here. The PHB even straight up states that "Damage types have no rules of their own, but other rules, such as damage resistance, rely on the types." Necrotic damage does not inherently reduce a creature's hit point maximum but some features that deal necrotic damage do. For example, the wraith has an attack called "life drain" that does necrotic damage and reduces a creatures hit point maximum, but that is specific to the life drain attack not necrotic damage itself. If i remember correctly a couple of other undead ,such as the wight and specter, have that same feature. The blight spell though would not do that, even though it deals necrotic damage.

[johnbragg]

I am going to have echo the comment sentiment here. The PHB even straight up states that "Damage types have no rules of their own, but other rules, such as damage resistance, rely on the types." Necrotic damage does not inherently reduce a creature's hit point maximum but some features that deal necrotic damage do. For example, the wraith has an attack called "life drain" that does necrotic damage and reduces a creatures hit point maximum, but that is specific to the life drain attack not necrotic damage itself. If i remember correctly a couple of other undead ,such as the wight and specter, have that same feature. The blight spell though would not do that, even though it deals necrotic damage.

Right. And in the Lost Mines of Phandelver module, the first big necrotic damage dealer you hit is the Wraith. I took that text describing the Wraith's necrotic damage as describing necrotic damage in general.

[Requilac]

Right. And in the Lost Mines of Phandelver module, the first big necrotic damage dealer you hit is the Wraith. I took that text describing the Wraith's necrotic damage as describing necrotic damage in general.

Just a reminder, if you are playing LMoP you all may end up fighting a banshee later on, and its corrupting touch deals necrotic damage but does not reduce a target’s hit point maximum. If you are with new players you may want to give them some foreshadowing about the banshee’s wail ability too. Instant drop to 0 HP is not exactly something you want to surprise your players with.