How to Prevent Hit Point Reduction?

[Deathslayer7]

As the title says, any way to prevent Hit Point Reduction? This goes for current hp as well as maximum hp.

We are going round 2 with an undead, and finding a way to prevent it would be super useful.

We want to avoid using Greater Restoration to get rid of the effect or keep it to its bare minimum.

[sithlordnergal]

Near as I can tell, there are 6 ways to avoid and fix hit point reduction:

1) Long Rest

2) Greater Restoration

3) Wild Shape

4) Polymorph

5) Aid

6) Don't get hit


Outside of that, there's no real way to avoid HP drain. Of course it does depend on how the effect is worded, but things like a vampire bite will bypass temp HP and such. So you either need to avoid being bitted, have a bunch of extra max HP from Aid, or have a new pool of HP from Polymorph or Wild Shape.

[1Pirate]

Don't get hit.
If you're already in the middle of combat there's not a whole lot you can do apart from the afore mentioned avoiding getting hit and/or passing the relevant saving throws.

I believe there are some class abilities (necromancer comes to mind), and possibly a spell or two(AFBs so can't be certain) that prevent HP max reduction, but I don't know of anything that can be done on the fly.

[JackPhoenix]

Aura of Life prevents your max HP from being reduced. Reduction of current HP is usually called damage, immunities to the damage type in question helps with that. I assume suddenly gaining 10 levels of necromancer wizard is not an option.

[Waterdeep Merch]

It depends on how your frontline is built and how your DM handles targeting, but the humble Dodge action might be more important than attack actions. Supplement with good defensive spells like Shield (if applicable, of course), Shield of Faith, Bless, Haste, maybe even Sanctuary. Fight in tight formations, lead enemies into hallways and murder pits when you can. Not getting hit is key here, so play defensively and don't take chances. Only pile on attacks when you're reasonably certain it will immediately end the combat.

A good scout is worth their weight in hit points here, letting you both know what's coming and how best to plan out your vector of attack.

[Zuras]

Aura of Life prevents your max HP from being reduced. Reduction of current HP is usually called damage, immunities to the damage type in question helps with that. I assume suddenly gaining 10 levels of necromancer wizard is not an option.

Aura of Life also gives resistance to necrotic damage. It’s easily the winner in the stay alive vs undead sweepstakes.

In terms of general tactics, most stat reducing undead hate radiant damage, so having the cleric dodge with Spirit Guardians up and wade into the mass of wraiths is also a solid method for employing the don’t get hit option.

[Chronos]

I wouldn't say that most such undead hate radiant damage. There are a handful of enemies with vulnerability to radiant, and shadows are one of those. Vampires get their regeneration turned off by radiant, and it stops zombies' "come back to 1 HP" ability. And... that's about it.

The real benefit to radiant is not that things are vulnerable to it, but that very few things are resistant or immune to it, even things that are resistant or immune to most other damage types (which does include a lot of undead).

[Deathslayer7]

Thanks for all the info. Playing defensively won't work well here as it is a mini-boss monster. It's attacks are maximum hp reduced instead of damage. So I think Aura of Life is the way to go here.