[RPG] Do magic objects carried by a character keep working when unconscious

dnd-5emagic-itemsunconscious

We have lost a character in a battle in a strange way. He was wearing the:

Slippers of Spider Climbing
Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement)

While you wear these light shoes, you can move up, down and across vertical surfaces and upside down along ceilings, while leaving your hands free. You have a climbing speed equal to your walking speed. However, the slippers don´t allow you to move this way on a slippery surfaces such as one covered by ice or oil.

and he was struck down to 0 HP while standing on a wall, over a well.

Would he fall into the well and drown? Or would he remain unconscious hanging by his boots?

Is there any difference between objects that require attunement and those that don't?

Best Answer

As a general rule, the magical item continues to function, however, what happens to the wearer of the shoes is a different matter. Since there is no guidance on what happens to an unconscious creature who is standing on the wall, we will need to make some assumptions. And just because the shoes allow him to walk on walls and ceilings doesn't mean that our assumptions about gravity in the game world stop applying.

If he falls unconscious and is unable to control his body, then it stands to reason he will fall down. The magic item continues operating, but that doesn't mean he is magically stuck to the ceiling (or does it? see below...). I would rule the same for a spider on a wall or ceiling. With no mental faculties with which to maintain control of your body, you go limp and fall.

To be clear, this answer is based on my discretion as a DM, as there is no rule for what should happen here. If I were the DM in your scenario, the character would fall off the wall and down the well (though perhaps not drown -- that takes quite a bit of time in terms of rounds -- usually more than enough to mount a rescue attempt, anyway).

It would also be perfectly acceptable for you, as DM, to determine that Slippers of Spider Climbing do work as sticky pads which always work and never slip off the feet of the wearer, even when the wearer is unconscious and dangling upside-down from the ceiling over a pit of lava or what-have-you.