The typical way to die involves dropping to zero hit points first.
But if something such as Power Word Kill, kills a creature instantly, is it specified in the rules that the creature “drops to zero hit points” ?
To clarify, I understand that dead means dead, and dead creatures do not get to make death saving throws. The question is, does the act of a creature dying make its hit point total zero?
Or can a creature simply “die” (and then, perhaps, have no hit point total?) thus skipping any effects triggered "when [this creature] drops to zero hit points."
The recent question about Paladin’s Steed is the inspiration for this question. I know I would rule that getting dead means going to zero hit points — I just haven’t seen that said as much in official material.
Best Answer
Power Word: Kill does not.
Power Word: Kill just checks to see if you have less than 100 hit points. (If you're familiar with the rules of Magic: the Gathering, it's sort of like a state-based action.) If you do, you just die, making your hit point total irrelevant, as you don't get any death saving throws. You're not unconscious, you're just dead.