[RPG] What happens to a Disintegrated Troll RAW

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Related to This Question, and meant to provide a basis upon which that question can be answered.

Keep in mind that this is a Rules as Written question:

Questions about the rules as written are those which:

  • Are investigating, as a priority, literal interpretations of the rules, even if they lead to absurd situations…

So, although this situation is absurd, it is a valid question by the site's parameters.

Trolls have the Regeneration trait:

Regeneration. The troll regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn. If the troll takes acid or fire damage, this trait doesn't function at the start of the troll's next turn. The troll dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn't regenerate.

This means that, if reduced to 0 HP, the troll automatically regenerates 10 HP at the start of its turn, only dying if Regeneration is overridden, via fire or acid damage.

The disintegrate spell description says:

A creature targeted by this spell must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 10d6 + 40 force damage. If this damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, it is disintegrated.

A disintegrated creature and everything it is wearing and carrying, except magic items, are reduced to a pile of fine gray dust. The creature can be restored to life only by means of a true resurrection or a wish spell.

So, if we take both instances Rules as Written, this would mean that a Troll dropped to 0 HP would be disintegrated but not dead, because it

dies only if it starts its turn with 0 HP and doesn't regenerate

and

the target takes 10d6 + 40 force damage

and

The creature can be restored to life only by means of a true resurrection or a wish spell.

and because disintegrate deals force damage, not fire or acid damage, and thus the Troll is technically still able to regenerate, and thus doesn't die.

So what happens?

Of course, this breaks down into certain key points which must be considered in making a solid answer:

  1. Does the ash regenerate?
  2. Can it take actions?
  3. Does it get a turn at all?
  4. If any or all of the prior answers are no, isn't the troll basically dead?
  5. What does this even look like in-game?
  6. And how does this interact with the text, "…can be restored to life only by means of a true resurrection or wish spell", since the troll never technically died?

Best Answer

The troll turns into a dead pile of fine gray dust

The disintegrate spell reduces the troll to a pile of fine gray dust. The pile of fine gray dust is no longer a troll and therefore does not have the regeneration trait (for the same reason a troll polymorphed into a frog also does not have the regeneration trait). In case there was any doubt that the pile of fine gray dust is dead, Jeremy Crawford explicitly states that disintegration is death in this Sage Advice column:

If disintegrate reduces you to 0 hit points, you’re killed outright, as you turn to dust.

(Note: I believe that the troll's regeneration ability does not give it immunity to instant-kill effects, for the reasons outlined in this other answer, but the rationale I've given here for the specific case of death by disintegration is independent of that answer.)

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