[RPG] When a melee fighting character wants to stun a monster, and the monster wants to be killed, can they instead take a fatal blow

attackdnd-5emelee-combat

Mainly what was asked above. I know that a melee attack can stun an opponent by reducing them to 0 HP instead of killing them, but can a monster somehow lay down in such a way that the blow is fatal?

Best Answer

No, the creature being reduced to 0 hit points has no say in the matter.

The rules for knocking creatures unconscious state:

Sometimes an attacker wants to incapacitate a foe, rather than deal a killing blow. When an attacker reduces a creature to 0 hit points with a melee attack, the attacker can knock the creature out. The attacker can make this choice the instant the damage is dealt. The creature falls unconscious and is stable.

These are the only rules on the situation, and only the attacker is given a choice.

Related Solutions

[RPG] the most damage that can be done in a single melee attack

If you're looking at a single melee attack, you're absolutely going to need at least 17 levels in Rogue (Assassin) for Death Strike. I can't think of anything in the game better for increasing single-hit damage than the deadly combo of Sneak Attack (9-10 d6), Assassinate (automatic crit), and Death Strike (double damage). I'd take two levels in Paladin on top of that for smites, and then your final level could be Barbarian (for rage damage). Additionally, take the charger and martial adept feats.

Average Damage without items: 222

Max Damage without items: 364

Damage Breakdown

Rapier: 1d8 + 5
Sneak Attack: 9d6
Smite: 2d8
Rage: +2
Charger feat: +5
Maneuver (several choices): 1d6
Dueling fighting style: +2

This gives us a total of 3d8 + 10d6 + 14 damage. However, if we assume ideal conditions this Rogue will be attacking a surprised enemy that hasn't taken a turn yet, so the attack will auto-crit. That brings the damage to 6d8 + 20d6 + 14. That averages 27 + 70 + 14 = 111 damage (182 with max rolls).

Death Strike doubles that damage, for 222 average or 364 max.

Now let's add in weapons, items, and enchantments that could boost it above those numbers:

Vorpal Sword would add +3, as well as +6d8 on a nat 20
Enlarge: +1d4 damage (cast by a friend, or potion)
A library of Manuals of Gainful Exercise would add another +5 from STR

These would add a total of 1d4 + 6d8 + 8 to the numbers above. Auto-crit to 2d4 + 12d8 + 8, and double, and you get an additional 134 (average) or 224 (max)

Then add Purple worm poison for another 12d6 damage (that doesn't crit or double, thanks Jonatan) - 42 average or 72 max.

This gives us a total bonus from weapons & spells of 176 average or 296 max.

Average damage with items & spells: 398

Max damage with items & spells: 660

[RPG] make a melee attack with a ranged weapon

Only as an improvised weapon.

From the description of improvised weapons in the rules (PHB, p. 147-148):

Sometimes characters don’t have their weapons and have to attack with whatever is close at hand. An improvised weapon includes any object you can wield in one or two hands, such as broken glass, a table leg, a frying pan, a wagon wheel, or a dead goblin.

In many cases, an improvised weapon is similar to an actual weapon and can be treated as such. For example, a table leg is akin to a club. At the DM’s option, a character proficient with a weapon can use a similar object as if it were that weapon and use his or her proficiency bonus.

An object that bears no resemblance to a weapon deals 1d4 damage (the DM assigns a damage type appropriate to the object). If a character uses a ranged weapon to make a melee attack, or throws a melee weapon that does not have the thrown property, it also deals 1d4 damage. An improvised thrown weapon has a normal range of 20 feet and a long range of 60 feet.

Rules designer Jeremy Crawford unofficially confirms this ruling on Twitter:

Can a Barb/Fighter use a Dart in melee (w/STR) to benefit from Rage and Archery Fighting Style? Ranged weapon, melee attack

If you use a weapon in a way contrary to its design (melee attack w/ a ranged weapon), see "Improvised Weapons" (PH, 147). DM's call.

Improvised dagger then? In accordance with the rules on that page?

If you turn the page, you'll see the standard thing to do with a ranged weapon being used as a melee weapon.

It seems clear that the intent is that any usage of a ranged weapon to make a melee attack (i.e. hitting them with the weapon itself) would involve your ranged weapon being treated as an improvised melee weapon, so the attack would follow the rules for improvised weapons. While the DM could house-rule otherwise, this is how such situations are handled by the rules.