Dwarven Armor RAW

[emeraldstreak]

Situation:

- Monster hits and damages PC to, say, -5

- PC activates the Dwarven Armor free action daily and heals

- PC is now at hitpoints = dwarven armor heal and never goes down


Are there any RAW objections to this?

[darkbard]

I do not believe you can do this RAW. While there are very little limitations on taking free actions (beyond multiple free action attacks during one turn), there are limits as to what one can do while unconscious, what one does immediately upon dropping to negative HPs, without some specific exception (Revenant, etc.): namely, nothing; one can't take actions while dying besides make death saving throws.

[emeraldstreak]

It isn't just them. For example, Minotaurs make a melee basic attack before dropping.

[ThePurple]

It isn't just them. For example, Minotaurs make a melee basic attack before dropping.

The key point here is that they make the attack *before* being reduced to 0 hp. In the situation you describe, your player is waiting until after they drop below 0 hp before activating the dwarven armor, which they can't do: as soon as they drop below 0 hp, they're incapable of taking free actions. As such, if they want to avoid dying, they need to activate the free action when they take the damage so that they are healed before they are knocked unconscious. As such, their hp would be equal to HS minus 5 (since the attack would have reduced them to -5).

[MwaO]

It isn't just them. For example, Minotaurs make a melee basic attack before dropping.

I'd note two points for RAW:
DM is under no obligation to let you take a free action if it seems too much. Calculating the moment between being hit and damaged seems like that to me.

You're talking about a trigger. Triggers behave differently than regular free actions - they act like reactions unless that would make them non-functional.

[Beoric]

I'd note two points for RAW:
DM is under no obligation to let you take a free action if it seems too much. Calculating the moment between being hit and damaged seems like that to me.

You're talking about a trigger. Triggers behave differently than regular free actions - they act like reactions unless that would make them non-functional.

+1. The power does not have a trigger, so it does not interrupt the attack. Even if you infer a trigger, there is a presumption that it is a reaction, not an interrupt. RC pp. 194, 195.

As a result, the attack is completely resolved first, at the end of which you are unconscious. The unconscious condition prevents you from taking any actions.