# Overview Hit Points (HP) are a measure of how difficult it is to kill or destroy a creature or an object. Damage reduces Hit Points, and healing restores them. You can't have more Hit Points than your Hit Point maximum, and you can't have less than 0. # Dropping to 0 HP When a creature drops to 0 Hit Points, it either dies outright or falls [[Unconscious]], as explained below: ## Instant Death **Monster Death.** A monster dies the instant it drops to 0 Hit Points, although a Dungeon Master can ignore this rule for an individual monster and treat it like a character. **Hit Point Maximum of 0**. A creature dies if its Hit Point maximum reaches 0. Certain effects drain life energy, reducing a creature's Hit Point maximum. **Massive Damage.** When damage reduces a character to 0 Hit Points and damage remains, the character dies if the remainder equals or exceeds their Hit Point maximum. > **Example.** If your character has a Hit Point maximum of 12, currently has 6 Hit Points, and takes 18 damage, the character drops to 0 Hit Points, but 12 damage remains. The character then dies, since 12 equals their Hit Point maximum. <br> ## Dying If you reach 0 Hit Points and don't die instantly, you have the [[Dying]] condition until you regain any HP, and you now face making [[Death Saving Throw|Death Saving Throws]].