Unconscious

Conditions

An unconscious creature is knocked out and incapable of any action. Whether from massive damage, a sleep spell, or the brink of death, an unconscious creature is completely at the mercy of those around it.

Effects

  • The creature cannot take any actions whatsoever — no standard, move, swift, free, or immediate actions.
  • The creature is helpless: its effective Dexterity is 0 (–5 penalty to AC). Attacks against it are made with a +4 bonus from the helpless condition.
  • Melee attacks against an unconscious creature can be coup de grâce attempts — a full-round action that automatically hits and deals a critical hit; the target must save (Fort DC 10 + damage dealt) or die.
  • The creature is unaware of its surroundings and cannot make Perception checks.

Ending the Condition

  • Unconsciousness from hit point loss ends when the creature is healed to 1 or more HP (it wakes as disabled at 0 HP, or fully conscious above 0 HP).
  • Unconsciousness from nonlethal damage ends when lethal HP exceed nonlethal damage, either through healing or the passage of time (1 HP per round of rest).
  • Unconsciousness from sleep effects (e.g., the sleep spell) ends when the duration expires, the creature takes damage, or an ally spends a standard action to shake it awake.
  • Break enchantment, dispel magic, and similar effects can end magically-induced unconsciousness.

The HP Death Chain

Disabled (0 HP) Dying (–1 to –Con HP) Stable Dead (–Con HP)

Unconscious applies throughout the dying → stable chain, as well as from nonlethal damage and sleep effects.

Related Conditions

  • Helpless — unconscious creatures are also helpless; all helpless effects apply.
  • Dying — a dying creature at negative HP is unconscious and bleeding out.
  • Stable — a stable creature at negative HP remains unconscious until healed.
  • Staggered — a lesser impairment; staggered creatures are conscious but severely limited.

Common Sources

Being reduced to negative HP; nonlethal damage that equals or exceeds current HP; sleep, deep slumber, and similar enchantments; power word sleep; certain poisons and alchemical items (e.g., knockout poison); the paralyzed condition renders a creature helpless in a manner similar to unconsciousness. Constructs, undead, and creatures immune to mind-affecting effects are immune to sleep-based unconsciousness but can still be knocked unconscious by HP damage.