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Does an unconscious creature or PC automatically hold their breath as pertaining to suffocation?

As pertaining to this question: Is the act of suffocating itself considered to be taking damage?

A creature can hold its breath for a number of minutes equal to 1 + its Constitution modifier (minimum of 30 seconds). When a creature runs out of breath or is choking, it can survive for a number of rounds equal to its Constitution modifier (minimum of 1 round). At the start of its next turn, it drops to 0 Hit Points and is dying, and it can’t regain Hit Points or be stabilized until it can breathe again.

The question revolves around the first part “A creature can hold its breath. As opposed to A creature holds its breath

V2Blast
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Alk
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    The linked question presents this exact scenario (0 HP is unconscious) - if there is something different, please let us know so we can reopen. – NotArch May 30 '19 at 14:35
  • @NautArch I have edited the question, it may have the same or similar answer but I was not intending to imply the creature was at 0 hit points or drowning. – Alk May 30 '19 at 17:15
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    My point is that unconscious is the same thing as 0 HP. It's still identical, just a different way of saying it. – NotArch May 30 '19 at 17:17
  • Also, even if you can hold your breath, that is a conscious thought to override a semi autonomic muscle. Unconscious loses that ability, and the autonomic system takes over and drives you to breath no matter what the environment/situation is. – JohnP May 30 '19 at 17:18
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    @NautArch unconscious and at 0hp are not equivalent. Sleeping implies unconsciousness, for one thing. Alternately, consider the difference between a banshee's Wail, which says that creatures that fail the save "drop to 0 hit points" and would definitely cause death saves, and a chasme's Drone, which says that creatures that fail the save "fall unconscious for 10 minutes," which I would not expect to cause death saves. Unconscious is a condition like any other, and dropping to 0hp causes unconsciousness, but being unconscious does not imply you're at 0hp. – Louis Wasserman May 30 '19 at 17:39
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    @LouisWasserman If you're at 0 HP you are unconscious. THe first question asks about being at 0 HP, which includes being unconscious. This question asks about being unconscious. Same thing. – NotArch May 30 '19 at 17:41
  • THat linked question directly is asking "I'm unconscious and at 0HP, how does suffocating interact with that?". That's what this question is asking, too - except for the 0HP bit. But that's ancillary. – NotArch May 30 '19 at 17:47

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