Simple RAW 3

[sightlessrealit]

Q356 If a monk is under the affect of "Suggestion" or "Mass Suggestion" can their "Stillness of Mind" ability remove it?

[Dudewithknives]

Q356 If a monk is under the affect of "Suggestion" or "Mass Suggestion" can their "Stillness of Mind" ability remove it?

A356: No, Stillness of Mind ends either the Frightened or Charmed condition, while suggestion and mass suggestion do not work on targets that are immune to the charmed effect, they do not give the charmed condition.

Although, it probably should end the condition, by the rules it does not.

Also, on a side note, I noticed you escaped from the Vine.

[Dalebert]

Q354 illusion spell (any) blocks my vision of the enemy (cuz I failed my save, or just haven't he'd a chance to interact, etc). Can I target the enemy with a scorching ray spell? And if so, how would that play out? I can't see him, but I can target him? Attack at disadvantage? Perception check?

If you know roughly where they are, you can attack them with disadvantage, but whether you can know where they are or have to guess ventures out of RAW because I've seen pages and pages of contentious threads about this subject. You'll have to ask your DM how he handles these situations.

Some spells say you must be able to see your target. Scorching Ray does not have that requirement. If a spell says "a target you see" for instance, this would prevent you from being able to target them.

[Afrodactyl]

Or not. You are at 0 hit points and you are taking damage, so you suffer a death saving throw failure. Kinda like with the DC for a concentration save. Maybe, I am not sure.

Instant death rules are also interesting in that context.

So remain unstable, continue making throws, and have the THP should you be healed?

Thank you for the prompt and clear response.

[Zalabim]

Q 350 Don't all spells require a clear path to the target unless they specify otherwise? Isn't Mearls wrawng about Eyebite and a Wall of Force?

Did I stump the whole playground?

A 350 The short answer is: Mearls is not a rules authority.

[Red Bear]

Q357 does weather affect ranged weapon attacks in any way?

Q358 does a ranged spell attack casted in melee get disadvantage?

[LtPowers]

Q358 does a ranged spell attack casted in melee get disadvantage?

A358

Any ranged attack made when any enemy is within 5' of the attacker is made at disadvantage. That includes both ranged weapon attacks and ranged spell attacks.


Powers &8^]

[Avonar]

Q357 does weather affect ranged weapon attacks in any way?

Q358

It can. Very heavy fog would count as heavily obscured, which means that anything within it is subject to the blinded condition. There are other ways weather could as well, but this will always be a DM-based decision.

[No brains]

A 357 Magnum: Specifically, weather effects on ranged attacks are on paged 109-110 and 118-119 of the Dungeon Master's Guide. Page 109 says that strong winds impose disadvantage on ranged weapon attacks. Heavy precipitation doesn't affect ranged weapon attacks.

[Dalebert]

Regarding a Cube of Force:

Q 359a Would undead be living or nonliving matter?

Q 359b "The barrier is centered on you, moves with you, and lasts for 1 minute, until you use an action to press the cube's sixth face, or the cube runs out of charges."
This sentence is confusing and seems internally contradictory. There are three conditions given for when it ends.
1) last 1 min
2) until you press the 6th face
3) it runs out of charges

So after a minute passes, does it automatically eat the necessary charges (if they're there) and keep going if you haven't pressed face 6? I know that's how they used to work and this seems to imply the same but it also says "lasts 1 minute".

[Millstone85]

A359a I would say nonliving.

A359b "The cube loses charges when the barrier is targeted by certain spells or comes into contact with certain spell or magic item effects, as shown in the table below." If this makes the cube run out of charges, the barrier disappears.

[Platypusbill]

I'm considering a build that uses a shield as an improvised weapon (with Tavern Brawler so it doesn't suck), leaving a hand free for casting spells, grappling and such.

Q360

Is a shield used as an improvised weapon eligible for the damage bonus from the Dueling fighting style, provided that the user is not wielding any other weapons?

Q361

Does a magic shield used as an improvised weapon count as a magical weapon for the purpose of overcoming resistance/immunity to nonmagical blunt/piercing/slashing damage?

Q362

Can you cast Magic Weapon on improvised weapons, or only purpose-built weapons?

[Dalebert]

Re: A359b

Ah, yes! Forgot that aspect of the cube and that does cause the statement to be more consistent. This leaves me to understand that it does, in fact, turn off after one minute. Thank you.

A 360 No.

Q361 No.

Q362 No.

A shield is not a weapon. Anything can be used by anyone as an improvised weapon, but the word "improvised" clarifies that it is not a weapon but is merely being used in place of one. Therefore any abilities that refer to a "weapon" being used are not activated by a shield or any other improvised weapon unless they specify that exception.

[Flashy]

Re: A359b
A 360 No.

Q361 No.

Q362 No.

A shield is not a weapon. Anything can be used by anyone as an improvised weapon, but the word "improvised" clarifies that it is not a weapon but is merely being used in place of one. Therefore any abilities that refer to a "weapon" being used are not activated by a shield or any other improvised weapon unless they specify that exception.

I think this is a reasonable ruling, but I'm not sure there is a strictly RAW answer to the question. Improvised weapons are described under the weapons section of the PHB and there's nothing in the text of as written that really comments on whether or not they should count as weapons for the purpose of other effects. This seems to me like it's in "Ask your DM" territory, especially given that the description of improvised weapons already calls out DM discretion for another corner case.

[No brains]

Q 363: Because improvised weapons and unarmed strikes are not really 'weapons', does that mean they bypass resistance or immunity to non-magical weapons?

[Dalebert]

Re: A 360, 361, 362

I think this is a reasonable ruling, but...

I created a thread for further discussion so we don't derail the RAW thread.

A 363 Re: Unarmed strikes: definitely not based on precedent. Otherwise there would be no need for monk unarmed strikes to gain that feature at monk level 6. For the "improvised weapons" portion, I would politely encourage discussion in the other thread as this is intended to be the Simple RAW thread.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Q 364:

Is there any RAW way to switch out cantrips after they've been selected? I'm fairly certain that I know the answer, but I'm just double-checking.

[greenstone]

Q360 Is a shield … Dueling fighting style

A.360 No. A shield is not on the weapons table therefore it is not a weapon. Two-weapon fighting does not apply.

When using improvised weapons (and also unarmed and natural weapons) to make an attack, you make a melee weapon attack, but that is not the same as it being a weapon. Features that say "when you make a melee weapon attack" will apply but features that say "when you wield a weapon" will not.

Q361 Does a magic shield … count as a magical weapon

A.361 RAW is silent. Expect table variation. Same for hitting someone with a magic wand or gauntlet or boots.

Q362 Can you cast Magic Weapon on improvised weapons

A.362 No. The spell states "You touch a nonmagical weapon." See A.360.

[Dalebert]

A 364 No, not by RAW. Adventurer's League has some special cases where they allow rebuilds--anytime up through 4th level, some DM Quests, etc. If not in AL, your DM might make an exception.

[Big Papa Turnip]

Q 365: Can you choose what direction a target is shoved if you successfully shove them? Do they have to be shoved directly backwards? Could you "shove" a target five feet into the air above you?

For reference, the Shove paragraph.

Shoving a Creature

Using the Attack action, you can make a special melee attack to shove a creature, either to knock it prone or push it away from you. If you’re able to make multiple attacks with the Attack action, this attack replaces one of them.
The target must be no more than one size larger than you and must be within your reach. Instead of making an attack roll, you make a Strength (Athletics) check contested by the target’s Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check (the target chooses the ability to use). If you win the contest, you either knock the target prone or push it 5 feet away from you.

[Potato_Priest]

A 365. You shove them directly "away from you" which means that you could shove them 5 feet into the air only if you're underneath them.

There is a variant rule in the DMG for shoving creatures in other directions. I don't have that book, however, so I cannot quote it.

[Arkhios]

Q 366: If my paladin is of a medium-sized race, are my Find Steed options (by RAW) limited only to those that can carry me as a mount, or could I use the spell to summon a medium-sized wolf (for example) to act as my companion, with no intention of riding it?

[Lombra]

Q 366: If my paladin is of a medium-sized race, are my Find Steed options (by RAW) limited only to those that can carry me as a mount, or could I use the spell to summon a medium-sized wolf (for example) to act as my companion, with no intention of riding it?

A 366

It is specified that if the animal you want to summon is not in the list provided, allowing it is up to the DM.

PS: it does allow a mastiff, so I doubt that the fact that you have to be able to ride it is a restriction.

[Red Bear]

Q367 Do you get advantage on your ranged attack roll if the target is flanked (by two other allies in melee)?

[Hyde]

Q367 Do you get advantage on your ranged attack roll if the target is flanked (by two other allies in melee)?

A367. No. In the first place, flanking is an optional rule.

[Dmdork]

Q368 does Dispel Magic work on Mirror Image? If so, how does that play out?

[Dmdork]

Q369 Can I cast a spell while falling? Let's say I'm falling 60 feet. Can I cast Fly to keep from taking falling damage? Levitate?

[Dmdork]

Q370 what does it mean when they say the Web spell layered over a flat surface has a depth of 5 feet? I thought it was a 20foot cube. Does that mean when it's not anchored between two solid masses, it's a 20 feet surface, but only 5feet deep?

[Potato_Priest]

A369 You can only cast a spell while falling under the following circumstances:
a)You are casting the spell as a reaction (feather fall, for example, specifies that you can cast it as a reaction to falling, and you could ready an action on your turn to cast levitate or fly with the trigger of falling)
b)You are falling on your turn

[Avonar]

Q368 does Dispel Magic work on Mirror Image? If so, how does that play out?

A368

Yes, Dispel Magic would work. Dispel Magic can target a creature, object or magical effect. Since the mirror images of are a magical effect, you could target either the caster or the images themselves.

Mirror Image is a level 2 spell, so it would be dispelled instantly without needing a roll.