Simple RAW for 5e 4: Smackdown v. RAW

[Man_Over_Game]

Q300
If eldrich knights a and b both use weapon bond to bond to the same weapon, which a is currently wielding, can eldrich knight b use a bonus action to teleport it into his hand? I’m mostly curious how this interacts with the portion of the weapon bond feature that prevents A from being disarmed while not incapacitated.

R300

There isn't any solid information on how that'd work, but here is some discussion on what would be the most accurate rulings on the topic:

https://rpg.stackexchange.com/questi...he-same-weapon

[FrancisBean]

Q301

For monsters with the multiattack ability, is the order of the attacks considered to be specified by the order in which they are given, or can they be freely re-ordered? E.g., the Brown Bear has the following:

Multiattack. The bear makes two attacks; one with its bite and one with its claws.

Can our bear choose to claw first and bite second, or is the order fixed by the text?

[PhoenixPhyre]

Q301

For monsters with the multiattack ability, is the order of the attacks considered to be specified by the order in which they are given, or can they be freely re-ordered? E.g., the Brown Bear has the following:


Can our bear choose to claw first and bite second, or is the order fixed by the text?

A301 The order is up to the DM.

[No brains]

Re 301

Spoiler: Minor Forge of Fury Spoilers

Show

The stat block for the Giant Subterranean Lizard has the bite attack listed before the the tail attack, but the encounter text for the creature says that the creature uses these attacks in the reverse order. This implies the intent for no set order of attacks.

[Dmdork]

Q302 I cast Simulacrum and make a duplicate of myself. I have the lucky feat, as does my Sim. Can my simulacrum get his lucky points back after a long rest?

[Man_Over_Game]

Q302 I cast Simulacrum and make a duplicate of myself. I have the lucky feat, as does my Sim. Can my simulacrum get his lucky points back after a long rest?

This RPG Stack Exchange question goes into more detail, but it boils down to:

RAW: Yes.
RAI: No.

Simulacrum are not intended to be able to regain expended resources. You could say that they are incapable of gaining the benefits of any Rest. RAW, there is nothing preventing you from gaining those resources back. Heck, you could technically regain Sorcery Points and then convert them into Spell Slots.

[Dalebert]

[URL="https://rpg.stackexchange.com/a/122503/45619"]
RAI: No.

Simulacrum are not intended to be able to regain expended resources.

I would discourage venturing into what was intended, particularly in the RAW thread. They specifically said hit points and spell slots. If they meant all resources, I'm sure they would have said it. A simulacrum, by RAW, can still regain ki points, mystic arcanums, superiority dice, bardic inspiration, and many other things.

[Man_Over_Game]

I would discourage venturing into what was intended, particularly in the RAW thread. They specifically said hit points and spell slots. If they meant all resources, I'm sure they would have said it. A simulacrum, by RAW, can still regain ki points, mystic arcanums, superiority dice, bardic inspiration, and many other things.

The RAI was based on this comment, from the Lead Designer of 5th Edition DnD (the link to it was in the link I provided):

Jeremy Crawford: "Simulacrum—the spell's creation can't gain levels or regain expended spell slots (RAW). The creation is meant to be unable to regain use of any of its features that it expends (RAI)."

But, additionally:

RAW, there is nothing preventing you from gaining those resources back. Heck, you could technically regain Sorcery Points and then convert them into Spell Slots.

[Segev]

Q303: Do white dragon wyrmlings get Lair actions, or is that restricted to the dragon age categories that get Legendary actions?

[Eriol]

Q303: Do white dragon wyrmlings get Lair actions, or is that restricted to the dragon age categories that get Legendary actions?

A303: No they don't. Combination of P.11 in the Monster Manual about Legendary Creatures:

Legendary creatures can take special actions outside their turns, and a few can exert power over their environment, causing extraordinary magical effects to occur in their vicinity

That alone says Lair Actions are only for creatures with Legendary parts of their Stat Blocks, which would be Adult and Ancient dragons, not young or wyrmlings. Then on P.101 in the White Dragon section itself:

A legendary white dragon's innate magic...

So the Lair stuff is an effect of their Legendary status. That's the RAW answer.

That said, if it made sense thematically and you're the DM, do whatever you want. Maybe a Young Dragon or a Wyrmling's CR isn't quite right for the party you're running through there, so you throw in a "Lair Action" or two to bring it up to the right amount of challenge for the party rather than extra mobs of another type. That's probably a good strategy as a DM. Thematically, maybe they live in their parent's Lair, and have been given control over its defenses while their parent is away. Anything is possible.

[zinycor]

Q304 Does grabbing a shield count as donning armor for the purposes of the spell mage armor?

[Man_Over_Game]

Q304 Does grabbing a shield count as donning armor for the purposes of the spell mage armor?

A304 If an armor calculation prohibits the use of armor OR a shield, it'd say both. Mage Armor does not explicitly mention a shield, so a shield is fine.

You can compare the Monk's Unarmored Defense vs. Mage Armor to see exactly what I mean.

[Corran]

Q 305
Used conquering presence (channel divinity from oath of conquest paladin) and later on the same round my character was knocked unconscious.

a) Do frightened enemies (from conquering presence) remain frightened even though I was knocked unconscious?

b) If dropping unconscious does not make a difference regarding enemies seeing my character's body, I am still within line of sight, right?

c) I guess this is what it comes down to. Is there anything in RAW, to say that an unconscious target stops qualifying as a source of fear?

d) If there is nothing in RAW to contradict point c, does anyone know what the RAI is regarding if unconscious (or even dead) creatures can still qualify as a source of fear?

Thanks in advance.

[viaFAMILIAR]

Q306

Does a melee spell attack, with a range of touch, cast through your familiar, that hits a creature, count as the cleric hitting for the purposes of the Death Domain's Channel Divinity: Touch of Death?

[viaFAMILIAR]

Q307

Can the two free spells granted by gaining wizard levels be of a level for which they have spell slots granted by another class?

e.g. - cleric has 7th level slots, gains level in wizard, picks finger of death

[Galithar]

Q307

Can the two free spells granted by gaining wizard levels be of a level for which they have spell slots granted by another class?

e.g. - cleric has 7th level slots, gains level in wizard, picks finger of death

A307
No. Your spell level known/prepared/in spellbook is determined by your class level not character level, or levels in another class
You can use the higher level slots to upcast a lower level spell, but not to learn higher level spells. For example a Wizard 5, Cleric 13 would have up to 7th level spells from the Cleric list, 3rd level spells from the wizard list, and 9th level spell slots they could upcast into with something like Fireball.

[Galithar]

Q306

Does a melee spell attack, with a range of touch, cast through your familiar, that hits a creature, count as the cleric hitting for the purposes of the Death Domain's Channel Divinity: Touch of Death?

A306

I don't think it would. The spell find familiar states "Finally, when you cast a spell with a range of touch, your familiar can deliver the spell as if it had cast the spell."

To me I see the RAW saying that the spell acts as if it had been cast by the familiar. If the spell has an attack roll you get to use your modifier, but I still see it as the Familiar making the roll (and thus the attack) just using your modifier instead of their own.

Hopefully someone can confirm or deny my take on the RAW for this one as I'm not completely confident in how I'm reading the spell (Find Familiar) in this case.

[E’Tallitnics]

Q 305
Used conquering presence (channel divinity from oath of conquest paladin) and later on the same round my character was knocked unconscious.

a) Do frightened enemies (from conquering presence) remain frightened even though I was knocked unconscious?

b) If dropping unconscious does not make a difference regarding enemies seeing my character's body, I am still within line of sight, right?

c) I guess this is what it comes down to. Is there anything in RAW, to say that an unconscious target stops qualifying as a source of fear?

d) If there is nothing in RAW to contradict point c, does anyone know what the RAI is regarding if unconscious (or even dead) creatures can still qualify as a source of fear?

Thanks in advance.

A 305: Channel Divinity states that the power of your deity creates a magical effect. That being known:

a) Yes. Nothing in CD nor CP state that the follower need maintain concentration.

b) Up to the DM / situation at hand. If you fell unconscious in an empty room then you’re probably visible to all affected creatures. However if you fell unconscious and tumbled down the town well that would break line of sight.

c) No. Remember that they didn’t cast a spell nor do they maintain concentration. They are literally Channeling the Divine power of their deity.

d) RAI are outside the scope of this RAW thread. Feel free to create a standalone thread in the main 5e forum to explore this aspect more.

[E’Tallitnics]

Q306

Does a melee spell attack, with a range of touch, cast through your familiar, that hits a creature, count as the cleric hitting for the purposes of the Death Domain's Channel Divinity: Touch of Death?

R 306: Galithar is correct, but it’s even simpler. To do that with your familiar you have to cast a spell and Channel Divinity is not casting a spell.

[th3g0dc0mp13x]

Q308

Can a swarm of rotgrubs infest a level 3+ paladin? My initial thought is yes as they are not a disease, they can just be killed like a disease.

[Galithar]

R 306: Galithar is correct, but it’s even simpler. To do that with your familiar you have to cast a spell and Channel Divinity is not casting a spell.

R 306:

The Death Domain channel Divinity can be used any time you hit a creature with a melee attack. Any melee spell attack would qualify and allow the use of your channel Divinity, which itself uses no action, but is a rider on a melee attack.
The only thing keeping it from working is that the spell is treated as being cast by the familiar.
If there is any further question/debate I think it's time for a new thread and will keep an eye out for one to crop up.

[E’Tallitnics]

Can a swarm of rotgrubs infest a level 3+ paladin? My initial thought is yes as they are not a disease, they can just be killed like a disease.

A308: I agree. Particularly in that they’re Beasts, and the word “infested” is used instead of “infected” or “contaminated”.

[No brains]

Re 308 Leave this up to the DM. 5e and previous editions of the game have had a tendency to treat parasites as diseases. RAW does not acknowledge the existence of microorganisms, but diseases are basically little parasites. Speculative fantasy biology and medicine are also beyond RAW.

[FrancisBean]

Q309

When jumping, the rules make it clear that each foot of jumping movement costs a foot of your normal movement. (PHB pg 182.) In other words, jumping in combat can't be used to augment your total speed to move farther. Suppose a mountain dwarf with speed 25 and strength 20 is under the influence of the Jump spell for a long jump distance of 60' (after 10' running start). While the rules don't say it explicitly, I interpret this to mean that our dwarf could spend a round or 2 in mid-air, without any control over his movement, just like the old 3.5 days; but ignores terrain in the process.

First round: 10' running start, jump, continue mid-air for 15' of the 60' leap.
Second round: coast another 25' for 40' of the 60' jump.
Third round, complete the last 20' of the jump with 5' of walking movement remaining.

Question: can our Dwarf take the Dash action on the second round to finish the jump that round?

Related, but not really my question, can our dwarf drop prone (uses no speed, PHB pg 190), which makes movement cost an additional foot per foot, to make the same jump take even more rounds? (I'm aware that this is a physical absurdity, but this is the RAW thread.)

[Dalebert]

A 309 Your dwarf has to complete his move that round. There is no hovering in air between rounds without some form of flight. So he can at most jump twice his mvmt by dashing the same round he jumps minus the 10 ft lead, so 40 ft if his movement is 25. Any extra jump beyond that is just not helping him at all.

I had a similar question a while back with a monk running on walls. By the same reasoning, a monk can't run continuously on a vertical surface. For the sake of mechanics, you stop at the end of a turn and if you're in mid-air, you fall. A monk can only run on a vertical surface the length of his move that round. If he's still on the surface at the end of his move, he falls.

[Man_Over_Game]

Q309

When jumping, the rules make it clear that each foot of jumping movement costs a foot of your normal movement. (PHB pg 182.) In other words, jumping in combat can't be used to augment your total speed to move farther. Suppose a mountain dwarf with speed 25 and strength 20 is under the influence of the Jump spell for a long jump distance of 60' (after 10' running start). While the rules don't say it explicitly, I interpret this to mean that our dwarf could spend a round or 2 in mid-air, without any control over his movement, just like the old 3.5 days; but ignores terrain in the process.

First round: 10' running start, jump, continue mid-air for 15' of the 60' leap.
Second round: coast another 25' for 40' of the 60' jump.
Third round, complete the last 20' of the jump with 5' of walking movement remaining.

Question: can our Dwarf take the Dash action on the second round to finish the jump that round?

Related, but not really my question, can our dwarf drop prone (uses no speed, PHB pg 190), which makes movement cost an additional foot per foot, to make the same jump take even more rounds? (I'm aware that this is a physical absurdity, but this is the RAW thread.)

A309
Unfortunately, your original thesis was incorrect. The distance you jump is always limited by your speed.

Movement.On your turn, you can move a distance up to your speed. You can use as much or as little of your speed as you like on your turn, following the rules here. Your movement can include jumping, climbing, and swimming. These different modes of movement can be combined with walking, or they can constitute your entire move. However you’re moving, you deduct the distance of each part of your move from your speed until it is used up or until you are done moving.

It does not matter how you move; if you move an amount of distance, it subtracts from your speed, and you cannot move further distance without it.

Long Jump. When you make a long jump, you cover a number of feet up to your Strength score if you move at least 10 feet on foot immediately before the jump.

So just because you say you want to jump 60 feet doesn't mean that you can if you only have 30 speed.

It'd be similar to me saying "I want to walk 60 feet". Well, you can't, because you only have 30 speed this turn. You COULD Dash and use the extra speed to jump with in the same turn, but keep in mind of the rules on falling: "The rule for falling assumes that a creature immediately drops the entire distance when it falls. " (Xanathar's Guide to Everything).

So even if you DID try to end your turn mid-air, you'd immediately fall as soon as your movement ended. There are no rules that support a character being able to maintain momentum, nonetheless momentum between turns.

[Eriol]

Q309

When jumping, the rules make it clear that each foot of jumping movement costs a foot of your normal movement. (PHB pg 182.) In other words, jumping in combat can't be used to augment your total speed to move farther. Suppose a mountain dwarf with speed 25 and strength 20 is under the influence of the Jump spell for a long jump distance of 60' (after 10' running start). While the rules don't say it explicitly, I interpret this to mean that our dwarf could spend a round or 2 in mid-air, without any control over his movement, just like the old 3.5 days; but ignores terrain in the process.

First round: 10' running start, jump, continue mid-air for 15' of the 60' leap.
Second round: coast another 25' for 40' of the 60' jump.
Third round, complete the last 20' of the jump with 5' of walking movement remaining.

Question: can our Dwarf take the Dash action on the second round to finish the jump that round?

Related, but not really my question, can our dwarf drop prone (uses no speed, PHB pg 190), which makes movement cost an additional foot per foot, to make the same jump take even more rounds? (I'm aware that this is a physical absurdity, but this is the RAW thread.)

A309: What Alebert and Man_Over_Game said of course, but another way to summarize it is that this old OOTS comic (you know, the website you're on?) wouldn't work in 5e. He'd fall immediately that turn.

[Corran]

Q 310
I use the careful metamgic to cast hypnotic pattern, and I include myself in the area that hypnotic pattern affects. Does the careful metamagic allows me (ie the caster) to automatically succeed on my save against hypnotic pattern?

Thanks in advance.

[Dalebert]

A 310 Sadly, no.
If you read the first sentence of Careful Spell, it refers to casting a spell on "other creatures" and repeats this to make it extra clear that you can't exclude yourself.

[viaFAMILIAR]

Q311 Can a cleric use their wisdom modifier; to cast a cantrip on their classes spell list, but is learned by gaining wizard levels? Is it still considered a cleric cantrip? Or are all spells learned only considered of a class in which they were learned from?