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If Druidcraft can predict a location's weather for the next 24 hours, would it note weird weather caused by Control Weather, such as a sudden storm at midday on an otherwise clear and cloudless day? Or would only naturally occurring weather be predicted?

I predict the matter will come up at our next game session (my friends like to exploit loopholes, but in good fun) so I'm hoping to be prepared for the inevitable. I read the answer to "How reliable is Druidcraft weather prediction?", but my question is more specific than that question answers.

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Time of Casting/Acting is Important

If a Druid were to attempt predict the Weather before the spell Control Weather was cast, then they would have no idea that the weather was changing because they would not have that information.

If they were to attempt to predict the Weather after the spell was cast, then I would rule that they certainly did have that information.

Also, the pertinent Druidcraft text reads:

You create a tiny, harmless sensory effect that predicts what the weather will be at your location for the next 24 hours. The effect might manifest as a golden orb for clear skies, a cloud for rain, falling snowflakes for snow, and so on. This effect persists for 1 round.

Thus, since it only lasts 1 round (or 6 seconds) it can't predict any use of Control Weather after the spell, because that would be like saying Detect Magic could be used to detect magic through prediction after its duration had ended. The effect has a Duration: It last for 6 seconds and then disappears, and cannot be retroactively used to predict the use of Control Weather.

EDIT: It's been how many months and I forgot to include this simple Caveat? I just want to throw in that you would have no indication other than common sense whether weather effects were magically created or not (for example, if you see an intense blizzard in a desert that hasn't gotten any precipitation for the last 250 years, something might be up.)

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No.

The act of the Control Weather spell changing the weather later nullifies the earlier prediction. Compare the spell Divination:

The spell doesn't take into account any possible circumstances that might change the outcome, such as the casting of additional spells or the loss or gain of a companion.

Or think about normal everyday weather forecast – it is the best guess based on the current conditions, but not guaranteed if someone will try to alter it.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ I'd argue that the fact that they had to specify that for Divination shows that it's not implied. Since they didn't specify it for Control Weather, it doesn't apply. Of course, no amount of rules lawyering changes the fact that the DM isn't psychic. \$\endgroup\$
    – DanielLC
    Oct 2, 2022 at 10:10
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If the Control Weather has been cast, but not yet taken effect, I would rule that the Druidcraft could "see" the approaching weather change, and predict what will happen because of it. If, however, the intervention has not yet been cast, Druidcraft would not be able to predict the actions of others. Control Weather, Tempest Cleric actions, Storm Giant actions, Divine Interventions -- all would be outside the scope of the cantrip if they have not actually been set into motion at the time of the cantrip's prediction.

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We don't know — the spell text leaves it open, which in 5E generally means "DM's call".

The word "predict" just means to foretell, to say in advance. Nothing in plain English suggests that predictions are accurate — in fact, people make predictions that turn out to be wrong pretty much constantly.

Now, common sense suggests that since it's magic, it should be pretty good. In a comment to another answer, @SeraphsWrath notes that the cantrip is Transmutation, not Divination — which suggests that the spell does not really look into the future at all. But, this is a multi-purpose utility spell and some of the other things don't really fit — if these were individual spells, the non-weather-forecasting "create harmless sensory effect" use might be illusion, and lighting campfires might be evocation. So, I think there is a lot of room to make more or less of the spell school if you like.

Personally, as a DM, I tend to play this rather strongly. Let's face it: Druidcraft is probably the weakest "spellcaster class theme" cantrip, and druids don't get a ton of cantrips — and there are lot of solid mechanically-adventageous other options. Your player took this to enhance the flavor of playing a druid.

I haven't come across a situation where I had to consider Control Weather, but I did have a case where a magical future event was likely to change the weather, and on that instance, I described the resulting sun orb as weirdly colored and tinged with magic. I allowed an Arcana roll to investigate, and used it as an opportunity to give the party some hints as to the situation they were walking into.

I think this same thing might be appropriate if you know Control Weather is likely to be in play.

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It's not clear

The wording of Druidcraft is

You create a tiny, harmless sensory effect that predicts what the weather will be at your location for the next 24 hours. The effect might manifest as a golden orb for clear skies, a cloud for rain, falling snowflakes for snow, and so on. This effect persists for 1 round.

The wording of Control Weather is:

Duration: Concentration, up to 8 hours. You take control of the weather within 5 miles of you for the duration

I am working from the assumption that "spells only do what they say they do" and Druidcraft is missing the caveat that other predictive spells like Augury and Divination both have:

The spell doesn’t take into account any possible circumstances that might change the outcome, such as the casting of additional spells or the loss or gain of a companion.

So it would seem that, on the surface, your trick would work. However I would like to ask you two things:

  1. If your druid is not going to force it to rain for the whole 24 hours, can you rely on a prediction of rain?
  2. Looking at the sky only lets you predict a couple of hours worth of weather with any accuracy. How do you know it wasn't going to rain anyway?*

At the very least I would encourage you to discus this with your GM before you try this.

*i.e. Does your GM appreciate you misusing a weather prediction spell to predict a different type of event?

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