Limiting teleportation in 5e [closed]

Question

I'm playing a 5e warlock with the Fey Touched feat, which I've never done before. My DM is learning the ropes still and I'm trying to play by the book to help him to learn the rules. In a recent session, I used Misty Step in a way that was in-character and surprising for the DM. He didn't complain at all and it was not until some days later that I read a post on here about the spell that I started to feel guilty for what I had done.

Discussions I've seen here and elsewhere online regarding the Misty Step spell not allowing for carrying a passenger do not make sense to me. I understand that the intention is to keep the spell from being overpowered at low level, but the main arguments against carrying a passenger do not explain the restriction well enough.

It is said that carrying a passenger is ruled out because the target and range are both "Self" and/or because the text does not specifically state that taking someone with you is possible. If these are both true, then the caster should appear at the other end of the jump naked and holding nothing, since "anything worn or carried" is not part of their body (self) and is not explicitly included in the spell description. If a character can Misty Step with everything worn or carried, and one can carry a backpack weighing as much as another character, then one should be able to Misty Step while carrying any character they can lift.

What am I missing here? Does "self" in 5e D&D always include all non-living material that one is wearing or carrying?

In investigating this subject in online discussions, I see that people regularly use Misty Step to escape bonds like rope, chain or shackles. But if one is tied up, then one is technically wearing the bindings unless they are wrapped around something like a tree or pole. So, why is it acceptable that a character should be able to choose to leave the bindings behind, but not all their gear and clothing?

Given that the spell is a one-time jump and only 30' and limited to a spot my warlock can see, it hardly seems overpowered that he--a goliath who is well under carrying capacity while holding another character--should be able to Misty Step.

Answer 1

So, what you want to do is carry another creature with misty step.

Summary: the rules are not perfectly clear, although a reasonable interpretation suggests you cannot carry another creature, see below for details. An issue you bring up is what about clothes and equipment, Sage Advice clarifies that, see below for details. Having said all that, work with your DM -- if it is ambiguous enough to come here looking for answers, it's ambiguous enough to get on the same page with your DM.

Compare with Dimension Door, for instance

Dimension Door provides additional guidance for what you can carry:

You can bring along objects as long as their weight doesn't exceed what you can carry. You can also bring one willing creature of your size or smaller who is carrying gear up to its carrying capacity. The creature must be within 5 feet of you when you cast this spell.

Misty Step provides no such additional information.

What about clothes and equipment?

The Sage Advice Compendium says this about Misty Step:

Misty step doesn’t say the caster can bring worn or carried equipment with them. Are they intended to leave everything, including their clothes, behind?

No, the caster’s worn and carried equipment are intended to go with them. (misty step)

"Worn and carried equipment" seems pretty clear to me.

Is a range of "self" important?

Maybe? But just looking at three teleportation spells, misty step, dimension door, and teleport, their ranges are inconsistent one compared to another. Misty step has a range that refers to who can teleport, as does the teleport spell, but dimension door doesn't.

Is that an argument to support that misty step only teleports the caster? Or is it an inconsistency that doesn't really help determine whether misty step can include a passenger or not? Up to interpretation, but I think the latter.

What matters is your game

Teleporting in its many forms can be tricky. The rules often lack specificity, and that's okay.

To me, it seems pretty clear that the spell does not include carrying another person, but that's an interpretation. The spell doesn't say. And really, the rules aren't so well written that pointing to things like dimension door and "range of self" are really 100% conclusive.

What's more important is that the DM and the players are on the same page.

My best advice . . . get with your DM. Express your concerns and thoughts. Come up with an interpretation that works for your table. The rules are just a shortcut to an understanding between the players (including the DM). Given that the rules are not perfectly clear, a conversation is warranted. Whether misty step allows you to carry someone or not is less important than whether you and the DM agree to how it works.

Answer 2

Self is you and your clothes and items affixed to you.

Self is what the word means: You and your gear and no other person.

You can not carry another creature using a teleportation spell with the target self.

If you are poisoned, you take the poison with you if you teleport with misty step.

If you are tied up, the rope is part of the target self. If you wear concrete shoes, you take them with you. If you have swallowed a gallon of water, you take that with you if you Misty Step away.

Answer 3

The rules appear to leave this up to the DM.

The spell misty step has a target of "self". "Self" is only defined as such:

Other spells, such as the shield spell, affect only you. These spells have a range of self.

Since neither the spell nor the definition of "self" define it, this means it's entirely up to the DM to adjudicate whether misty step affects the user's equipment, items they're carrying, shackles they're bound with, etc.

In my opinion, it would be absurd not to allow a character to bring their clothing and equipment with them when they teleport. Personally, I would allow a character to teleport with as much as they can carry, within the usual rules of carrying capacity. I think it's good for players to have abilities they can use in versatile and clever ways, because it encourages creativity.

One thing worth noting is the item dimensional shackles, which specifically prevents escape by teleportation. If teleporting out of shackles didn't work, this item wouldn't be necessary. I'd allow teleporting out of normal shackles, but rules-as-written it's up to the DM.