6
\$\begingroup\$

In one of Wizard of the Coast's adventure modules (noted in the spoiler box below), you can meet werebats:

Dungeon of the Mad Mage

The fireball spell has the material component:

A tiny ball of bat guano and sulfur

Could these werebats be used to facilitate the collection of this material component without the need for normal bats?

\$\endgroup\$
1
  • 3
    \$\begingroup\$ These are the pressing questions that keep me coming back to rpg.stackexhange.com \$\endgroup\$ Mar 12, 2019 at 17:12

3 Answers 3

11
\$\begingroup\$

Probably up to your DM

There's going to be a judgement call by a DM on this as both cases seem reasonable:

Werebats can turn into bats

If they are defecating as a bat, I can see the case that they are purely leaving bat guano at that point.

Werebats are entirely differently creatures

While they can shapechange into a bat, they are still a werebat and not a bat. The material component calls for bat guano and not werebat guano.

\$\endgroup\$
2
  • 2
    \$\begingroup\$ This would all be no problem if the PHB listed *bat guano instead of bat guano. Use your wildcards, folks. \$\endgroup\$
    – Yuuki
    Mar 12, 2019 at 15:41
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ @Yuuki It's also repetitive. If they simply had just said "guano" it likely would have worked. But by stating "bat guano" they are specifying which type of guano (for likely no good reason.) \$\endgroup\$
    – NautArch
    Mar 12, 2019 at 15:50
3
\$\begingroup\$

Definitely up to your DM, but if I was your DM, I'd rule yes if, as NautArch pointed out, the werebat was in bat form at the time it left the guano because the spell calls for bat guano and this would satisfy the requirement.

However, I'd advise to just skip the mess and get a spell focus. :-D

\$\endgroup\$
1
  • \$\begingroup\$ Welcome to RPG.SE! Take the tour if you haven't already, and check the help center for more guidance. \$\endgroup\$
    – V2Blast
    Mar 12, 2019 at 19:15
-2
\$\begingroup\$

Ask your GM is the proper answer.... That said, that particular Material Component has always been a bit of a snarky wink and nod to the fact that Bat Guano is heavily used in the production of fertilizer.... and gun powder.

So ask your GM if werebat guano has similar concentrations of Fixed Nitrogen. That way, even if you can't cast a fireball with it you can make gunpowder instead!

\$\endgroup\$

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .