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How does Hail of Thorns interact with with magic ammunition or enchantments. For example with an arrow of slaying, acid arrow, and flame arrow spell?
Would the effects of these enchantments be replicated for all the other targets within Hail of Thorn's target area of effect?
Hail of Thorns' description states that in addition to the normal effect of the attack the creature has to make a Dex save, taking 1d10 damage on a failure.
The next time you hit a creature with a ranged weapon attack before the spell ends, this spell creates a rain of thorns that sprouts from your ranged weapon or ammunition. In addition to the normal effect of the attack, the target of the attack and each creature within 5 feet of it must make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 1d10 piercing damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. (emphasis mine)
Arrow of Slaying says that a creature only takes the extra damage if it takes damage from the arrow.
If a creature belonging to the type, race, or group associated with an arrow of slaying takes damage from the arrow, the creature must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw, taking an extra 6d10 piercing damage on a failed save, or half as much extra damage on a successful one. (emphasis mine)
The same applies to the others types of ammo. The extra damage from the Hail of Thorns spell doesn't count as damage from the arrow, but from a separate spell, that activates when the arrow hits; so the arrow's special effects don't apply to that damage.
Lets look at what hail of thorns says -
The next time you hit a creature with a ranged weapon attack before the spell ends, this spell creates a rain of thorns that sprouts from your ranged weapon or ammunition. In addition to the normal effect of the attack, the target of the attack and each creature within 5 feet of it must make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 1d10 piercing damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
What the spell does, is add another effect to the base effect of your ranged weapon attack. In this case the target of the attack as well as each creature within 10 feet of that target are going to take damage with a dex save to mitigate some of that damage.
While it I can see how you may be confused with the way the spell is worded, the position of the comma splits the sentence into two different parts - the first part clarifies this effect happens "in addition to the normal effect of the attack" while the second half of the sentence outlines the spells effects. It does not imply that all creatures within the area are effected by " the normal effect of the attack".
