Can you move between the separate attacks of a spell?

Question

Some spells (Eldritch Blast, Scorching Ray) involve making multiple attacks, in that they require multiple attack rolls. Under the movement section of the PHB, the "Moving Between Attacks" reads (PHB 190):

If you take an action that includes more than one weapon attack, you can break up your movement even further by moving between those attacks. For example, a fighter who can make two attacks with the Extra Attack feature and who has a speed of 25 feet could move 10 feet, make an attack, move 15 feet, and then attack again.

However, Eldritch Blast and Scorching Ray are not weapon attacks, so unlike a Twinned Booming Blade, they would not satisfy the wording of that particular rule.

The introduction to the "Movement and Position" section, however, reads (PHB, 190):

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.

This provides the general notion of movement and does not give any restrictions on timing except that it must be on your turn. "Following the rules here" only explicitly applies to the amount of speed used.

"On your turn, you can move a distance up to your speed." could be considered parallel to the description of bonus actions (PHB, 189) "You choose when to take a bonus action during your turn, unless the bonus action’s timing is specified" in which case, barring a more specific restriction, movement can be used at any time on your turn.

Is movement between a spell's attacks not allowed because it was not expressly permitted under "Breaking Up Your Move"? Or is it allowed because movement was not said to be restricted while taking an action?

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A related question of mine is similar, but asks whether a bonus action can be taken between the attacks of a spell.

Answer 1

You cannot move between the attacks of an action unless those attacks are weapon attacks

What we can see from looking at the rules is that there exists a section on "Moving Between Attacks" which states:

[...] If you take an action that includes more than one weapon attack, you can break up your movement even further by moving between those attacks. [...]

There is no similar section allowing you to move between attacks of an action involving multiple attacks in general. Thus, you cannot use movement between the attacks of the a spell such as eldritch blast.

If the general rules on movement allowed you to insert it between literally anything you wanted then there would be no reason for the rule on Moving Between Attacks to be stated in the way it is. It is explicitly allowing you to move between the attacks of actions that involve multiple weapon attacks (which does include unarmed strikes).

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Lead Rules Designer Jeremy Crawford also agrees with this interpretation:

Q. Can a warlock 5th level cast Eldritch Blast aim one beam at a target, move 20 feet then aim the 2nd beem at a different target?

A. No general rule allows you to move between the attacks of a spell.

Answer 2

Probably not.

Duration of both of those spells is instantaneous. To me that means that all of it happens in an instant, i. e. the three scorching rays are hurled simultaneously, which would not leave you much time to move.

Compare it with booming blade, which has a duration of one round, giving you plenty time to move around.

There is also this (this) discussion on whether the spell attacks are simultaneous or sequential. Crawford says sequential, Mearls seems to say simultaneous. But even with the Crawford interpretation, it does not necessarily mean you can move between attacks.

Answer 3

Counterspell

Regardless of whether or not you think the rules allow it, you may want to disallow it simply because of the work that counterspell adds to the table.

Image a high-level warlock Wallis. Wallis casts eldritch blast and attacks a foe with the first beam. This happens to kill the foe. Wallis then moves and happens to enter counterspell range of another caster, who successfully counterspells the eldritch blast. Now you have to walk back the damage and death done to the first target (which might include walking back features like hexblade's curse and might involve retroactively doing opportunity attacks).

Counterspell can be used to counter a spell at any time during its casting (When can you counterspell a spell with long casting time?). If Wallis still has beams to shoot then the spell hasn't finished yet.