Linked Questions
228 questions linked to/from What is the source of the "spells do only what they say they do" rules interpretation principle?
42
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9
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Do you get advantage on the Steel Wind Strike spell's attacks because you "vanish"?
The spell steel wind strike (XGtE, p. 166) says that you:
vanish to strike like the wind.
(Emphasis added)
At first glance you might read this as an inconsequential part of the description. But ...
- 13.8k
93
votes
2
answers
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Why do Crawford's tweets seem to be treated on par with the actual rules?
I keep running into quoted tweets from this 'Jeremy Crawford' guy in 5e answers. My understanding is he's sort of in charge of the edition, like James Jacobs with Pathfinder. It makes sense that his ...
- 67.1k
18
votes
7
answers
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Do/did any major RPGs have "hidden rules" or "spells that do things other than what they say"?
It is extremely common for answers on this site to quote either "There are no hidden rules", "Spells do only what they say they do", or often both (example), almost always ...
- 1,009
45
votes
6
answers
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Can a Lore bard's Cutting Words feature cancel a critical hit?
The Lore bard's Cutting Words feature says (PHB, p. 54; emphasis mine):
When a creature that you can see within 60 feet of you makes an attack roll, [...] you can use your reaction to expend one of ...
- 5,330
44
votes
7
answers
18k
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Prestidigitation and Druidcraft "harmless sensory effect?"
I'm DMing for our first ever D&D campaign. I've already got some great help from this website.
My sorcerer and druid like their Prestidigitation and Druidcraft spells, but we aren't exactly clear ...
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29
votes
8
answers
16k
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Can a character use teleport as a weapon?
The player characters are fighting a large creature, let's say dragon sized, in a large area like the town's market square. A player decides he wants his character to point at a boulder (large but ...
- 291
39
votes
5
answers
9k
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What insight does True Strike grant?
The part of the True Strike spell I am concerned with reads:
Your magic grants you a brief insight into the target’s defenses.
I'd always considered this to be flavor text. But a friend of mine ...
- 3,444
51
votes
6
answers
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Is there a hierarchy of specificity?
As we all know from page 7 of the Player's Handbook, "Specific Beats General". The way it discusses 'general' and 'specific' is basically that 'general' means the standard game rules, as given in ...
- 72.8k
20
votes
6
answers
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Is Zone of Truth not always easily defeated?
I had a very interesting discussion with my players on the effects of the Zone of Truth in D&D 5e.
They have committed a murder / killing in self defense and will be tried for it and we talked ...
- 1,147
39
votes
5
answers
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Can a player choose to add detail and flavor to their character's spells and abilities?
I'm not really sure how to word this so I'll detail the situation and hopefully I can not only get an answer but a name for this situation.
I was in a game with a regular group doing a one shot as ...
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29
votes
7
answers
10k
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Is there a rule for how to handle creative use of spells?
During a fight in a semi-flooded room, one of my players wanted to use Shocking Grasp on the water:
Lightning springs from your hand to deliver a shock to a creature you try to touch. Make a melee ...
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43
votes
4
answers
9k
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Can a monk, falling with an enemy they have grappled, use their slow fall ability to reduce their falling damage and not that of the enemy?
This came up as a controversial topic at my table with a player creating a Zangief playstyle.
The player uses an aarakocra monk that flies up with a grappled enemy, then ends his movement to fall to ...
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43
votes
3
answers
8k
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Can You Use Teleportation to Stand Up?
I feel like most tables end up asking this question and I think it usually comes down to a table by table decision, but can a caster who has been knocked prone use teleportation to stand up again? I'm ...
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31
votes
4
answers
8k
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Can you ready a Fire Bolt spell to be used as a torch?
The description of the Ready action states, in part:
When you ready a spell, you cast it as normal but hold its energy
Does this mean you could cast a fire bolt spell, hold its energy indefinitely (...
- 5,610
56
votes
2
answers
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With the 2019 Sage Advice Compendium release, are Jeremy Crawford's tweets considered to be "official rulings"?
The 2019 Sage Advice Compendium has been released. Previously, the SAC has indicated that Jeremy Crawford's tweets were considered to be official rulings. Is this still true?
- 93.9k