56
votes
Do I understand the difference between the two versions of Symbol, and why would anyone ever choose the second one?
The idea is that the surface option doesn’t move.
When the spell describes the surface option, the idea is that you are inscribing the glyph on an immovable or mostly immobile surface:
such as a ...
- 112k
49
votes
Accepted
Is there a rule that enables Sending to ignore the spell targeting rules regarding Total Cover?
For my money, you have a good point—they should have explicitly said something about cover
To be clear, this is purely a matter of technicality. Under no circumstances should anyone rule that sending ...
- 321k
28
votes
What counts as a word for the purposes of Sending?
"Word" isn't defined as a D&D game term.
"Word" isn't defined as a game term in D&D 5th edition. As such, it's interpreted as the common English meaning of the word, as ...
- 72.2k
26
votes
Accepted
Can you use Freezing Sphere + Teleport to bomb any target?
Depends whether your DM considers the small globe created by Freezing Sphere to be an object, and, more generally, how open they are to their campaign embracing mutually assured destruction.
Some ...
- 22.8k
26
votes
Is the 'Potion of Poison' detected by 'Detect Poison and Disease'?
An exception to the exception
The crucial context your question is missing is the Identifying a Magic Item section of the DMG (p. 136) which says (emphases mine):
Whatever a magic item's appearance, ...
- 25.6k
23
votes
Could the spell Command make a target drop concentration?
Don't look for a word, look for an agreement with your DM
You say
But I'm wondering whether the word "stop" would be clear enough, by RAW.
Additionally, if possible, what would be a better ...
- 25.6k
21
votes
Accepted
Are these two potentially-overpowered (or unintended) uses of Fabricate overpowered?
This is by no means overpowered
Thomas' answer covers the ambiguities of what counts as raw material in depth: this is not further defined and hence up to your DM.
I'd like to focus on the body of ...
20
votes
Accepted
Could the spell Command make a target drop concentration?
The GM determines how the target behaves.
No one but the DM running your game can tell you what effect a particular command will have, because the spell states:
the GM determines how the target ...
- 112k
20
votes
Does the Flame Blade spell count as a melee weapon that can be used with the paladin's Divine Smite feature?
No
Generally, flame blade is not considered a weapon and so doesn't work with spells and features which require one, such as green flame blade or opportunity attacks.
For Divine Smite though there's ...
- 43.5k
19
votes
Heat Metal vs Sanctuary
Your DM overruled the rules
Sanctuary says:
Until the spell ends, any creature who targets the warded creature with an attack or a harmful spell must first make a Wisdom saving throw.
Heat metal ...
19
votes
Accepted
Can the spell Spirit Shroud heal a zombie?
In 5e, necrotic energy does not heal undead
Your DM is right in their ruling. While in earlier editions of D&D, necrotic (or "negative" as it was called then) energy did heal undead, ...
17
votes
Accepted
How does Dominate Person/Beast/Monster interact with Sanctuary?
The dominated creature has to make the saving throw
I think it is pretty straightforward. The description of the Sanctuary spell says:
any creature who targets the warded creature with an attack or a ...
17
votes
What level should this Burning Words spell be?
I would never use this, no matter the level
The design of this spell is highly problematic. The risk you undertake when you cast this spell is too great. If you lost the contest, you take a total of ...
- 112k
16
votes
Accepted
If the activation of a Glyph of Warding triggers additional Glyphs of Warding, who is the target of the additional spell glyphs?
Depending on how strictly you interpret the rules for Glyph of Warding, one answer here is that the glyph cannot be triggered by anything but a creature or the action of a creature. If the other five ...
- 1,239
16
votes
Does one good STR saving throw free the monster from being restrained both by Entangle and Ensnaring strike?
It would take a separate action for each restraint
The rules for each spell specifically states the restrained creature has to use their action to make a strength check against the spell DC. You can't ...
- 24.6k
14
votes
Do I understand the difference between the two versions of Symbol, and why would anyone ever choose the second one?
Moving either version should break the spell, at a DM's discretion
As Jack points out, Glyph of Warding used to have the same language. The designer intent of this language (for Glyph of Warding) as ...
13
votes
Accepted
Can someone using "Astral Projection" gather materials scattered through the Astral Plane?
They go on a quest
You can physically travel to the Astral with Plane Shift (or Gate, but Plane Shift is lower level and on more spell lists). If you know exactly where the item is, Plane Shift can ...
- 4,711
12
votes
Accepted
How much damage does Produce Flame do when cast from a Flaming Star?
Damage Depends on How you Cast a Spell
Activating this spellheart uses the Cast a Spell activity, which requires that the user already has some form of spellcasting:
If an item lists “Cast a Spell” ...
- 3,434
12
votes
Can spells that target creatures affect (damage) the layers of a Prismatic Wall spell?
Strictly RAW, no, it can't, and yes, that's stupid, so ignore it
Cone of Cold strictly damages creatures. The wall is not a creature, so it can't deal cold damage to it.
That's what the rules say ...
- 4,711
12
votes
Accepted
Is this homebrew "Sign Letter" spell balanced?
Aside from the other answer given, there are a couple of notes:
You probably intend the ink to be used up (as it's ink), if that's the case you need to specify that they are as per Are normal spell ...
- 447
12
votes
Is this homebrew "Sign Letter" spell balanced?
This is barely stronger than a cantrip like Message, so making it a level 1 spell (like Identify, Illusory script, Alarm, Detect Thoughts) is fine.
Freezing the contents creates some odd situations, ...
- 239
12
votes
What counts as a word for the purposes of Sending?
Whatever the definition of "word" it's well established that Sending works much better if you're playing in German, or Deutschsendingverbesserung as they say.
Flippancy aside, your ...
- 4,018
11
votes
Accepted
Is this homebrew Friend Catapult spell balanced?
This is likely over the top
First, note that in spite of the name, the way this is written the caster can hurl themselves, as they can be "a willing creature", so this is not limited to ...
11
votes
How does the Heat Metal spell interact with a suit of armor, which could be taken off in parts?
Full doffing does not take place for 5 minutes. Unless a house rule covers the individual parts, this situation cannot happen.
While this may seem like a realistic scenario, full plate is one object ...
- 3,484
10
votes
How can I efficiently gain access to sorcerer-only spell as a non-sorcerer
There is an argument that Extra Spell from Complete Arcane can do it, because it never mentions anything about the new spell you learn coming from your own spell list. This does not seem to be a ...
- 321k
10
votes
Can you take 10 on spellcraft checks to copy a spell into a spellbook?
Yes
Copying a spell from a spellbook isn't immediate danger or a distraction from itself, so there's no inherent reason this wouldn't work. Of course, if you're trying to copy a spell in situations ...
- 3,434
10
votes
Can the spell Spirit Shroud heal a zombie?
Spells only do what they say they do.
The spell description of Spirit Shroud states:
Until the spell ends, any attack you make deals 1d8 extra damage when you hit a creature within 10 feet of you. ...
- 551
10
votes
Balancing Command while taking into account languages
Command's one word limit is already semi-arbitrary.
Although the spell indeed limits the commands to one word, the list of typical commands included make it clear the commands work more like (...
- 2,623
9
votes
Accepted
What are reliable non-concentration spells for Contingency?
I think you've got them all
There's not that many spells outside of the PHB, and filtering down to non-concentration, 1st to 5th level wizard spells from the non-PHB sourcebooks that contain spells ...
- 43.5k
9
votes
Accepted
Is Gift of Alacrity legal in Adventurers League?
No, gift of alacrity is not AL legal.
The first page of the DDAL Player's Guide has a list of books from which you may select various features, the sidebar "WHAT RULEBOOKS SHOULD I USE?", ...
- 112k
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