Ok my question is I know distant spell doubles the spells range but does it also apply to the branch offs like in chain lightening that have a range of 30'?
I'm finding several things that seem to worded in an ambiguous way in the spell description for Chain Lightning is worded:
1. Can the initial target be either a creature or an object? 2. The lightening doesn't jump to up to three other targets, if the original target makes the DEX save, correct? (What if there is immunity to lightning damage? I assume that there would also be no lightning jumping to other targets) 3. The damage is rolled just once, but the entire amount of damage is sustained by all the targets and is not divided among the targets, right? 4. The up to 3 additional targets also make a DEX save and take full damage on a fail and 1/2 damage on a successful save, right?
bonus question 5. It seems like it might be a pretty good damage spell, and might also be fun, right?
Nothing like reviving a half-decade-old thread, but you know Google brought me here, so it might bring others, too. For those who come after, if you will.
TL;DR: The answer is no.
Anyway, my read is as follows.
LEGACY RULES:
"You create a bolt of lightning that arcs toward a target of your choice that you can see within range. Three bolts then leap from that target to as many as three other targets, each of which must be within 30 feet of the first target. A target can be a creature or an object and can be targeted by only one of the bolts.
A target must make a Dexterity saving throw. The target takes 10d8 lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one."
1. Can the initial target be either a creature or an object?
The spell explicitly states that it can be either.
2. The lightning doesn't jump up to three other targets if the original target makes the DEX save, correct? (What if there is immunity to lightning damage? I assume that there would also be no lightning jumping to other targets.
Usually, if a spell does damage and has an effect, the description specifies what happens. "On a successful save, the target takes half as much damage and suffers none of the spell’s other effects." Like so. Since the spell doesn't mention that the effect doesn't occur, I would rule that it does. Additionally, I would ask for DEX saves from any character targeted by this spell at any point.
In terms of immunity, I think that targets just take zero damage from the attack, but still "conduct" the lightning, and the spell can jump on from them.
3. The damage is rolled just once, but the entire amount of damage is sustained by all the targets and is not divided among the targets, right?
Correct. There is an argument to be made for rolling 10d8 separately for each target, but for reasons of not holding up the game, I wouldn't do so.
4. The up to 3 additional targets also make a DEX save and take full damage on a fail and 1/2 damage on a successful save, right?
As I said, this seems most consistent with the game's internal logic to me. If we want to be very rules lawyer about it, the description does name anyone that is hit by this at any point as a "target" and calls for targets to make DEX saves, so I think the logic holds up.
Bonus question 5. It seems like it might be a pretty good damage spell, and might also be fun, right? Yes and yes.:)
2024 RULES
"You launch a lightning bolt toward a target you can see within range. Three bolts then leap from that target to as many as three other targets of your choice, each of which must be within 30 feet of the first target. A target can be a creature or an object and can be targeted by only one of the bolts.
Each target makes a Dexterity saving throw, taking 10d8 Lightning damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one."
The only difference to me here is that it more explicitly states that everyone does indeed need to make a DEX save. Which means it was probably the intention in 2014 as well.
DISTANT SPELL
The description of the distant spell is this: "When you cast a spell that has a range of 5 feet or greater, you can spend 1 sorcery point to double the range of the spell."
So the answer here is a pretty straightforward no.
Distant spell refers to the range of the spell, specified in the "Range" section. The 30-foot jumps come from the effect of the spell, mechanically a different thing.
Ok my question is I know distant spell doubles the spells range but does it also apply to the branch offs like in chain lightening that have a range of 30'?
No.
Thank you. Wasn't sure and couldn't find a similar post about this.
I'm finding several things that seem to worded in an ambiguous way in the spell description for Chain Lightning is worded:
1. Can the initial target be either a creature or an object?
2. The lightening doesn't jump to up to three other targets, if the original target makes the DEX save, correct? (What if there is immunity to lightning damage? I assume that there would also be no lightning jumping to other targets)
3. The damage is rolled just once, but the entire amount of damage is sustained by all the targets and is not divided among the targets, right?
4. The up to 3 additional targets also make a DEX save and take full damage on a fail and 1/2 damage on a successful save, right?
bonus question 5. It seems like it might be a pretty good damage spell, and might also be fun, right?
Nothing like reviving a half-decade-old thread, but you know Google brought me here, so it might bring others, too. For those who come after, if you will.
TL;DR: The answer is no.
Anyway, my read is as follows.
LEGACY RULES:
"You create a bolt of lightning that arcs toward a target of your choice that you can see within range. Three bolts then leap from that target to as many as three other targets, each of which must be within 30 feet of the first target. A target can be a creature or an object and can be targeted by only one of the bolts.
A target must make a Dexterity saving throw. The target takes 10d8![]()
lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one."
1. Can the initial target be either a creature or an object?
The spell explicitly states that it can be either.
2. The lightning doesn't jump up to three other targets if the original target makes the DEX save, correct? (What if there is immunity to lightning damage? I assume that there would also be no lightning jumping to other targets.
Usually, if a spell does damage and has an effect, the description specifies what happens. "On a successful save, the target takes half as much damage and suffers none of the spell’s other effects." Like so. Since the spell doesn't mention that the effect doesn't occur, I would rule that it does. Additionally, I would ask for DEX saves from any character targeted by this spell at any point.
In terms of immunity, I think that targets just take zero damage from the attack, but still "conduct" the lightning, and the spell can jump on from them.
3. The damage is rolled just once, but the entire amount of damage is sustained by all the targets and is not divided among the targets, right?
Correct. There is an argument to be made for rolling 10d8 separately for each target, but for reasons of not holding up the game, I wouldn't do so.
4. The up to 3 additional targets also make a DEX save and take full damage on a fail and 1/2 damage on a successful save, right?
As I said, this seems most consistent with the game's internal logic to me. If we want to be very rules lawyer about it, the description does name anyone that is hit by this at any point as a "target" and calls for targets to make DEX saves, so I think the logic holds up.
Bonus question 5. It seems like it might be a pretty good damage spell, and might also be fun, right? Yes and yes.:)
2024 RULES
"You launch a lightning bolt toward a target you can see within range. Three bolts then leap from that target to as many as three other targets of your choice, each of which must be within 30 feet of the first target. A target can be a creature or an object and can be targeted by only one of the bolts.
Each target makes a Dexterity saving throw, taking 10d8 Lightning damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one."
The only difference to me here is that it more explicitly states that everyone does indeed need to make a DEX save. Which means it was probably the intention in 2014 as well.
DISTANT SPELL
The description of the distant spell is this: "When you cast a spell that has a range of 5 feet or greater, you can spend 1 sorcery point to double the range of the spell."
So the answer here is a pretty straightforward no.
Distant spell refers to the range of the spell, specified in the "Range" section. The 30-foot jumps come from the effect of the spell, mechanically a different thing.
“I will not say: do not weep; for not all tears are an evil.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King, Gandalf