I'm making a fairy character and noticed with my DM that the spell Enlarge/reduce (fairy magic) that you unlock at 5th level requires a pinch of iron. But fey creatures are allergic to iron so can someone please explain to me how this works im so confused by this. Thanks in advance
It's a common lore. I don't know about D&D but it's common outside of it (anyone watch Maleficient?).
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If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
D&D follows its own rules. Some overlap with folklore or ‘common fantasy assumptions’ but when it is not written in the rules it is not something you can just assume as fact.
The DM could rule of course he wants to use that folklore. Then the spell would not be useable depending on what the allergic reaction would be..
D&D follows its own rules. Some overlap with folklore or ‘common fantasy assumptions’ but when it is not written in the rules it is not something you can just assume as fact.
The DM could rule of course he wants to use that folklore. Then the spell would not be useable depending on what the allergic reaction would be..
If they swell up, it's Enlarge. If they spew sick everywhere, it's Reduce.😜
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Human. Male. Possibly. Don't be a divider. My characters' backgrounds are written like instruction manuals rather than stories. My opinion and preferences don't mean you're wrong. I am 99.7603% convinced that the digital dice are messing with me. I roll high when nobody's looking and low when anyone else can see.🎲 “It's a bit early to be thinking about an epitaph. No?” will be my epitaph.
D&D follows its own rules. Some overlap with folklore or ‘common fantasy assumptions’ but when it is not written in the rules it is not something you can just assume as fact.
The DM could rule of course he wants to use that folklore. Then the spell would not be useable depending on what the allergic reaction would be..
If they swell up, it's Enlarge. If they spew sick everywhere, it's Reduce.😜
Hahahaha… imagine a fairy trying to cast VSM spell and grabs the iron and it’s throat and lips just swell making it impossible to use the verbal component..
There's no mechanical effect, but there's no reason you can't roleplay it. It's not uncommon to depict witches or wizards using extremely hazardous or dangerous components in spellcasting. I could see a fairy using iron the same way, carefully extracting it with forceps or something. Could be a fun little moment.
Every mythological source that has anything even remotely related to Fey, Fae, or Fairies says they cannot touch iron specifically, so the logical conclusion is that that should carry over to D&D.
In the campaign I'm a player in our DM homebrewed that Fey react negatively to iron, but it doesn't deal additional damage or have lingering effects. I think comparing it to an allergy is the best way to think of it... if you suspect someone is a fey, touching them with a piece of iron could confirm their lineage by seeing them get itchy or develop a rash or something, but it doesn't deal damage and sufficiently powerful fey can basically just ignore it since it's such a minor inconvenience.
Every mythological source that has anything even remotely related to Fey, Fae, or Fairies says they cannot touch iron specifically, so the logical conclusion is that that should carry over to D&D.
D&D is it’s own mythology. It doesn’t have to obey others, and it rarely does.
In the campaign I'm a player in our DM homebrewed that Fey react negatively to iron, but it doesn't deal additional damage or have lingering effects.
I've actually been handling Fey creatures very similarly at my own table for which I DM. Iron’s not harmful to faeries per se, but it’s definitely uncomfortable to be around and irritating to touch. Keeps the mythos flavor without disrupting the basic mechanical gameplay.
An alternate idea for a fairy character, who eventually gets the enlarge/reduce spell as an innate spellcasting ability, would be to forgo the powered iron material component for something else. I would expect that a naturally magical race that abhors iron would probably find a workaround to avoid using it. Perhaps, fairies instead use powdered mushrooms for this spell's component (akin to an Alice in Wonderland feel).
Iron vs Fairie is legacy lore more than anything. I doubt 5E has any rules for it.
In my campaign i dropped an homebrewed iron weapon that have an effect on fey; it's a unique weapon so far ancient from Old Ferrond empire, found in the dungeon beneath a ruin having uniques properties from its material/process of fabrication. So not something every shopkeeper has for sales. Here's the stats if curious
Cold-Wrought Iron Broadsword
Martial melee weapon
Broadsword 50gp, 1d10 slashing, 6 lb, heavy, special
Special: This heavy broad sword is made of cold wrought iron, which can overcome resistance of fey, undeads and fiends.
So, the original source that most things point towards is Rewards and Faeries. If you actually read it, there's two people talking to a faerie and asking him to prove he's magical by turning them into something. The fae then says he can't because the lady has boots tied together and hanging around her shoulders. The boot soles are attached with "cold iron" and magic doesn't work around cold iron. So she takes them off and he says, "You're showing me such trust. There's no need for magic when there's trust."
So he's just looking for ways to not prove his magic.
Every mythological source that has anything even remotely related to Fey, Fae, or Fairies says they cannot touch iron specifically, so the logical conclusion is that that should carry over to D&D.
D&D is it’s own mythology. It doesn’t have to obey others, and it rarely does.
Not to mention that the iron thing is not universally true, it only applies to certain creatures and not to every type of Fey. Or not to any type of Fae, depending on the folklore. Elves, dwarves, gnomes, goblins, kobolds, and ogres are all types of the Fair Folk in mythology. And in many tales, the touch of iron didn't harm the Fey, carrying something iron like a nail or a horseshoe would protect a person from their magic so long as they didn't trick you into dropping it.
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Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
I did some research to try to find the history behind the Fey - iron weakness. It looks like it is based on the Tuatha - Milesian transition in Eire. The Tuatha were Bronze Age with “golden” weapons and armor. The Milesians were iron wielders and iron is harder, and stronger than bronze which allowed the Milesians to cut through the armor and weapons of the Tuatha driving them into the wilds or into subjugation by the Milesians. Because of their lower grade armor and weapons they were easily injured or killed by iron weapons hence the susceptibility.
Just to be clear, there is precedent in D&D for fey to be vulnerable to "cold" iron weapons. In 3e, these were nonmagical weapons much like silvered weapons that cost a bit more, but could overcome the unique damage reduction of fey. This did not carry over to 5e in any form, but I would be happy if it did.
This falls under setting-specific rules in my opinion. Some worlds may want vampires to be averse to crosses and garlic and running water and other worlds may want to flip that trope and call those things silly midwives' tales made up by clueless peasants that prove to be false in a dramatic moment. I appreciate that they don't codify these things so that we can add or not add them at our discretion.
So I have a burning question.
I'm making a fairy character and noticed with my DM that the spell Enlarge/reduce (fairy magic) that you unlock at 5th level requires a pinch of iron. But fey creatures are allergic to iron so can someone please explain to me how this works im so confused by this. Thanks in advance
According to which source?
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I don't think that there is a source in the 5e rukeset that states that fey creates are allegi to iron.
This is lore from other settings, or homebrew rule, nothing about it in official material.
Pretty sure this is an other source lore. Otherwise slapping a fae with iron weapons would be doubly strong
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_in_folklore
It's a common lore. I don't know about D&D but it's common outside of it (anyone watch Maleficient?).
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
D&D follows its own rules. Some overlap with folklore or ‘common fantasy assumptions’ but when it is not written in the rules it is not something you can just assume as fact.
The DM could rule of course he wants to use that folklore. Then the spell would not be useable depending on what the allergic reaction would be..
If they swell up, it's Enlarge. If they spew sick everywhere, it's Reduce.😜
Human. Male. Possibly. Don't be a divider.
My characters' backgrounds are written like instruction manuals rather than stories. My opinion and preferences don't mean you're wrong.
I am 99.7603% convinced that the digital dice are messing with me. I roll high when nobody's looking and low when anyone else can see.🎲
“It's a bit early to be thinking about an epitaph. No?” will be my epitaph.
Hahahaha… imagine a fairy trying to cast VSM spell and grabs the iron and it’s throat and lips just swell making it impossible to use the verbal component..
Peanut allergy but then for Iron..
I don't even want to think about how expensive a +1 Epipen would be.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
There's no mechanical effect, but there's no reason you can't roleplay it. It's not uncommon to depict witches or wizards using extremely hazardous or dangerous components in spellcasting. I could see a fairy using iron the same way, carefully extracting it with forceps or something. Could be a fun little moment.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
Every mythological source that has anything even remotely related to Fey, Fae, or Fairies says they cannot touch iron specifically, so the logical conclusion is that that should carry over to D&D.
In the campaign I'm a player in our DM homebrewed that Fey react negatively to iron, but it doesn't deal additional damage or have lingering effects. I think comparing it to an allergy is the best way to think of it... if you suspect someone is a fey, touching them with a piece of iron could confirm their lineage by seeing them get itchy or develop a rash or something, but it doesn't deal damage and sufficiently powerful fey can basically just ignore it since it's such a minor inconvenience.
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D&D is it’s own mythology. It doesn’t have to obey others, and it rarely does.
I've actually been handling Fey creatures very similarly at my own table for which I DM. Iron’s not harmful to faeries per se, but it’s definitely uncomfortable to be around and irritating to touch. Keeps the mythos flavor without disrupting the basic mechanical gameplay.
An alternate idea for a fairy character, who eventually gets the enlarge/reduce spell as an innate spellcasting ability, would be to forgo the powered iron material component for something else. I would expect that a naturally magical race that abhors iron would probably find a workaround to avoid using it. Perhaps, fairies instead use powdered mushrooms for this spell's component (akin to an Alice in Wonderland feel).
Iron vs Fairie is legacy lore more than anything. I doubt 5E has any rules for it.
In my campaign i dropped an homebrewed iron weapon that have an effect on fey; it's a unique weapon so far ancient from Old Ferrond empire, found in the dungeon beneath a ruin having uniques properties from its material/process of fabrication. So not something every shopkeeper has for sales. Here's the stats if curious
So, the original source that most things point towards is Rewards and Faeries. If you actually read it, there's two people talking to a faerie and asking him to prove he's magical by turning them into something. The fae then says he can't because the lady has boots tied together and hanging around her shoulders. The boot soles are attached with "cold iron" and magic doesn't work around cold iron. So she takes them off and he says, "You're showing me such trust. There's no need for magic when there's trust."
So he's just looking for ways to not prove his magic.
Not to mention that the iron thing is not universally true, it only applies to certain creatures and not to every type of Fey. Or not to any type of Fae, depending on the folklore. Elves, dwarves, gnomes, goblins, kobolds, and ogres are all types of the Fair Folk in mythology. And in many tales, the touch of iron didn't harm the Fey, carrying something iron like a nail or a horseshoe would protect a person from their magic so long as they didn't trick you into dropping it.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
I did some research to try to find the history behind the Fey - iron weakness. It looks like it is based on the Tuatha - Milesian transition in Eire. The Tuatha were Bronze Age with “golden” weapons and armor. The Milesians were iron wielders and iron is harder, and stronger than bronze which allowed the Milesians to cut through the armor and weapons of the Tuatha driving them into the wilds or into subjugation by the Milesians. Because of their lower grade armor and weapons they were easily injured or killed by iron weapons hence the susceptibility.
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
Just to be clear, there is precedent in D&D for fey to be vulnerable to "cold" iron weapons. In 3e, these were nonmagical weapons much like silvered weapons that cost a bit more, but could overcome the unique damage reduction of fey. This did not carry over to 5e in any form, but I would be happy if it did.
This falls under setting-specific rules in my opinion. Some worlds may want vampires to be averse to crosses and garlic and running water and other worlds may want to flip that trope and call those things silly midwives' tales made up by clueless peasants that prove to be false in a dramatic moment. I appreciate that they don't codify these things so that we can add or not add them at our discretion.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm