Had a question that after perusing the internet I was unable to find an answer to from Sage Advice. Let's assume that you have a player at your table who is an Evocation Wizard 2/Wild Magic Sorcerer X and let's say that after rolling on the Wild Magic Surge Table, they cast a Fireball at their feet. Can a Sorcerer use the Sculpt Spells feature from the School of Evocation to protect themselves and their allies from the Wild Magic Surge?
After looking around the internet for an answer, the general points of contention seem to be two fold:
(1) Is a surge controllable in any way? If it isn't than no feature will be able to affect a spell cast by it. However, if it can be controlled then that leads us to....
(2) Does Sculpt Spells count as metamagic or is it just a general class feature? If Sculpt is metamagic then according to Sage Advice it can't be applied in this case. On the other hand if it isn't considered metamagic, how would all you DMs rule? The reason I think it could be used is that it's a special ability that supersedes the general action economy and, according to Sage Advice, you can Counterspell yourself when you cast a spell as result of a surge (which is interesting considering that Counterspell is a reaction) (here's the reference: https://www.sageadvice.eu/2017/01/05/can-i-counterspell-myself/)
What's the general consensus on this? Do you allow a Sorcerer to apply class features that aren't metamagic to a spell cast as a result of surge or is it uncontrollable? If you do allow Sculpt Spell to work do you make it require a saving throw against the player's own spell casting DC? I look forward to hearing your opinions! Thanks!
Sculpt Spell most definitely does not count as metamagic, otherwise it would be stated in its description, and does not require you to use any type of action. To use it, you need to fulfill the following parameters: You cast an Evocation spell that affect other creatures.
Now, the Fireball result on the Wild Magic surge table states "You cast...", therefore the first part of the parameters needed to use Sculpt Spell is fulfilled; the second part of the parameters is situational, as you might be far away from any other creature. As the Sculpt Spell feature specifically states that you create pockets of relative safety for other creatures, you could not use it if you are the only affected creature, as well as not being able to use if for yourself if your Fireball is affecting other creatures as well.
So, in conclusion, can Sculpt Spell be used on a Wild Magic Surge Fireball RAW? When the basic Sculpt Spell parameters are met, yes, but you still won't be able to use it on yourself.
The Counterspell mention is not really relevant to this, imho, since counterspell is in itself a spell, and if you have a Reaction available and a creature is casting a spell (even you through a Wild Magic Surge) it stands to reason that you can counter yourself.
EDIT: I noticed I didn't reply to your first question, my apologies. The Wild Magic Surge feature states that if the effect is a spell it cannot be affected by your Metamagic, it does not say anything about any other possible modification to said spell from other sources, so it would be a logical consequence that anything other than a Metamagic feature able to modify it could do so, provided any other parameter needed is also fulfilled.
EDIT2: Also, yes, you would use the player's spell DC for the saving throw, as you would with any other spell cast by that player (this is regardless the use of Sculpt Spell or not, anyone inside the area of effect of that Fireball, first and foremost the caster, would need to roll a save anyway)
All the above is in my opinion, coming from a logical point of view looking at RAW
Not sure which is canonical here, but I would guess it’s up to DM interpretation?
Interesting indeed, although the wording in the books is pretty clear, imho, and as far as I know it has not been changed:
Sculpt Spells
Beginning at 2nd level, you can create pockets of relative safety within the effects of your evocation spells. When you cast an evocation spell that affects other creatures that you can see, you can choose a number of them equal to 1 + the spell’s level. The chosen creatures automatically succeed on their saving throws against the spell, and they take no damage if they would normally take half damage on a successful save.
I would not really see much interpretation needed, but to each table its own :)
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Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
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Hello Hive Mind,
Had a question that after perusing the internet I was unable to find an answer to from Sage Advice. Let's assume that you have a player at your table who is an Evocation Wizard 2/Wild Magic Sorcerer X and let's say that after rolling on the Wild Magic Surge Table, they cast a Fireball at their feet. Can a Sorcerer use the Sculpt Spells feature from the School of Evocation to protect themselves and their allies from the Wild Magic Surge?
After looking around the internet for an answer, the general points of contention seem to be two fold:
(1) Is a surge controllable in any way? If it isn't than no feature will be able to affect a spell cast by it. However, if it can be controlled then that leads us to....
(2) Does Sculpt Spells count as metamagic or is it just a general class feature? If Sculpt is metamagic then according to Sage Advice it can't be applied in this case. On the other hand if it isn't considered metamagic, how would all you DMs rule? The reason I think it could be used is that it's a special ability that supersedes the general action economy and, according to Sage Advice, you can Counterspell yourself when you cast a spell as result of a surge (which is interesting considering that Counterspell is a reaction) (here's the reference: https://www.sageadvice.eu/2017/01/05/can-i-counterspell-myself/)
What's the general consensus on this? Do you allow a Sorcerer to apply class features that aren't metamagic to a spell cast as a result of surge or is it uncontrollable? If you do allow Sculpt Spell to work do you make it require a saving throw against the player's own spell casting DC? I look forward to hearing your opinions! Thanks!
Sculpt Spell most definitely does not count as metamagic, otherwise it would be stated in its description, and does not require you to use any type of action.
To use it, you need to fulfill the following parameters: You cast an Evocation spell that affect other creatures.
Now, the Fireball result on the Wild Magic surge table states "You cast...", therefore the first part of the parameters needed to use Sculpt Spell is fulfilled; the second part of the parameters is situational, as you might be far away from any other creature.
As the Sculpt Spell feature specifically states that you create pockets of relative safety for other creatures, you could not use it if you are the only affected creature, as well as not being able to use if for yourself if your Fireball is affecting other creatures as well.
So, in conclusion, can Sculpt Spell be used on a Wild Magic Surge Fireball RAW? When the basic Sculpt Spell parameters are met, yes, but you still won't be able to use it on yourself.
The Counterspell mention is not really relevant to this, imho, since counterspell is in itself a spell, and if you have a Reaction available and a creature is casting a spell (even you through a Wild Magic Surge) it stands to reason that you can counter yourself.
EDIT: I noticed I didn't reply to your first question, my apologies.
The Wild Magic Surge feature states that if the effect is a spell it cannot be affected by your Metamagic, it does not say anything about any other possible modification to said spell from other sources, so it would be a logical consequence that anything other than a Metamagic feature able to modify it could do so, provided any other parameter needed is also fulfilled.
EDIT2: Also, yes, you would use the player's spell DC for the saving throw, as you would with any other spell cast by that player (this is regardless the use of Sculpt Spell or not, anyone inside the area of effect of that Fireball, first and foremost the caster, would need to roll a save anyway)
All the above is in my opinion, coming from a logical point of view looking at RAW
Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
So interestingly enough Mearls said in 2016 that Sculpt Spell can be used on yourself (since you can see yourself..)
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.sageadvice.eu/2016/02/09/can-sculpt-spell-target-the-wizard/amp/
However, almost exactly one year later Crawford said you can’t....https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.sageadvice.eu/2017/02/16/can-a-wizard-chose-themself-as-a-protected-person-in-the-sculpt-spells-feature/amp/
Not sure which is canonical here, but I would guess it’s up to DM interpretation?
Interesting indeed, although the wording in the books is pretty clear, imho, and as far as I know it has not been changed:
I would not really see much interpretation needed, but to each table its own :)
Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games