For combat, they need to be within your character's reach, whatever that is. Out of combat, the exact definition is between you and your DM. If you're asking as a DM, make a call. If you're asking as a player, ask your DM because you're not gonna find an official or definitive answer for odd scenarios like this.
PHB 236: "Touch. The spell's effect originates on something the spellcaster must touch, as defined in the spell."
Many of the Touch spells may require a melee spell attack, but apart from that, where is the actual requirement for the target to be in the caster's reach?
I would agree that you can't perform the somatic components of a spell or make a melee spell attack with a pseudopod, but you can touch someone. And someone can touch you with a touch range spell by touching the pseudopod, but they should not be able to deliver a melee spell attack against it.
Help! The rules has written about the forms you can take are cripplingly ambiguous.
So, the rules state you can form two arms but does not specify that you have to form a head and legs and so that means now you’re a creature that is not a humanoid shape. And it says as an action that you can form up to two arms… OK, then in my next action I’m going to form two more arms. Now. I am a blob with 4 arms. It also distinguishes the generation of arms and legs from the generation of makeshift hands and feet, which indicates that you could make arms and legs without hands or feet. Also, it doesn’t say at all, where you must generate hands and feet. it does not specify the sizes of things either… what if I’ve only met bully wogs… Then I would make my humanoid shape look like a bully walk, but those are drastically different proportion of limbs then let’s say a high elf. if I wanted to make myself be a very slender humanoid that would force me to be taller because I have a set amount of mass. How thick can my limbs be? Can I grow an arm out of the end of my leg? And finally most importantly… How do you even know how to answer this question? It would just be your opinion because that is how little information there is. I am assuming that you can have more than two arms because in the spell jammer book, there is a picture of a three armed plasmid, and not only that, but that three armed plasmid is wielding a spear and a gun and has a shield equipped! How is this not been established? I bought my spell-jammer box set years ago!
The rules say a Plasmoid can pass through a 1-inch hole. Does that mean they can also move down a 1-inch pipe? If not, what about a 2-inch pipe? Essentially, I’m trying to figure out if there’s a practical size limit for pipes or openings a Plasmoid can navigate.
2.Snake-Like Shapes
If a Plasmoid can travel through a pipe, does that imply they can stretch into a snake-like shape? Would this allow them to adopt other elongated forms?
3.Splitting Across a Barrier
Could a Plasmoid form part of its body (like a head and arms) on one side of a wall with a hole, while the rest of its body (like legs) remains on the other side? Could they effectively “hang out” across a barrier?
4.Tentacle Arms and Sensory Organs
If a Plasmoid chooses to form long tentacle-like arms instead of traditional hands, can those arms still serve as sensory tools? Would they retain sensory organs or the ability to perceive their surroundings?
5.Mass and Forming Long Limbs
If a Plasmoid only forms one limb (like an arm), can they make it unusually long, assuming the mass of their body allows for it? It seems like they should be able to adjust the length of their limbs freely as long as they stay within their total mass.
Looking forward to hearing how others interpret these rules or if there’s official guidance I might have missed. Thanks!
Help! The rules has written about the forms you can take are cripplingly ambiguous.
So, the rules state you can form two arms but does not specify that you have to form a head and legs and so that means now you’re a creature that is not a humanoid shape. And it says as an action that you can form up to two arms… OK, then in my next action I’m going to form two more arms. Now. I am a blob with 4 arms. It also distinguishes the generation of arms and legs from the generation of makeshift hands and feet, which indicates that you could make arms and legs without hands or feet. Also, it doesn’t say at all, where you must generate hands and feet. it does not specify the sizes of things either… what if I’ve only met bully wogs… Then I would make my humanoid shape look like a bully walk, but those are drastically different proportion of limbs then let’s say a high elf. if I wanted to make myself be a very slender humanoid that would force me to be taller because I have a set amount of mass. How thick can my limbs be? Can I grow an arm out of the end of my leg? And finally most importantly… How do you even know how to answer this question? It would just be your opinion because that is how little information there is. I am assuming that you can have more than two arms because in the spell jammer book, there is a picture of a three armed plasmid, and not only that, but that three armed plasmid is wielding a spear and a gun and has a shield equipped! How is this not been established? I bought my spell-jammer box set years ago!
Plasmoids are amorphous and the ability is left somewhat vague because you control what shape you can form within reasonable limits. The whole point about giving yourself a head/etc and "humanlike" is so you can make use of items. You can give yourself a head to wear a helmet. Give yourself arms to wear bracelets. Some feet to wear boots. Etc. If you want. The feature does limit the number of limbs you can make: you can only make up to 2 arms, you cannot create 3 or 4. You can make your blob be just a blob or you can make be "humanlike" (a head at top, a torso below it, 1 to 2 arms attached to the torso with each arm having a hand, 1 to 2 legs with each leg having a foot --- this is literally what humanlike means: like a human).
This is the balancing mechanic for why you cannot equip and use several weapons at once.
This isn't opinion. It's the Rules as Written when reading the features within the context and definitions supplied.
Can a plasmoid to down a pipe? it says you can go through a 1 inch hole. Can you go down a 1 inch pipe? if not then can you go down at 2 inch pipe? if you can go down any sized pipe then that means that you can be a snake shape, right? Can you form 1/2 of your body with a head and arms on one side of a wall that has a hole in it and your legs on the other side and just hang out there? if you choose not to put a hand on the end of your arm and you make it so you have long tentacle arms, then I guess you can still see out of them? And they still have sensory organs? if I only want to form one limb, that is an arm then why couldn’t I have it be a very long arm because my body has a certain mass that I can turn into a thing
Body mass is irrelevant. It has no rules definition. Same reasons dragons can fly even though structure, shape and size would make it impossible. This is a world based on magic not physics.
You can move through pipes because the feature says you can move through spaces like that. Since the feature says you can, you can. But you cannot make yourself walk around like a tall thin giant because that would involve changing your Size Category which the feature does not allow. You cannot use "body mass" into giving yourself 20 ft tentacle arms, because that would alter your Reach, a game statistic, which the feature does not allow you to do.
If I am a small plasmoid, that means I can ride another player as a mount, right? I could poke my body out of the top of their backpack and shoot arrows or throw rocks or cast spells, right?
Not a plasmoid specific thing. All player characters can use other player characters like mounts if their Size category permits it. If your Plasmoid was Small and another PC was Medium - then yes, you can use them as a mount. See the rules for mounted combat. If both PCs are Medum them no. Your Change Shape feature does not let you change your Size category.
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The feature is written perfectly fine. It just expects you to remember that it cannot change your available actions, limits or game stats unless the feature specifically says so.
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Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond. Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ thisFAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
I’m playing a plasmoid artificer with an Intelligence score of 20, and I love using my class to invent creative solutions to problems. I bring this up because just like a person with a high strength wants to leverage that strength and applied it in all the cool ways that it can be leveraged. I’d like to be able to leverage the effort I put in to max out my intelligence, especially as an artificer battle Smith, I would be using my intelligence in coming up with ways of solving problems, using inventions and mechanisms and innovation. Part of the fun for me is figuring out unique ways to apply the plasmoid’s amorphous abilities, especially when interacting with the physical environment. I’m only providing this context so you can understand that I’m not trying to meta-game the system or try to make it so that I can have undeserved abilities or something. Here are some ideas I’m exploring, and I’d love feedback or clarification on how these concepts work within the rules:
1. Mimicking Shapes
Snake Form:
•I want to sew a 30-foot-long sleeve that is 2 inches in diameter.
•If I move into this sleeve, how long would I be? Can I wiggle through it like a snake?
•Does this affect my movement speed or ability to interact with the environment?
Octopus Form:
•Suppose I sew a snug-fitting onesie shaped like an octopus, with a volume similar to my plasmoid body. I’d like to:
•Enter through a 1-inch opening (leveraging the plasmoid’s Amorphous trait).
•Move inside the onesie to simulate an octopus-like shape.
•Can I create such forms while still adhering to the rules of Shape Self and Pseudopod traits?
2. Clarifying “Shape Self” Limitations
Rules as Written:
•The Shape Self trait says:
“As an action, you can reshape your body to give yourself a head, one or two arms, one or two legs, and makeshift hands and feet, or you can revert to a limbless blob. While you have a humanlike shape, you can wear clothing and armor made for a Humanoid of your size.”
•The rules do not explicitly limit how many heads, arms, or legs I can form beyond specifying one or two arms/legs per action.
My Interpretation:
•Since it doesn’t say I’m limited to just one humanoid shape or only one use of this action, I interpret that I could:
•Use multiple actions to add additional limbs over time (e.g., one action for an arm, another for a second arm, and so on).
•Form unique shapes beyond a humanoid, such as a blob with two legs for walking or an unconventional hybrid shape.
•The phrase “while you have a humanoid shape” implies I can also exist in non-humanoid shapes.
3. Pseudopod Mechanics
Rules as Written:
•The Pseudopod trait states:
“As a bonus action, you can extrude a pseudopod up to 6 inches wide and 10 feet long or reabsorb it. It can manipulate objects, open or close doors or containers, or pick up/set down a Tiny object. The pseudopod lacks sensory organs and cannot attack, activate magic items, or lift more than 10 pounds.”
My Interpretation:
•The rules do not say I’m limited to creating only one pseudopod.
•Could I create multiple pseudopods by using successive bonus actions? For example, could I use one bonus action to create a pseudopod and then another to create a second pseudopod?
4. Volume and Environmental Interactions
Why Volume Matters:
•A creature’s size and weight define how it interacts with the environment. This applies to plasmoids in many ways:
•Weight Distribution: If I spread out my form (e.g., over multiple tree branches), I might avoid breaking the branches because my weight is evenly distributed.
•Buoyancy: If I use my Hold Breath trait to fill myself with air, would I float in water? How large would the air bubble be, and how would that affect my ability to swim or move?
Examples of Volume-Based Scenarios:
•A dragon in a narrow tunnel wouldn’t be able to fly because its wings couldn’t extend. Similarly, plasmoids might fit through tight spaces or change their shape to adapt to environmental constraints.
5. Seeking Feedback
•Are there any rules or precedents that clarify these scenarios?
•Have others explored creative uses for plasmoid traits?
•How do DMs typically handle the Shape Self and Pseudopod traits when applied in unconventional ways?
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PHB 236: "Touch. The spell's effect originates on something the spellcaster must touch, as defined in the spell."
Many of the Touch spells may require a melee spell attack, but apart from that, where is the actual requirement for the target to be in the caster's reach?
I would agree that you can't perform the somatic components of a spell or make a melee spell attack with a pseudopod, but you can touch someone. And someone can touch you with a touch range spell by touching the pseudopod, but they should not be able to deliver a melee spell attack against it.
How to add Tooltips.
Help! The rules has written about the forms you can take are cripplingly ambiguous.
So, the rules state you can form two arms but does not specify that you have to form a head and legs and so that means now you’re a creature that is not a humanoid shape. And it says as an action that you can form up to two arms… OK, then in my next action I’m going to form two more arms. Now. I am a blob with 4 arms. It also distinguishes the generation of arms and legs from the generation of makeshift hands and feet, which indicates that you could make arms and legs without hands or feet. Also, it doesn’t say at all, where you must generate hands and feet. it does not specify the sizes of things either… what if I’ve only met bully wogs… Then I would make my humanoid shape look like a bully walk, but those are drastically different proportion of limbs then let’s say a high elf. if I wanted to make myself be a very slender humanoid that would force me to be taller because I have a set amount of mass. How thick can my limbs be? Can I grow an arm out of the end of my leg? And finally most importantly… How do you even know how to answer this question? It would just be your opinion because that is how little information there is. I am assuming that you can have more than two arms because in the spell jammer book, there is a picture of a three armed plasmid, and not only that, but that three armed plasmid is wielding a spear and a gun and has a shield equipped! How is this not been established? I bought my spell-jammer box set years ago!
1. Pipes and Small Openings
The rules say a Plasmoid can pass through a 1-inch hole. Does that mean they can also move down a 1-inch pipe? If not, what about a 2-inch pipe? Essentially, I’m trying to figure out if there’s a practical size limit for pipes or openings a Plasmoid can navigate.
2.Snake-Like Shapes
If a Plasmoid can travel through a pipe, does that imply they can stretch into a snake-like shape? Would this allow them to adopt other elongated forms?
3.Splitting Across a Barrier
Could a Plasmoid form part of its body (like a head and arms) on one side of a wall with a hole, while the rest of its body (like legs) remains on the other side? Could they effectively “hang out” across a barrier?
4.Tentacle Arms and Sensory Organs
If a Plasmoid chooses to form long tentacle-like arms instead of traditional hands, can those arms still serve as sensory tools? Would they retain sensory organs or the ability to perceive their surroundings?
5.Mass and Forming Long Limbs
If a Plasmoid only forms one limb (like an arm), can they make it unusually long, assuming the mass of their body allows for it? It seems like they should be able to adjust the length of their limbs freely as long as they stay within their total mass.
Looking forward to hearing how others interpret these rules or if there’s official guidance I might have missed. Thanks!
Plasmoids are amorphous and the ability is left somewhat vague because you control what shape you can form within reasonable limits. The whole point about giving yourself a head/etc and "humanlike" is so you can make use of items. You can give yourself a head to wear a helmet. Give yourself arms to wear bracelets. Some feet to wear boots. Etc. If you want. The feature does limit the number of limbs you can make: you can only make up to 2 arms, you cannot create 3 or 4. You can make your blob be just a blob or you can make be "humanlike" (a head at top, a torso below it, 1 to 2 arms attached to the torso with each arm having a hand, 1 to 2 legs with each leg having a foot --- this is literally what humanlike means: like a human).
This is the balancing mechanic for why you cannot equip and use several weapons at once.
This isn't opinion. It's the Rules as Written when reading the features within the context and definitions supplied.
.
Body mass is irrelevant. It has no rules definition. Same reasons dragons can fly even though structure, shape and size would make it impossible. This is a world based on magic not physics.
You can move through pipes because the feature says you can move through spaces like that. Since the feature says you can, you can. But you cannot make yourself walk around like a tall thin giant because that would involve changing your Size Category which the feature does not allow. You cannot use "body mass" into giving yourself 20 ft tentacle arms, because that would alter your Reach, a game statistic, which the feature does not allow you to do.
Not a plasmoid specific thing. All player characters can use other player characters like mounts if their Size category permits it. If your Plasmoid was Small and another PC was Medium - then yes, you can use them as a mount. See the rules for mounted combat. If both PCs are Medum them no. Your Change Shape feature does not let you change your Size category.
--
The feature is written perfectly fine. It just expects you to remember that it cannot change your available actions, limits or game stats unless the feature specifically says so.
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond.
Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ this FAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
I’m playing a plasmoid artificer with an Intelligence score of 20, and I love using my class to invent creative solutions to problems. I bring this up because just like a person with a high strength wants to leverage that strength and applied it in all the cool ways that it can be leveraged. I’d like to be able to leverage the effort I put in to max out my intelligence, especially as an artificer battle Smith, I would be using my intelligence in coming up with ways of solving problems, using inventions and mechanisms and innovation. Part of the fun for me is figuring out unique ways to apply the plasmoid’s amorphous abilities, especially when interacting with the physical environment. I’m only providing this context so you can understand that I’m not trying to meta-game the system or try to make it so that I can have undeserved abilities or something. Here are some ideas I’m exploring, and I’d love feedback or clarification on how these concepts work within the rules:
1. Mimicking Shapes
Snake Form:
•I want to sew a 30-foot-long sleeve that is 2 inches in diameter.
•If I move into this sleeve, how long would I be? Can I wiggle through it like a snake?
•Does this affect my movement speed or ability to interact with the environment?
Octopus Form:
•Suppose I sew a snug-fitting onesie shaped like an octopus, with a volume similar to my plasmoid body. I’d like to:
•Enter through a 1-inch opening (leveraging the plasmoid’s Amorphous trait).
•Move inside the onesie to simulate an octopus-like shape.
•Can I create such forms while still adhering to the rules of Shape Self and Pseudopod traits?
2. Clarifying “Shape Self” Limitations
Rules as Written:
•The Shape Self trait says:
“As an action, you can reshape your body to give yourself a head, one or two arms, one or two legs, and makeshift hands and feet, or you can revert to a limbless blob. While you have a humanlike shape, you can wear clothing and armor made for a Humanoid of your size.”
•The rules do not explicitly limit how many heads, arms, or legs I can form beyond specifying one or two arms/legs per action.
My Interpretation:
•Since it doesn’t say I’m limited to just one humanoid shape or only one use of this action, I interpret that I could:
•Use multiple actions to add additional limbs over time (e.g., one action for an arm, another for a second arm, and so on).
•Form unique shapes beyond a humanoid, such as a blob with two legs for walking or an unconventional hybrid shape.
•The phrase “while you have a humanoid shape” implies I can also exist in non-humanoid shapes.
3. Pseudopod Mechanics
Rules as Written:
•The Pseudopod trait states:
“As a bonus action, you can extrude a pseudopod up to 6 inches wide and 10 feet long or reabsorb it. It can manipulate objects, open or close doors or containers, or pick up/set down a Tiny object. The pseudopod lacks sensory organs and cannot attack, activate magic items, or lift more than 10 pounds.”
My Interpretation:
•The rules do not say I’m limited to creating only one pseudopod.
•Could I create multiple pseudopods by using successive bonus actions? For example, could I use one bonus action to create a pseudopod and then another to create a second pseudopod?
4. Volume and Environmental Interactions
Why Volume Matters:
•A creature’s size and weight define how it interacts with the environment. This applies to plasmoids in many ways:
•Weight Distribution: If I spread out my form (e.g., over multiple tree branches), I might avoid breaking the branches because my weight is evenly distributed.
•Buoyancy: If I use my Hold Breath trait to fill myself with air, would I float in water? How large would the air bubble be, and how would that affect my ability to swim or move?
Examples of Volume-Based Scenarios:
•A dragon in a narrow tunnel wouldn’t be able to fly because its wings couldn’t extend. Similarly, plasmoids might fit through tight spaces or change their shape to adapt to environmental constraints.
5. Seeking Feedback
•Are there any rules or precedents that clarify these scenarios?
•Have others explored creative uses for plasmoid traits?
•How do DMs typically handle the Shape Self and Pseudopod traits when applied in unconventional ways?