So, i was just wondering if there is any ruling against this. Since you can see into the material plane from the ethereal plane and the tsunami spell has a range of "sight", could one cause tsunamis while being on the ethereal plane?
I personally doubt it, i'm pretty sure that sight spells don't work on other planes just because you can "see" them. But i thought it was a fun idea.
Well actually it doesn't really say that. It says that you, normally, can't attack from one plane to another and that most solid things on the material plane doesn't affect the ethereal plane.
But the OP is trying to do neither of those. He is trying to create a spell effect (but not an attack) on the material plane from the ethereal plane but there is no expectation (nor will for it) that the effect should also affect the ethereal plane.
Don't get me wrong, I don't think that what the OP asked about should be allowed, I just don't think that the passage you linked to covers the situation (well not in words at least, possibly by implication).
I don't know, I think the rules for targeting and the border ethereal were worded this way with the intention that certain no sters be able to use magical effects between planes, but of course didn't think about any of the other implications of that's.
Generally speaking you must be on the same plane of existence in order to affect the target.
First off you need to have a Clear Path To The Target. Unless a spell specifically says it breach the planar barrier (ie reach between planes) then it cannot. Some spells can.
Second, we can infer from plenty other spells that seeing the target and a clear path to the target are the basics, but each alone aren't enough. After all you can't cast Fireball through a crystal ball, or at a target your familiar sees. Similarly, just because you might have an effect that lets you scry an extra planar target, that to doesn't mean you can cast a spell through the scry just because you can see them.
Thirdly the DMG states "Normally, creatures in the Border Ethereal can’t attack creatures on the overlapped plane, and vice versa." and the rest of the Boarder Ethereal text heavily implies that the ability to affect anything between planes is very rare (and usually specifically stated).
Ultimately its up to the DM, but allowing that would drastically increase the power of Ethereal travel. It is rare in D&D to have an effect that is impossible to counter (especially in the players hands). Tread carefully if you are a DM and would allow this. Tread even more carefully if you are a player asking for the ability, because imaging a group of assassins using it on your party...
Enjoy!
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Remember there are Rules as Written (RAW), Rules as Intended (RAI), and Rules as Fun (RAF). There's some great RAW, RAI, and RAF here... please check in with your DM to determine how they want to adjudicate the RAW/RAI/RAF for your game.
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So, i was just wondering if there is any ruling against this. Since you can see into the material plane from the ethereal plane and the tsunami spell has a range of "sight", could one cause tsunamis while being on the ethereal plane?
I personally doubt it, i'm pretty sure that sight spells don't work on other planes just because you can "see" them. But i thought it was a fun idea.
The ruling would be the part about not being able to attack something in the material plane if you are in the ethereal plane and vice versa.
*There are certain exceptions*
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Official ruling yes.
Logical ruling, no, the water you'll be able to see is on a different plane, unless you have some interdimensiol stuff handy, it ain't getting here.
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The DMG says that only certain magical effects (including force) can used to affect the material plane whilst in the border ethereal.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dmg/creating-a-multiverse#BorderEthereal
Well actually it doesn't really say that. It says that you, normally, can't attack from one plane to another and that most solid things on the material plane doesn't affect the ethereal plane.
But the OP is trying to do neither of those. He is trying to create a spell effect (but not an attack) on the material plane from the ethereal plane but there is no expectation (nor will for it) that the effect should also affect the ethereal plane.
Don't get me wrong, I don't think that what the OP asked about should be allowed, I just don't think that the passage you linked to covers the situation (well not in words at least, possibly by implication).
I don't know, I think the rules for targeting and the border ethereal were worded this way with the intention that certain no sters be able to use magical effects between planes, but of course didn't think about any of the other implications of that's.
Generally speaking you must be on the same plane of existence in order to affect the target.
First off you need to have a Clear Path To The Target. Unless a spell specifically says it breach the planar barrier (ie reach between planes) then it cannot. Some spells can.
Second, we can infer from plenty other spells that seeing the target and a clear path to the target are the basics, but each alone aren't enough. After all you can't cast Fireball through a crystal ball, or at a target your familiar sees. Similarly, just because you might have an effect that lets you scry an extra planar target, that to doesn't mean you can cast a spell through the scry just because you can see them.
Thirdly the DMG states "Normally, creatures in the Border Ethereal can’t attack creatures on the overlapped plane, and vice versa." and the rest of the Boarder Ethereal text heavily implies that the ability to affect anything between planes is very rare (and usually specifically stated).
Ultimately its up to the DM, but allowing that would drastically increase the power of Ethereal travel. It is rare in D&D to have an effect that is impossible to counter (especially in the players hands). Tread carefully if you are a DM and would allow this. Tread even more carefully if you are a player asking for the ability, because imaging a group of assassins using it on your party...
Enjoy!
Remember there are Rules as Written (RAW), Rules as Intended (RAI), and Rules as Fun (RAF). There's some great RAW, RAI, and RAF here... please check in with your DM to determine how they want to adjudicate the RAW/RAI/RAF for your game.