I am using the battle axe, Hew, and am fighting a shambling mound, it has grappled me while I am wielding Hew while wraps himself around me. We know that in real life if this were real, it would be in contact with my battle axe, and with its magical power, wouldn't it deal maximum damage?
I am using the battle axe, Hew, and am fighting a shambling mound, it has grappled me while I am wielding Hew while wraps himself around me. We know that in real life if this were real, it would be in contact with my battle axe, and with its magical power, wouldn't it deal maximum damage?
RAW, you have to be making an attack.
You cannot attack while grappled.
So, no.
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Only a DM since 1980 (3000+ Sessions) / PhD, MS, MA / Mixed, Bi, Trans, Woman / No longer welcome in the US, apparently
Wyrlde: Adventures in the Seven Cities .-=] Lore Book | Patreon | Wyrlde YT [=-. An original Setting for 5e, a whole solar system of adventure. Ongoing updates, exclusies, more. Not Talking About It / Dubbed The Oracle in the Cult of Mythology Nerds
In 5e you actually can attack while grappled in general although being grappled by a shambling mound does involve some additional shenanigans. I think you can still make attacks though.
But still, there are no general rules that support a creature taking damage from a weapon that is merely being held by an enemy. There could be a specific rule in that item's description that allows this -- but I believe that this particular item requires the wielder "to hit" the creature to cause damage so this situation would not qualify.
First, in general, the only way to do damage with a weapon mechanically is to hit with an attack. Without first making an attack roll and meeting or exceeding the targets AC.
With Hew specifically it says: "Hew is a +1 battleaxe that deals maximum damage when the wielder hits a plant creature . . .". From this we know that Hew's magical property is something that only applies when the wielder is making the attack and that attack hits.
From a less mechanical and more intuitive approach, would you pick up a knife by gripping the blade with the same force as someone stabbing you with it? No, you wouldn't. In fact you probably wouldn't pick it up by the blade in the first place. By the same reasoning a Shambling Mound wouldn't wrap itself around the blade or point of any weapon with enough force to hurt itself when using it's Engulf ability.
I am using the battle axe, Hew, and am fighting a shambling mound, it has grappled me while I am wielding Hew while wraps himself around me. We know that in real life if this were real, it would be in contact with my battle axe, and with its magical power, wouldn't it deal maximum damage?
RAW, you have to be making an attack.
You cannot attack while grappled.
So, no.
You can absolutely attack while grappled, what's your source for claiming otherwise?
Neither grappled nor restrained prevent from attacking. The latter of the two is a worse condition and still allow you to make attack rolls with disadvantage.
It's also specifically mentionned in the Sage Compendium;
If a creature is grappled, can it still attack and use its special abilities? The grappled condition limits movement, not attacks, spellcasting, and the like. That said, many grappling abilities, such as a roper’s tendril attack, also deliver effects like the restrained condition.
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I am using the battle axe, Hew, and am fighting a shambling mound, it has grappled me while I am wielding Hew while wraps himself around me. We know that in real life if this were real, it would be in contact with my battle axe, and with its magical power, wouldn't it deal maximum damage?
RAW, you have to be making an attack.
You cannot attack while grappled.
So, no.
Only a DM since 1980 (3000+ Sessions) / PhD, MS, MA / Mixed, Bi, Trans, Woman / No longer welcome in the US, apparently
Wyrlde: Adventures in the Seven Cities
.-=] Lore Book | Patreon | Wyrlde YT [=-.
An original Setting for 5e, a whole solar system of adventure. Ongoing updates, exclusies, more.
Not Talking About It / Dubbed The Oracle in the Cult of Mythology Nerds
In 5e you actually can attack while grappled in general although being grappled by a shambling mound does involve some additional shenanigans. I think you can still make attacks though.
But still, there are no general rules that support a creature taking damage from a weapon that is merely being held by an enemy. There could be a specific rule in that item's description that allows this -- but I believe that this particular item requires the wielder "to hit" the creature to cause damage so this situation would not qualify.
No.
There are several reasons why this is the answer.
First, in general, the only way to do damage with a weapon mechanically is to hit with an attack. Without first making an attack roll and meeting or exceeding the targets AC.
With Hew specifically it says: "Hew is a +1 battleaxe that deals maximum damage when the wielder hits a plant creature . . .". From this we know that Hew's magical property is something that only applies when the wielder is making the attack and that attack hits.
From a less mechanical and more intuitive approach, would you pick up a knife by gripping the blade with the same force as someone stabbing you with it? No, you wouldn't. In fact you probably wouldn't pick it up by the blade in the first place. By the same reasoning a Shambling Mound wouldn't wrap itself around the blade or point of any weapon with enough force to hurt itself when using it's Engulf ability.
This is incorrect.
While Grappled your speed is reduced to 0 and you cannot benefit from bonuses to your speed.
That is it. It in no way hinders your ability to attack or take other actions.
The more serious condition Restrained still allows you to make attacks, but you do so at disadvantage.
Whenever a game element refers to hit, it always involve an attack roll since it's an outcome of it.
You can absolutely attack while grappled, what's your source for claiming otherwise?
Neither grappled nor restrained prevent from attacking. The latter of the two is a worse condition and still allow you to make attack rolls with disadvantage.
It's also specifically mentionned in the Sage Compendium;