So I am trying to administer the following rule (from Fizban's Treasury of Dragons), as per the 2024 ruleset. I believe FTD was written under the 2014 umbrella, so the wording may not fit precisely for 2024 interpretation:
"Dragon's Wrath Weapon: Slumbering. Whenever you roll a 20 on your attack roll with this weapon, each creature of your choice within 5 feet of the target takes 5 damage of the type dealt by the dragon’s breath weapon."
I feel the creature of the original attack would be excluded from the additional damage. Others feel differently. Is this DM fiat, or is there some descriptions in the 2024 rules that could help decide the appropriate ruling?
So, it's not 100% clear, but I think it's supposed to hit the initial target. (And DMs can rule as they wish.)
Mechanically, the thing you hit is within 5 feet of the target. (It's even within 0 feet of the target.)
Conceptually, you hit somebody with a weapon, and the weapon unleashed a ball of flame/poison gas/stinky cheese/whatever. They're within that ball, so they can take damage from it.
In practice, it's only five points, so it's no big deal either way.
While technically it include it as the target as its a creature within 5 feet of itself, i don't know if it's intended as when effect are target-inclusive, they're instead typically worded this way;
" The target and each creature within 5 feet of it..."
Not sure if it helps to compare with similar wording. Sometimes they mention "the target" explicitly. Probably the last example (Lightning Arrow) is the most similar one?
- Level 11: Stalker’s Flurry (Mass Fear): "The target and each creature within 10 feet of it must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC..."
- Ice Knife: "On a hit, the target takes 1d10 Piercing damage. Hit or miss, the shard then explodes. The target and each creature within 5 feet of it must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 2d6 Cold damage."
- Hail of Thorns: "... The target of the attack and each creature within 5 feet of it make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 1d10 Piercing damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one."
- Lightning Arrow: "... the target takes 4d8 Lightning damage on a hit or half as much damage on a miss. Each creature within 10 feet of the target then makes a Dexterity saving throw, taking 2d8 Lightning damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one."
- Lightning Arrow: "... the target takes 4d8 Lightning damage on a hit or half as much damage on a miss. Each creature within 10 feet of the target then makes a Dexterity saving throw, taking 2d8 Lightning damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one."
Since Lightning Arrow is similarly worded to Dragon's Wrath Weapon, while not official ruling per se, for those interested here's what the Devs said regarding target;
So I am trying to administer the following rule (from Fizban's Treasury of Dragons), as per the 2024 ruleset. I believe FTD was written under the 2014 umbrella, so the wording may not fit precisely for 2024 interpretation:
"Dragon's Wrath Weapon: Slumbering. Whenever you roll a 20 on your attack roll with this weapon, each creature of your choice within 5 feet of the target takes 5 damage of the type dealt by the dragon’s breath weapon."
I feel the creature of the original attack would be excluded from the additional damage. Others feel differently. Is this DM fiat, or is there some descriptions in the 2024 rules that could help decide the appropriate ruling?
So, it's not 100% clear, but I think it's supposed to hit the initial target. (And DMs can rule as they wish.)
Mechanically, the thing you hit is within 5 feet of the target. (It's even within 0 feet of the target.)
Conceptually, you hit somebody with a weapon, and the weapon unleashed a ball of flame/poison gas/stinky cheese/whatever. They're within that ball, so they can take damage from it.
In practice, it's only five points, so it's no big deal either way.
While technically it include it as the target as its a creature within 5 feet of itself, i don't know if it's intended as when effect are target-inclusive, they're instead typically worded this way;
" The target and each creature within 5 feet of it..."
Not sure if it helps to compare with similar wording. Sometimes they mention "the target" explicitly. Probably the last example (Lightning Arrow) is the most similar one?
- Level 11: Stalker’s Flurry (Mass Fear): "The target and each creature within 10 feet of it must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC..."
- Ice Knife: "On a hit, the target takes 1d10 Piercing damage. Hit or miss, the shard then explodes. The target and each creature within 5 feet of it must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 2d6 Cold damage."
- Hail of Thorns: "... The target of the attack and each creature within 5 feet of it make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 1d10 Piercing damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one."
- Lightning Arrow: "... the target takes 4d8 Lightning damage on a hit or half as much damage on a miss. Each creature within 10 feet of the target then makes a Dexterity saving throw, taking 2d8 Lightning damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one."
EDIT: ups, ninja'd by Plaguescarred!
Since Lightning Arrow is similarly worded to Dragon's Wrath Weapon, while not official ruling per se, for those interested here's what the Devs said regarding target;
Does the splash damage of Lightning Arrow affects the original target?