It has 3 attacks (1 with the bite, and 2 with its claws) it also has 3 legendary action points per round, and 3 legendary actions to choose from (Detect, Tail attack, Wing attack(takes 2 points))
The Slow spell would reduce its 3 attacks to 1 attack per round? does it affect how many or what kind of Legendary actions it can take? such as only getting 1 Legendary action per round? or not being able to use the wing attack because it costs 2 points?
I think the key to this question resides in the line: "Regardless of the creature's abilities or magic items, it can't make more than one melee or ranged attack during its turn."
My take on this is that it only affects the standard attacks, bite/claw/tail/breath weapon, the rest of what it is capable of are not affected. Legendary and Lair actions are special abilities that the creature has and would not be affected. In the case of the Tail and Breath Weapon attacks, since it can only do one of them as an action normally, Slow would not do anything here. Frightful Presence is not a melee or ranged attack, so again no effect. So the multiattack would be the only part that Slow would change making it so it could only Bite or Claw once.
I think the key to this question resides in the line: "Regardless of the creature's abilities or magic items, it can't make more than one melee or ranged attack during its turn."
I believe the "during its turn" portion especially means that Legendary actions are not affected (because they are not on the Dragon's turn).
Yet the Slow spell specifically states that an affected creature loses all of its Reactions. Legendary actions are reactions as they occur during other players turns. Seems like "No Reactions = No Legendary Actions".
Remember its not forever. affected creature gets a Save, and then gets to Save again every round if it fails the first one. For a powerful creature with Legendary Actions odds are you'll only get so stop the Legendary Actions for one round at best. Seems reasonably powered.
Legendary actions are not reactions. They are a whole 'nother thing
Legendary Actions
A legendary creature can take a certain number of special actions--called legendary actions--outside its turn. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. A creature regains its spent legendary actions at the start of its turn. It can forgo using them, and it can't use them while incapacitated or otherwise unable to take actions. If surprised, it can't use them until after its first turn in the combat.
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"It can't use them while incapacitated or otherwise unable to take actions". That is what Slow does. Prevents a creature from taking actions.
You're giving up a Fireball for a spell that a powerful creature likely has a >50% chance to save against, and will eventually make its save so maybe 1 or 2 rounds of blocking the Legendary Actions. Seems reasonably powered.
This would be the same with a Hold Monster spell. No Legendary Actions since the creature cannot take actions. Hold Monster is a higher level spell and completely blocks actions. Slow, at a lower level, just limits them.
That is not what slow does. Creatures can still take actions
An affected target's speed is halved, it takes a −2 penalty to AC and Dexterity saving throws, and it can't use reactions. On its turn, it can use either an action or a bonus action, not both. Regardless of the creature's abilities or magic items, it can't make more than one melee or ranged attack during its turn.
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<Sigh> Slow LIMITS actions. I did not say stopped (alright, I said 'prevents', but I meant limits). Sure, a Legendary Action may not be a reaction, which Slow blocks completely, but it makes no sense to say that a creature is limited to a single action during its own turn, but during other players turns it is unaffected. Especially when Slow generally stops a creature from acting during other players turns and Legendary Actions have a proviso that says they can't be used if a creature's actions are blocked.
it makes no sense to say that a creature is limited to a single action during its own turn, but during other players turns it is unaffected
They aren't called "Useful Actions", they're Legendary Actions. Even from a flavor perspective, something legendary is gonna trump a 3rd level spell
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But it can't trump a 5th level spell? Odd place to arbitrarily cut off. As you say, you are entitled to rule as you see fit at your table. I prefer my players to be creative and not tell them "Sorry. Nothing creative you try will work. Just blast it with a Lightning Bolt." Boring.
The example creature in the original post on this necro'ed thread gets three Legendary Resistances anyway, so if your party thinks slow is going to save them from an adult black dragon, good luck to them
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Just because Slow has no effect on Legendary Actions does not mean it has no effect on creatures with Legendary Actions.
An Adult Black Dragon would still have it's speed halved, still be limited to using either a Bonus Action or an Action on its turn, still be limited to a maximum of one attack on its turn, still have a 50% chance of an Action casting time spell take 2 consecutive Actions, still be unable to take reactions, still have a -2 penalty to AC, and still have a -2 penalty to Dexterity saving throws.
Also the reason Slow does not effect Legendary Actions when Hold Monster does has nothing to do with the level of the spells. Hold Monster prevents a creature from using its Legendary Actions because it has a different mechanical effect. The fact that one is a 3rd level AoE and one is a 5th level single target spell implies how powerful the game designers felt the effects were but that is all.
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If a PC casts the spell Slow on a creature with Legendary Actions does it affect them differently?
Lets use a Adult Black Dragon as an example..
It has 3 attacks (1 with the bite, and 2 with its claws) it also has 3 legendary action points per round, and 3 legendary actions to choose from (Detect, Tail attack, Wing attack(takes 2 points))
The Slow spell would reduce its 3 attacks to 1 attack per round? does it affect how many or what kind of Legendary actions it can take? such as only getting 1 Legendary action per round? or not being able to use the wing attack because it costs 2 points?
I think the key to this question resides in the line: "Regardless of the creature's abilities or magic items, it can't make more than one melee or ranged attack during its turn."
My take on this is that it only affects the standard attacks, bite/claw/tail/breath weapon, the rest of what it is capable of are not affected. Legendary and Lair actions are special abilities that the creature has and would not be affected. In the case of the Tail and Breath Weapon attacks, since it can only do one of them as an action normally, Slow would not do anything here. Frightful Presence is not a melee or ranged attack, so again no effect. So the multiattack would be the only part that Slow would change making it so it could only Bite or Claw once.
I agree with DMThac0, multiattack gets nerfed, legendary actions unaffected.
I believe the "during its turn" portion especially means that Legendary actions are not affected (because they are not on the Dragon's turn).
Yet the Slow spell specifically states that an affected creature loses all of its Reactions. Legendary actions are reactions as they occur during other players turns. Seems like "No Reactions = No Legendary Actions".
Remember its not forever. affected creature gets a Save, and then gets to Save again every round if it fails the first one. For a powerful creature with Legendary Actions odds are you'll only get so stop the Legendary Actions for one round at best. Seems reasonably powered.
Legendary actions are not reactions. They are a whole 'nother thing
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Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
"It can't use them while incapacitated or otherwise unable to take actions". That is what Slow does. Prevents a creature from taking actions.
You're giving up a Fireball for a spell that a powerful creature likely has a >50% chance to save against, and will eventually make its save so maybe 1 or 2 rounds of blocking the Legendary Actions. Seems reasonably powered.
This would be the same with a Hold Monster spell. No Legendary Actions since the creature cannot take actions. Hold Monster is a higher level spell and completely blocks actions. Slow, at a lower level, just limits them.
That is not what slow does. Creatures can still take actions
Active characters:
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Green Hill Sunrise, jaded tabaxi mercenary trapped in the Dark Domains (Battle Master fighter)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
<Sigh> Slow LIMITS actions. I did not say stopped (alright, I said 'prevents', but I meant limits). Sure, a Legendary Action may not be a reaction, which Slow blocks completely, but it makes no sense to say that a creature is limited to a single action during its own turn, but during other players turns it is unaffected. Especially when Slow generally stops a creature from acting during other players turns and Legendary Actions have a proviso that says they can't be used if a creature's actions are blocked.
Right. slow limits actions, while Legendary Actions are only negated if the creature is unable to take actions at all
Look, you can rule at your table however you want, but per RAW you're simply wrong
As for this
They aren't called "Useful Actions", they're Legendary Actions. Even from a flavor perspective, something legendary is gonna trump a 3rd level spell
Active characters:
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Green Hill Sunrise, jaded tabaxi mercenary trapped in the Dark Domains (Battle Master fighter)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
But it can't trump a 5th level spell? Odd place to arbitrarily cut off. As you say, you are entitled to rule as you see fit at your table. I prefer my players to be creative and not tell them "Sorry. Nothing creative you try will work. Just blast it with a Lightning Bolt." Boring.
The example creature in the original post on this necro'ed thread gets three Legendary Resistances anyway, so if your party thinks slow is going to save them from an adult black dragon, good luck to them
Active characters:
Askatu, hyperfocused vedalken freedom fighter in Wildspace (Zealot barb/Swashbuckler rogue/Battle Master fighter)
Green Hill Sunrise, jaded tabaxi mercenary trapped in the Dark Domains (Battle Master fighter)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
Just because Slow has no effect on Legendary Actions does not mean it has no effect on creatures with Legendary Actions.
An Adult Black Dragon would still have it's speed halved, still be limited to using either a Bonus Action or an Action on its turn, still be limited to a maximum of one attack on its turn, still have a 50% chance of an Action casting time spell take 2 consecutive Actions, still be unable to take reactions, still have a -2 penalty to AC, and still have a -2 penalty to Dexterity saving throws.
Also the reason Slow does not effect Legendary Actions when Hold Monster does has nothing to do with the level of the spells. Hold Monster prevents a creature from using its Legendary Actions because it has a different mechanical effect. The fact that one is a 3rd level AoE and one is a 5th level single target spell implies how powerful the game designers felt the effects were but that is all.