So I’ve looked for an answer on this for a good bit, but I couldn’t find anything on it. Just a bunch of people upset at how this spell can be immersion breaking for their group.
Either way, if an enemy casts a spell attack at my character, can I cast shield and help defend against it. Or does the attack specifically has to be a melee/ranged attack with a weapon(sword/bow/etc)
Shield grants you a +5 AC bonus to attacks. It does not designate melee, ranged, or spells, with the exception of Magic Missile. So, by my understanding, any attack that requires a d20 roll to successfully hit you will be affected by the spell.
although I don't think you can use it to protect others, as it's range says self... I think it only offers the protection to the caster of the shield spell
DMTHac0 is right. Shield applies to any attack that is targeting your AC. It can be cast as a reaction to being hit by spells like Eldritch Blast, Scorching Ray, Guiding Bolt, etc.
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
But lets say you use a 5 level magic missile? would a level 1 shield work? because then that would sort of render magic missile useless.
Yes, Shield protects against Magic Missile regardless of the spell level. That's the point, but it doesn't render MM useless in any way. Everyone has only one reaction. If they use theirs to cast Shield, they have no reaction left to make opportunity attacks or activate other features. Likewise, if they use their reaction on something else, then they have no reaction left to stop your Magic Missile. Play smart, and you can turn anything into an advantage.
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
No it does not. Shield causes Magic Missile to not do damage, but technically the spell still hits because it automatically hits.
That was over a year ago, but yes that is technically correct (the best kind of correct). :P
Can you think of an example in which the difference in semantics has an actual consequence? All of the riders (to a spell) I can think of rely on the result of an attack roll, saving throw, or damage. Plus any features that would add damage to MM are damage from MM, and are negated.
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You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
Currently, no difference that I can think of. But, that doesn’t mean there isn’t one, just that I can’t think of one. Not to mention, say for example a new subclass comes out that in some way has some feature that keys off of “hits” instead of damage, then it may become relevant. 🤷♂️
PS-That last one... those Tooltips.... that was making my eye Twitch. Thanks you for fixing them.
Yeah, "hits" is the one that I was thinking about as the only type of trigger that could potentially apply, yet the nature of MM simultaneously prevents it. "Hits" (as a 5e technical term, not the colloquial usage) refers to attack rolls, which are exclusively involved with making an attack, and MM is explicitly not an attack (doesn't trigger Hex).
In any event, it is correct to say MM simply does no damage vs Shield.
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You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
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So I’ve looked for an answer on this for a good bit, but I couldn’t find anything on it. Just a bunch of people upset at how this spell can be immersion breaking for their group.
Either way, if an enemy casts a spell attack at my character, can I cast shield and help defend against it. Or does the attack specifically has to be a melee/ranged attack with a weapon(sword/bow/etc)
Shield grants you a +5 AC bonus to attacks. It does not designate melee, ranged, or spells, with the exception of Magic Missile. So, by my understanding, any attack that requires a d20 roll to successfully hit you will be affected by the spell.
Edit: Reworded answer so it was less confusing.
although I don't think you can use it to protect others, as it's range says self... I think it only offers the protection to the caster of the shield spell
DMTHac0 is right. Shield applies to any attack that is targeting your AC. It can be cast as a reaction to being hit by spells like Eldritch Blast, Scorching Ray, Guiding Bolt, etc.
The thing about Shield & Magic Missile is that Shield causes Magic Missile to automatically miss.
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
But lets say you use a 5 level magic missile? would a level 1 shield work? because then that would sort of render magic missile useless.
Yes, Shield protects against Magic Missile regardless of the spell level. That's the point, but it doesn't render MM useless in any way. Everyone has only one reaction. If they use theirs to cast Shield, they have no reaction left to make opportunity attacks or activate other features. Likewise, if they use their reaction on something else, then they have no reaction left to stop your Magic Missile. Play smart, and you can turn anything into an advantage.
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
No it does not. Shield causes Magic Missile to not do damage, but technically the spell still hits because it automatically hits.
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That was over a year ago, but yes that is technically correct (the best kind of correct). :P
Can you think of an example in which the difference in semantics has an actual consequence? All of the riders (to a spell) I can think of rely on the result of an attack roll, saving throw, or damage. Plus any features that would add damage to MM are damage from MM, and are negated.
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
Currently, no difference that I can think of. But, that doesn’t mean there isn’t one, just that I can’t think of one. Not to mention, say for example a new subclass comes out that in some way has some feature that keys off of “hits” instead of damage, then it may become relevant. 🤷♂️
PS-That last one... those Tooltips.... that was making my eye Twitch. Thanks you for fixing them.
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
Epic Boons on DDB
Yeah, "hits" is the one that I was thinking about as the only type of trigger that could potentially apply, yet the nature of MM simultaneously prevents it. "Hits" (as a 5e technical term, not the colloquial usage) refers to attack rolls, which are exclusively involved with making an attack, and MM is explicitly not an attack (doesn't trigger Hex).
In any event, it is correct to say MM simply does no damage vs Shield.
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.