I am wondering why they used the term "Sprouting From" That is the part I struggle with. How would plants sprout from metal for example or stone?
They just do. It's magic! The spell says that's what happens when you cast it, so it happens. Just like they magically disappear once the spell is over.
Per Jeremy Crawford, the term "Ground" is the idiomatic meaning of the word ground. That appears to basically being a solid surface that you can stand on, but it is technically:
"The DM decides how generously to interpret words like "ground." Unless we redefine or focus a word, we use it in its idiomatic English sense, knowing that some words are open to creative interpretation."
So unless a spell is more specific, like Mold Earth which has a section that talks about "Loose Earth," Ground to me as a DM is any non-liquid surface you can move on normally. That would include docks, ship decks, bridges, but not walls, sheer cliffs or ceilings.
The how it works doesn't matter; it is magic after all.
You're the DM, so you decide. If you don't feel that vines emerging from the floor of an airship makes sense without advance preparation by the party, you can rule it that way. If you don't feel that Entangle would work the same way on another plane, you can rule it that way. DMs have enormous latitude in running the game. Whether you and your players are happy regarding how you decide to cut a particular word's meaning is another question.
I tend to use ground as synonymous to floor in my campaigns so as not to limit a lot of ranger or druid spells. (Since it's easier to explain them away in areas without foliage.)
On a side note, it's interesting to note that the Snare spell does specifically say "on the ground or the floor". This seems to indicate that they are treated as two separate surfaces.
It happens for the same reason a caster can make whatever anything else that they make happen. I'm going to guess that a good third of spells out there make stuff just show up because it's magic. Heck, Fireball works underwater. Every Wall spell just makes it show up. It's magic.
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"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
Totally agree with all of this statement. Although it seems to me that I am being far more restrictive in my interpretation than the others who have replied, I think this is because the Druid spells, unlike those cast by most of the other classes, are based on the manipulation of natural forces and natures energy.
Druids draw their *knowledge* of how to cast spells from worshipping the forces of nature, but they're tapping into the same Weave a wizard does when they cast their spells and a Beholder does when it shoots eye rays. There's many ways to tap into the Weave but at the end of the day it's all magic and a spell is a spell no matter who cast it or how.
IC, thanks for your responce. I am wondering why they used the term "Sprouting From" That is the part I struggle with. How would plants sprout from metal for example or stone? Does the word sprout change things or no?
For stone, it could just sprout through the cracks. Metal might be trickier, but you could just have the things break through the metal. Or you could decide that because they're in a room where the floor is completely solid iron, the spell doesn't work because the plants can't come, but this would have to be a prepared and deliberate choice on your part to not allow the spell in this circumstance, instead of just a "wait, would this work here ?" moment as the player cast. This could actually be an interesting way to signify the druid's current physical disconnect from nature.
Commune With Nature says in the spell text that it does not work in areas of construction like towns and dungeons. If it were the intent of the writers to make other spells not work in urban environments, it would say so in the text.
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"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
Not just urban environments, but also deep dungeons (not much can grow there but mushrooms), frozen tundras, and others. Currently running a nautical adventure, and one of my players who is a druid would have had to change characters if I didn't allow a lot of his spells to work on a ship. About the most that I've limited is the Spike Growth spell, but only the part about it being camouflaged if cast on a refined/smooth floor. For what it's worth, allowing nature to randomly pop up in areas that it shouldn't happen is what can help show the power of the spells. (As was said in the above posts)
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In most contexts, I treat "ground" as synonymous with "floor" unless something clearly indicates the word is referring to soil specifically.
They just do. It's magic! The spell says that's what happens when you cast it, so it happens. Just like they magically disappear once the spell is over.
Per Jeremy Crawford, the term "Ground" is the idiomatic meaning of the word ground. That appears to basically being a solid surface that you can stand on, but it is technically:
"The DM decides how generously to interpret words like "ground." Unless we redefine or focus a word, we use it in its idiomatic English sense, knowing that some words are open to creative interpretation."
So unless a spell is more specific, like Mold Earth which has a section that talks about "Loose Earth," Ground to me as a DM is any non-liquid surface you can move on normally. That would include docks, ship decks, bridges, but not walls, sheer cliffs or ceilings.
The how it works doesn't matter; it is magic after all.
Source: https://www.sageadvice.eu/tag/official-answer/page/75/
You're the DM, so you decide. If you don't feel that vines emerging from the floor of an airship makes sense without advance preparation by the party, you can rule it that way. If you don't feel that Entangle would work the same way on another plane, you can rule it that way. DMs have enormous latitude in running the game. Whether you and your players are happy regarding how you decide to cut a particular word's meaning is another question.
It would come across as unfair to make spells not work due to location and personal interpretation of 1 or 2 words.
I second the "floor" and "because magic" answers.
It's only unfair if the DM does not give the party Druid/Ranger advance warning about likely limitations.
What is or is not appropriate to a campaign and a setting depends on the DM, with some potential negotiation and collaboration with the players.
I tend to use ground as synonymous to floor in my campaigns so as not to limit a lot of ranger or druid spells. (Since it's easier to explain them away in areas without foliage.)
On a side note, it's interesting to note that the Snare spell does specifically say "on the ground or the floor". This seems to indicate that they are treated as two separate surfaces.
It just works because it's magic and breaks the rules. Especially since it's Conjuration, which can make things appear from nothing.
Canto alla vita
alla sua bellezza
ad ogni sua ferita
ogni sua carezza!
I sing to life and to its tragic beauty
To pain and to strife, but all that dances through me
The rise and the fall, I've lived through it all!
It happens for the same reason a caster can make whatever anything else that they make happen. I'm going to guess that a good third of spells out there make stuff just show up because it's magic. Heck, Fireball works underwater. Every Wall spell just makes it show up. It's magic.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
Druids draw their *knowledge* of how to cast spells from worshipping the forces of nature, but they're tapping into the same Weave a wizard does when they cast their spells and a Beholder does when it shoots eye rays. There's many ways to tap into the Weave but at the end of the day it's all magic and a spell is a spell no matter who cast it or how.
For stone, it could just sprout through the cracks. Metal might be trickier, but you could just have the things break through the metal. Or you could decide that because they're in a room where the floor is completely solid iron, the spell doesn't work because the plants can't come, but this would have to be a prepared and deliberate choice on your part to not allow the spell in this circumstance, instead of just a "wait, would this work here ?" moment as the player cast. This could actually be an interesting way to signify the druid's current physical disconnect from nature.
Otherwise, yes, it's magic.
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Thorn Whip
Spike Growth
Call Lightning
Erupting Earth
Tidal Wave
Grasping Vine
Maelstrom
Bones of the Earth
Tsunami
Commune With Nature says in the spell text that it does not work in areas of construction like towns and dungeons. If it were the intent of the writers to make other spells not work in urban environments, it would say so in the text.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
Not just urban environments, but also deep dungeons (not much can grow there but mushrooms), frozen tundras, and others. Currently running a nautical adventure, and one of my players who is a druid would have had to change characters if I didn't allow a lot of his spells to work on a ship. About the most that I've limited is the Spike Growth spell, but only the part about it being camouflaged if cast on a refined/smooth floor. For what it's worth, allowing nature to randomly pop up in areas that it shouldn't happen is what can help show the power of the spells. (As was said in the above posts)