It is the Attack action. That is why I linked to the exact verbiage. Logically, their wording, and specific definitions of features puts the latter melee spell attacks under the Attack action. If we simply replace the specific words with symbols, we can draw out the conditions in a clear manner.
On your turn you can 🍗,🪦,🧼,🎈,🍺,🌾,🪺,🏖️,🫖,🛢️
🍗 is 🌧️ or 🦀
🌧️ is 🌊 or 🗑️
🦀 is 🕳️ or 🗿
You 🪦. It allows you to also 🗑️
Next turn you can 🗑️ if you want.
Since 🗑️,🌧️
Since 🌧️,🍗
A class feature states when 🍗, you can 🌧️🌧️, or 🌧️🦀, or 🦀🦀. So, 🌊🌊,🕳️🕳️,🗿🗿,🗑️🗑️
While this looks ridiculous, WotC used specific wording when defining the spell details. If there is a unique action granted by a spell, it needs to be defined as such. The specific terms used are a part of a broader category which itself is impacted by class features. i.e. when declaring 'ranged weapon attack' in a description, all features which affect a 'ranged weapon attack' will be applicable. If Vampiric touch provided a unique action, don't declare a pre-existing variable as an ongoing capability. You gain the 'Vampiric Touch' action, which does x.
Funny, you say WotC uses specific wording, yet they never used the wording “when you take the Attack action” like they do in so many other places.
Pretty much everyone is telling you that you are incorrect but you seem to not care.
Reminder, a melee spell attack is part of the Melee Attacks section above, which in turn is part of Making an Attack, which is done as part of the Attack action.
This is where you went wrong. When the rules for the Attack action say "See the "Making an Attack" section . . ." that does NOT mean that the heading Making an Attack is in any way a subsection of the Attack action section. It is simply referencing the rules for Making an Attack which appear elsewhere in the book.
In other words, whenever you take the Attack action, it involves Making an Attack -- however, Making an Attack does NOT always involve the Attack action. The Attack action is a subset of all situations that involve Making an Attack.
If you look closely, the heading Making an Attack is written in larger font and positioned more prominently than the Attack action heading. It is at the highest level of headings within Chapter 9. The chapters are written in outline format and broken into sections with the largest headings. Within each of those sections there are subsections with smaller headings. Those subsections are sometimes further subdivided with even smaller headings, and so on. Making an Attack is its own thing within Chapter 9, specifying its own rules for that concept. The Attack action is a subheading under the larger section called "Actions in Combat". The Attack action is not a subheading under Making an Attack and Making an Attack is not a subheading under the Attack action -- they are separate.
What everyone in this thread has been explaining is that the Attack action is not involved here. The spell creates an ongoing spell effect that can be interacted with in a specific way (as defined by the spell description) by using 1 Action to do so. If that special Action is used / taken, the spell effect allows the character to make a melee spell attack, which is resolved by using the rules in the Making an Attack section (but NOT in the Attack action section).
An attack isn't necessarily always made using the Attack action, many other ways exist. In fact most of the time a melee or ranged spell attack is made using the Cast a Spell action.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Good presentation though.
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
Epic Boons on DDB
This is where you went wrong. When the rules for the Attack action say "See the "Making an Attack" section . . ." that does NOT mean that the heading Making an Attack is in any way a subsection of the Attack action section. It is simply referencing the rules for Making an Attack which appear elsewhere in the book.
In other words, whenever you take the Attack action, it involves Making an Attack -- however, Making an Attack does NOT always involve the Attack action. The Attack action is a subset of all situations that involve Making an Attack.
If you look closely, the heading Making an Attack is written in larger font and positioned more prominently than the Attack action heading. It is at the highest level of headings within Chapter 9. The chapters are written in outline format and broken into sections with the largest headings. Within each of those sections there are subsections with smaller headings. Those subsections are sometimes further subdivided with even smaller headings, and so on. Making an Attack is its own thing within Chapter 9, specifying its own rules for that concept. The Attack action is a subheading under the larger section called "Actions in Combat". The Attack action is not a subheading under Making an Attack and Making an Attack is not a subheading under the Attack action -- they are separate.
What everyone in this thread has been explaining is that the Attack action is not involved here. The spell creates an ongoing spell effect that can be interacted with in a specific way (as defined by the spell description) by using 1 Action to do so. If that special Action is used / taken, the spell effect allows the character to make a melee spell attack, which is resolved by using the rules in the Making an Attack section (but NOT in the Attack action section).
An attack isn't necessarily always made using the Attack action, many other ways exist. In fact most of the time a melee or ranged spell attack is made using the Cast a Spell action.