FRIGHTENED • A frightened creature has disadvantage on ability checks and attack rolls while the source of its fear is within line of sight. • The creature can't willingly move closer to the source of its fear.
line of sight is different than being able to see, so are these examples of interactions correct?
example 1. creature A uses a feature to cause creature B to be feared by Creature A. Creature A then uses a feature to become invisible, while maintaining line of sight to f creature B. Creature B is still suffering disadvantage on ability checks and attack rolls.
example 2. creature A uses a feature to cause Creature B to be feared by Creature A. Both creatures are in this scenario on opposite sides of a wall with an open glass window between them. Creature B closes the window, closing off line of sight, while still actually being able to see the source of fear, now no longer having disadvantage on checks and attacks.
in either case, creature B cannot move closer to the source of fear, since this effect happens regardless of line of sight.
then there are all the riders that may be added by spells and other features that impose fear.
For the First Scenario - Sage Advice addressed this...
The frightened condition says “while the source of its fear is within line of sight.” Does that mean you have disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks even if the source is invisible but you have a clear line to its space?
No. If you can’t see something, it’s not within your line of sight. Speaking of “line of sight,” the game uses the English meaning of the term, which has no special meaning in the rules.
So when Creature A turns invisible Creature B stops suffering the negative effects of fear.
I would take the second sentence here to mean that the second example is also incorrect. Since Creature B can still see Creature A through the Window is still suffers the negative effects of fear even though the window is closed.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Founding Member of the High Roller Society.(Currently trying to roll max on 4d6)
Huh, that’s interesting that they wrote that correction about line of sight instead of just changing it to:
FRIGHTENED • A frightened creature has disadvantage on ability checks and attack rolls while IT CAN SEE the source of its fear. • The creature can't willingly move closer to the source of its fear.
maybe that’s why so many people, including myself just now, seem to have it confused with spell targeting rules of “A CLEAR PATH TO THE TARGET“
To precisely determine whether there is line of sight between two spaces, pick a corner of one space and trace an imaginary line from that corner to any part of another space. If at least one such line doesn’t pass through or touch an object or effect that blocks vision — such as a stone wall, a thick curtain, or a dense cloud of fog — then there is line of sight.
example 1: Invisibility would be an effect that blocks vision.
example 2: A glass window that you can see through is not an object that blocks vision.
To precisely determine whether there is line of sight between two spaces, pick a corner of one space and trace an imaginary line from that corner to any part of another space. If at least one such line doesn’t pass through or touch an object or effect that blocks vision — such as a stone wall, a thick curtain, or a dense cloud of fog — then there is line of sight.
example 1: Invisibility would be an effect that blocks vision.
example 2: A glass window that you can see through is not an object that blocks vision.
Thank you, it would have been nice to have the parameter defined in the PHB where the conditions actually are.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
The feared condition states the following:
FRIGHTENED
• A frightened creature has disadvantage on ability checks and attack rolls while the source of its fear is within line of sight.
• The creature can't willingly move closer to the source of its fear.
line of sight is different than being able to see, so are these examples of interactions correct?
example 1.
creature A uses a feature to cause creature B to be feared by Creature A. Creature A then uses a feature to become invisible, while maintaining line of sight to f creature B. Creature B is still suffering disadvantage on ability checks and attack rolls.
example 2.
creature A uses a feature to cause Creature B to be feared by Creature A. Both creatures are in this scenario on opposite sides of a wall with an open glass window between them. Creature B closes the window, closing off line of sight, while still actually being able to see the source of fear, now no longer having disadvantage on checks and attacks.
in either case, creature B cannot move closer to the source of fear, since this effect happens regardless of line of sight.
then there are all the riders that may be added by spells and other features that impose fear.
For the First Scenario - Sage Advice addressed this...
https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/sac/sage-advice-compendium#Adventuring
So when Creature A turns invisible Creature B stops suffering the negative effects of fear.
I would take the second sentence here to mean that the second example is also incorrect. Since Creature B can still see Creature A through the Window is still suffers the negative effects of fear even though the window is closed.
Founding Member of the High Roller Society. (Currently trying to roll max on 4d6)
Huh, that’s interesting that they wrote that correction about line of sight instead of just changing it to:
FRIGHTENED
• A frightened creature has disadvantage on ability checks and attack rolls while IT CAN SEE the source of its fear.
• The creature can't willingly move closer to the source of its fear.
maybe that’s why so many people, including myself just now, seem to have it confused with spell targeting rules of “A CLEAR PATH TO THE TARGET“
thank you for the clarification.
This is from the DMG:
example 1: Invisibility would be an effect that blocks vision.
example 2: A glass window that you can see through is not an object that blocks vision.
edit: fixed link to DMG subsection
Thank you, it would have been nice to have the parameter defined in the PHB where the conditions actually are.