Sage Advice Compendium
The Sage Advice Compendium collects questions and answers about the rules of Dungeons & Dragons (fifth edition). The document’s version number changes when substantive additions or revisions have been made to the text.
Rules References
The fifth edition of D&D has three core rulebooks:
Errata
Errata have been issued for certain fifth edition books and are available at the following location: Sage Advice & Errata.
Official Rulings
Official rulings on how to interpret rules are made here in the Sage Advice Compendium. A Dungeon Master adjudicates the game and determines whether to use an official ruling in play. The DM always has the final say on rules questions.
The public statements of the D&D team, or anyone else at Wizards of the Coast, are not official rulings; they are advice.
Compiled Answers
Sage Advice answers that are relevant to the current state of the rules are compiled here.
The Role of Rules
Why even have Sage Advice when a DM can just make a ruling?
Rules are a big part of what makes D&D a game, rather than simply improvised storytelling. The game’s rules are meant to help organize, and even inspire, the action of a D&D campaign. The rules are a tool, and we want our tools to be as effective as possible. No matter how good those tools might be, they need a group of players to bring them to life and a DM to guide their use.
The DM is key. Many unexpected things can happen in a D&D campaign, and no set of rules could reasonably account for every contingency. If the rules tried to do so, the game would become unwieldy. An alternative would be for the rules to severely limit what characters can do, which would be counter to the open-endedness of D&D. The direction we took for fifth edition was to lay a foundation of rules that a DM could build on, and we celebrate the DM as the bridge between the things the rules address and the things they don’t.
In a typical D&D session, a DM makes numerous rules decisions—some barely noticeable and others quite obvious. Players also interpret the rules, and the whole group keeps the game running. There are times, though, when the design intent of a rule isn’t clear or when one rule seems to contradict another.
Dealing with those situations is where Sage Advice comes in. It doesn’t replace a DM’s adjudication. Just as the rules do, this FAQ is meant to give DMs, as well as players, tools for tuning the game according to their tastes.
We often approach rules questions from one to three different perspectives.
RAW
“Rules as written”—that’s what RAW stands for. When we dwell on the RAW interpretation of a rule, we’re studying what the text says in context, without regard to the designers’ intent. The text is forced to stand on its own.
When we consider a rule, we start with this perspective; it’s important for us to see what you see, not what we wished we’d published or thought we’d published.
RAI
Some of you are especially interested in knowing the intent behind a rule. That’s where RAI comes in: “rules as intended.” This approach is all about what the designers meant when they wrote something. In a perfect world, RAW and RAI align perfectly, but sometimes the words on the page don’t succeed at communicating the designers’ intent. Or perhaps the words succeed with one group of players but not with another.
When we write about the RAI interpretation of a rule, we pull back the curtain and let you know what the D&D team meant when writing that rule.
RAF
Regardless of what’s on the page or what the designers intended, D&D is meant to be fun, and the DM is the ringmaster at each game table. The best DMs shape the game on the fly to bring the most delight to their players. Such DMs aim for RAF, “rules as fun.” We expect DMs to depart from the rules when running a campaign or when seeking the greatest happiness for a certain group of players.
We recommend a mix of RAW, RAI, and RAF!
Ability Checks
Are attack rolls and saving throws basically specialized ability checks?
They aren’t. Ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws are all different kinds of D20 Tests that can be made during a game of D&D. As such, all three share certain similarities: rolling a d20, being affected by Advantage and Disadvantage, adding modifiers, and comparing the total to a target number. But ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws are each distinct from the other. If something in the game affects one, such as the Guidance spell, the other two aren’t affected unless the rules specifically say so. A game rule that affects D20 Tests affects all three.
Can you get a Critical Hit on an ability check?
Ability checks don’t score Critical Hits. Attack rolls do.
Is a 1 on an ability check an automatic failure?
Rolling a 1 on an ability check or a saving throw is not an automatic failure. A 1 is an automatic miss for an attack roll.
Adventuring
If I’m hidden and a creature with Blindsight or Truesight sees me, am I still hidden?
No. Being hidden is a game state that gives you the Invisible condition. If a creature finds you, you’re no longer hidden and lose that condition, as explained in the Hide action (see appendix C of the Player’s Handbook).
The Stunned condition no longer prevents you from moving. Is that change intentional?
Yes. We have intentionally increased the differences between the Stunned and Paralyzed conditions, with Stunned now allowing you to move.
Does all magical Darkness block Darkvision?
Magical Darkness blocks Darkvision only if the rules text for a particular instance of Darkness says it does. For example, the Darkness spell specifies that Darkvision can’t see through it. That obstruction is a feature of the spell, not a feature of magical Darkness in general.
Is there a hard limit on how many Short Rests characters can take in a day, or is this purely up to the DM to decide?
The only hard limit on the number of Short Rests you can take is the number of hours in a day. In practice, you’re also limited by time pressures in the story and foes interrupting.
Are extradimensional spaces, such as a demiplane or the space created by Rope Trick, considered to be on a different plane of existence?
An extradimensional space (aka an extraplanar space) is outside other planes. Therefore, if you’re on the Material Plane and your foe is in an extradimensional space, the two of you aren’t on the same plane of existence. (See chapter 6 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide.)
How do I tell if something in the game is magical?
Game text explicitly states if an effect is magical. Effects created by spells and magic items are always magical. See “Magical Effect” in appendix C of the Player’s Handbook.
What’s an example of an effect that can reduce Exhaustion?
The Greater Restoration spell can reduce Exhaustion.
What happens after level 20? Is there a cap to character levels?
The highest level a character can reach is level 20. The “Bonus Feats at Level 20” sidebar in chapter 2 of the Player’s Handbook provides some ideas for how DMs can use feats as a form of advancements for level 20 characters.
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 imperceptible 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.
Combat
Can you delay your turn and take it later in the round?
No. When it’s your turn, you either do something or you don’t. If you want to wait to act in response to something, take the Ready action. (See appendix C of the Player’s Handbook.)
I have a readied action. Can I stop readying to take an Opportunity Attack? Or does the Ready action take a full-round commitment?
Think of the Ready action as a preparatory action rather than a commitment. By taking the Ready action, you’re giving your character access to a tailor-made Reaction to use in a given circumstance. However, you’re not bound to take that readied Reaction. As combat continues, you can decide to take this readied Reaction—or, if plans change, you can take any other Reaction you might have access to, such as an Opportunity Attack.
But remember that you have only one Reaction. Taking an Opportunity Attack means you won’t be able to take that readied Reaction, so choose which Reaction you take carefully.
Can a Bonus Action be used as an action or vice versa? For example, can a Bard use a Bonus Action to grant a Bardic Inspiration die and an action to cast Healing Word?
No. Actions and Bonus Actions aren’t interchangeable. In the example, the Bard could use Bardic Inspiration or Healing Word on a turn, not both.
Can a flying creature without the hover trait stay in one place while airborne, or does it need to move each round?
A flier that lacks the hover trait can stay aloft without moving each round.
Can you move through the space of a Prone enemy?
You can move through the space of an enemy only if that enemy (A) has the Incapacitated condition, (B) is a Tiny creature, or (C) is at least two sizes larger or smaller than you. The Prone condition doesn’t override this.
Does travel pace apply to movement in combat or just when traveling?
The travel pace rule doesn’t apply in combat.
If you have a feature like Cunning Action or Step of the Wind, can you take the Dash action more than once on your turn?
If you can take the Dash action as a Bonus Actions, nothing in the rules prevents you from taking the Dash action with your regular action too. The same principle holds when you use a feature like Action Surge; you could use both of your actions to take the Dash action.
My Rogue/Wizard can get a Bonus Action to Dash by using Cunning Action, and I can cast Expeditious Retreat on myself to get a Bonus Action to Dash. Do I get two Bonus Actions to Dash?
No. You can take only one Bonus Actions on your turn. If you have two or more ways to use a Bonus Action, you must choose which one (if any) you want to employ on your turn.
If you use the Help action to distract a foe, do you have to stay within 5 feet of it for the action to work?
No, you can take the action and then move away. The action itself is what grants Advantage to your ally, not your staying next to the foe.
If I’m hidden and become unhidden when I shoot an arrow at a target, does hiding again require an action?
Without a special ability, hiding in combat requires the Hide action.
If I use the Ready action to deal damage to someone who’s moving, do I deny the target the rest of its movement?
Dealing damage to a moving target doesn’t halt its movement unless the damage is accompanied by an ability that stops movement. Things like the Sentinel feat give you such an ability. Reducing a moving creature to 0 Hit Points is also usually an effective way to stop it!
Can you use the Ready action to take the Attack action on someone else’s turn and then combine the Charger feat with it?
No. When you take the Ready action, you can either move up to your Speed or take a defined action as your Reaction. The Charger feat’s Charge Attack benefit relies on both moving and taking the Attack action on the same turn.
For readying a spell or another action, does the target have to be in range?
Your target must be within range when you take a readied action, not when you first take the Ready action to ready it.
How does readying a spell work? Do you lose your spell slot if the trigger never occurs?
When you take the Ready action to ready a spell, you immediately expend any resources used to cast said spell, including any spell slot. You don’t get any of these resources back if the trigger never occurs. See appendix C of the Player’s Handbook.
Can a readied action occur during an enemy’s triggering action, such as between its first and second attacks when it uses Multiattack?
A readied action occurs immediately after its trigger. If you defined the trigger as an attack, your action happens after that attack.
How does a Reach weapon work with Opportunity Attack?
An Opportunity Attack is triggered when a creature you can see moves beyond your reach. If you want to make an Opportunity Attack with a Reach weapon, such as a Glaive or a Halberd, you can do so when a creature leaves the reach you have with that weapon. For example, if you’re wielding a Halberd, a creature that is right next to you could move 5 feet away without triggering an Opportunity Attack. If that creature tries to move an additional 5 feet—leaving your 10-foot reach—the creature then triggers an Opportunity Attack.
Can a Blinded creature make an Opportunity Attack?
An Opportunity Attack is triggered when a creature that you can see leaves your reach. If you can’t see an enemy, you can’t make an Opportunity Attack against it. Creatures with Blindsight are an exception to this rule, because that ability lets those creatures “see” within a certain radius.
Can an Opportunity Attack be used to make a grapple or a shove?
Yes. When you make an Opportunity Attack, one of your options is making an Unarmed Strike. You can still choose to use the Grapple and Shove options of this Unarmed Strike.
If a creature is Grappled, can it still attack and use its special abilities?
The Grappled condition limits movement, not attacks, spellcasting, and the like. That said, many grappling abilities, such as a Giant Octopus’s Tentacles attack, also deliver effects like the Restrained condition.
Does a grapple or shove trigger a Battle Master Fighter’s Riposte?
No. Many game effects specify triggering when you are hit or missed by an attack roll; the Grapple and Shove options of an Unarmed Strike don’t use attack rolls.
However, many monsters have special attacks that can grapple or shove a creature as part of its effect on a hit. If such a creature misses a Battle Master Fighter with an attack roll, the Battle Master Fighter could then use Riposte.
Say I grapple you, then I have the Prone condition. Are we now Prone together?
No. A creature you’re grappling isn’t Prone if you have the Prone condition. You’re now holding on to the creature while you are Prone.
Target at range caught in melee combat—does that target get some kind of cover, or do I get Disadvantage?
Your target has Half Cover if another creature is between you and the target.
Can damage be reduced to 0 by Resistance or another form of damage reduction?
Yes, it is possible to reduce damage to 0 but no lower.
A dragon uses a breath weapon against me. I succeed on the save, and I have Resistance to the damage. Do I take only one-quarter of the damage?
Yes, because Resistance is applied after all other general adjustments to damage. If you succeed on a save and still take damage, that damage is halved if you have the right Resistance.
Is the intent that only Melee weapon attacks can knock foes Unconscious, or can melee spell attacks as well?
If you reduce a creature to 0 Hit Points with a melee attack, you can knock the creature out. That melee attack isn’t restricted to weapons. Even a melee spell attack can be used to knock a creature out.
Can a non-Battle Master attempt to disarm someone?
The Disarming Attack maneuver is designed for the Battle Master Fighter, but any character can try to disarm a foe. Such an attempt would fall under improvising an action not detailed by the rules and would be up to your DM to adjudicate.
Can I make an attack with a Light weapon, then draw a second weapon with my other hand and qualify to make the extra attack of the Light property?
Yes. The only requirement for the Light property’s extra attack is that it’s made with a different Light weapon.
Multiclassing
Would a temporary stat bump fulfill a multiclass prerequisite, or does the base score have to meet the requirement?
Your base score, not a temporary score, has to meet a multiclassing prerequisite.
When multiclassing, do you get the cantrips from all your classes?
If any of your classes grants you cantrips, you get all of them.
Do you gain proficiency in more saving throws when multiclassing?
When you gain a level in a new class through multiclassing, you gain only the traits listed under the “As a Multiclass Character” section in the class’s introduction. This does not include saving throws.
However, if a class grants additional proficiencies or training through one of its features, you also gain those, regardless if the class is your first. For example, if you gain a level in Cleric and choose the Protector option of the Divine Order feature, you gain proficiency with Martial weapons and training with Heavy armor, and if you’re a Gloom Stalker Ranger and gain the Iron Mind feature, you gain proficiency with Wisdom saving throws—even if Cleric or Ranger respectively isn’t your first class.
Can a Barbarian/Fighter (Battle Master) use maneuvers while raging?
Nothing in the Barbarian’s Rage feature precludes the use of maneuvers.
Can a Rogue/Monk use Sneak Attack with Unarmed Strikes?
The Sneak Attack feature works with a weapon that has the Finesse or Ranged property. An Unarmed Strike isn’t a weapon, so it doesn’t qualify. In contrast, a Rogue/Monk can use Sneak Attack with a Monk weapon, such as a Shortsword or a Dagger, that has one of Sneak Attack’s required properties.
A Wizard multiclasses into a Sorcerer with the Wild Magic Sorcery subclass. Do spells cast from their spellbook trigger Wild Magic Surge if they are on the Sorcerer spell list, or do they have to gain them from Sorcerer to trigger?
From the multiclassing rules: “Each spell you prepare is associated with one of your classes.” This rule means only the spells prepared as part of your Sorcerer class features trigger Wild Magic Surge.
Class Features
General
When you use Extra Attack, do you have to use the same weapon for all the attacks?
Extra Attack imposes no limitation on what you use for the attacks. You can use regular weapons, improvised weapons, Unarmed Strike, or a combination of these options for the attacks. However, you must still follow the rules for equipping and unequipping weapons as part of the Attack action.
Barbarian
For the Barbarian’s Reckless Attack, do you grant Advantage to all enemies, or only to the target of your attack?
If you use the Barbarian’s Reckless Attack, all attack rolls have Advantage against you until the start of your next turn.
Bard
Do the benefits from Bardic Inspiration and the Guidance spell stack? Can they be applied to the same roll?
Yes, different effects stack if they don’t have the same name. If a creature under the effects of a Guidance spell makes an ability check using the skill chosen as part of the spell’s casting and also has a Bardic Inspiration die, it can roll both 1d4 and 1d6 if it so chooses.
If used on a damage roll, does a College of Lore Bard’s Cutting Words apply to any kind of damage roll including an auto-hit spell like Magic Missile?
You can use Cutting Words to reduce the damage from any effect that calls for a damage roll (including Magic Missile) even if the damage roll is not preceded by an attack roll.
Which Spell Scrolls can Bards understand—spells from the Bard list only, or spells from the Bard list plus spells from Magical Secrets?
A Bard can use any Spell Scroll that has a Bard spell on it. This includes any spells the Bard has prepared through their Magical Secrets feature.
However, this doesn’t mean that a Bard can use a Spell Scroll for any spell on the Cleric, Druid, and Wizard spell lists (the other spell lists included in Magical Secrets). For spells exclusive to the Cleric, Druid, and Wizard lists, a Bard must have that spell prepared via Magical Secrets for it to count as a Bard spell.
For example, if a Bard has a Spell Scroll of Spirit Guardians (a spell on the Cleric’s spell list), that Bard can use that scroll only if they also have Spirit Guardians prepared via Magical Secrets. Otherwise, the scroll is illegible to them.
For the College of Valor, does using Combat Inspiration’s Offense feature mean that the Bardic Inspiration die counts as a damage die for purposes of Critical Hits?
Yes.
Druid
Can a bound and gagged Druid simply use Wild Shape to get out? It’s hard to capture someone who can turn into a mouse at will.
Shape-shifting into a different size can be an effective way of escaping, depending on the nature of the bonds or confinement; for example, Manacles only work on a Small or Medium creature, so shape-shifting into a Tiny animal would allow a Druid to slip out of the restraints with ease.
However, a creature changing sizes doesn’t automatically end the Grappled or Restrained conditions unless it causes the creature to no longer meet the effect’s size requirement (if any). For example, a Giant Crab’s Claw attack can grapple only Medium or smaller targets; if a Druid Grappled by a Giant Crab transformed into a Large animal, the Druid would no longer be Grappled.
Fighter
If my Battle Master Fighter provokes an Opportunity Attack and it misses, can I use Riposte?
Yes, you can use the Riposte maneuver in response to an Opportunity Attack that misses you, assuming your Reaction is available.
Can the Disarming Attack maneuver cause a creature to drop a Shield?
No. Disarming Attack forces a creature to drop an object it is holding. Donned Shields aren’t merely held.
Monk
Does the Martial Arts feature turn Monk weapons and Unarmed Strikes into Finesse weapons?
No. The feature grants a benefit that is similar to the Finesse property, but the feature doesn’t confer that property.
Can a Warrior of the Open Hand Monk’s Open Hand Technique push a Large or larger creature or give it the Prone condition?
The Open Hand Technique intentionally ignores creature size. A Monk’s energy fuels many extraordinary effects! If a feature is limited by creature size, the feature tells you so.
Paladin
Would the Divine Sense feature of a Paladin’s Channel Divinity register an Aasimar or a Tiefling due to their heritage?
These species are Humanoids and therefore escape the notice of Divine Sense. The feature detects creatures that have the Celestial, Fiend, or Undead creature type.
Rogue
Can a Rogue use Sneak Attack more than once per round?
The Sneak Attack description specifies that you can use the feature once per turn, but it’s not limited to your turn. The feature also doesn’t limit the number of times you can use it in a round.
You sometimes get a chance to use Sneak Attack on someone else’s turn. The most common way for this to happen is when an enemy provokes an Opportunity Attack from you. If the requirements for Sneak Attack are met, your Opportunity Attack can benefit from that feature.
Does Uncanny Dodge work automatically against every attack a Rogue gets hit by? Spell attacks too?
A use of Uncanny Dodge works against only one attack, since it expends your Reaction, and only if you can see the attacker. It works against attacks of all sorts, including spell attacks, but it is no help against a spell or other effect, such as Fireball, that delivers its damage via a saving throw rather than an attack roll.
Can a Rogue use Evasion if they are surprised?
Yes. Being surprised at the start of a combat causes a creature to have Disadvantage on the Initiative roll. A Rogue can use Evasion as long as they don’t have the Incapacitated condition.
Can the Rogue’s Reliable Talent feature be used in conjunction with other features, like the Champion’s Remarkable Athlete feature or the Bard’s Jack of All Trades feature?
Reliable Talent can be used in conjunction with another feature as long as the ability check being made meets the requirements for both features. For example, Reliable Talent applies only to a check made using one of your skill or tool proficiencies, while Jack of All Trades applies to a check using a skill proficiency you lack; therefore, a check that qualifies for Reliable Talent doesn’t qualify for Jack of All Trades, and vice versa. However, the Champion’s Remarkable Athlete feature gives Advantage on all Strength (Athletics) check, which doesn’t conflict with Reliable Talent’s requirements. So if a character has proficiency with the Athletics skill and access to both Reliable Talent and Remarkable Athlete, that character could use both features when making a Strength (Athletics) check.
Sorcerer
Metamagic rules state you can’t use multiple Metamagic options on a single spell. Can you use one option multiple times?
A Sorcerer can use one Metamagic option once in the casting of a spell, not the same option more than once. For instance, a Sorcerer can’t quadruple the duration of a spell by spending 2 Sorcery Points on Extended Spell.
In Draconic Sorcery, Elemental Affinity improves one damage roll of a spell, not multiple rolls. So with Scorching Ray, I don’t add my Charisma modifier to each ray that hits?
That’s correct. Elemental Affinity benefits one damage roll per casting of a spell, even if the spell allows more than one roll. So, for example, a Sorcerer with Elemental Affinity adds their Charisma modifier to only one of the rays of a Scorching Ray.
Can Empowered Spell affect all the rays of a Scorching Ray spell or just one?
A Sorcerer’s Empowered Spell could affect more than one ray of a Scorching Ray, abiding by the feature’s die limit. For instance, if you create three rays with the spell and you have a +3 Charisma modifier, you could reroll one of the damage dice for each ray, or two of the damage dice for one ray and one of the damage dice for another one.
Does Quickened Spell allow a Sorcerer to cast two spells a round of level 1+?
No, the Sorcerer must follow the rule for casting one spell with a spell slot per turn. See chapter 7 in the Player’s Handbook.
Can my Sorcerer use Twinned Spell on a spell duplicated by the casting of a Wish spell?
Yes, you can as long as the duplicated spell meets the requirements of Twinned Spell.
In Wild Magic Sorcery, does the Wild Magic Surge effect replace the effect of the spell that triggered it, or do both effects happen?
The spell and the Wild Magic Surge effect both happen.
Warlock
If a Warlock uses Pact of the Blade to bond with a magic weapon, does that weapon have to be a Melee weapon, and can the Warlock change the weapon’s form?
The Warlock’s Pact of the Blade feature lets you create a Melee weapon out of nothing. Whenever you do so, you determine the weapon’s form, choosing from the Melee weapon options in the Weapons table in the Player’s Handbook. For example, you can create a Greataxe, and then use the feature again to create a Javelin, which causes the Greataxe to disappear.
You can also use Pact of the Blade to bond with a magic weapon, turning it into your pact weapon. This magic weapon doesn’t have to be a Melee weapon, so you could use the feature on a +1 Longbow, for instance. However, you can’t change the form of a magic weapon using this feature. For example, if you bond with a Dagger of Venom, you can’t transform it into a Maul; it’s always a Dagger.
The feature allows the conjuring forth of a Melee weapon, yet we allow more versatility when it comes to magic weapons. We didn’t want a narrow focus in this feature to make a Warlock unhappy when a variety of magic weapons appear in a campaign. Does this versatility extend outside the melee theme of the feature? It sure does, but we’re willing to occasionally bend a design concept if doing so is likely to increase a player’s happiness.
If you’re a Pact of the Blade Warlock, can someone else wield your pact weapon?
Yes. Someone other than the Warlock can use a pact weapon—even a conjured pact weapon. However, if the pact weapon is conjured, it disappears if the weapon is more than 5 feet away from the Warlock for 1 minute or more.
Does the Awakened Mind feature of a Warlock with a Great Old One Patron allow two-way telepathic communication?
Yes. See “Telepathy” in appendix C of the Player’s Handbook.
Wizard
Is an Abjurer’s Arcane Ward healed only when the ward has 0 Hit Points?
The ward regains Hit Points whenever the Abjurer casts an Abjuration spell with a spell slot, not just when the ward has 0 Hit Points. As is normal for healing, the ward can’t regain more Hit Points than its Hit Point maximum: twice the Wizard’s level plus the Wizard’s Intelligence modifier.
Does casting Alarm as a Ritual heal Arcane Ward?
No. Casting a spell as a Ritual doesn’t use a spell slot, and the Arcane Ward regains Hit Points when the Abjurer casts an Abjuration spell with a spell slot.
How does Arcane Ward interact with Temporary Hit Points that an Abjurer might have?
When an Abjurer with an Arcane Ward takes damage, it goes through the following steps:
- Resistances and Vulnerabilities. If the Wizard has any Resistances or Vulnerabilities, these are applied to the damage total.
- Arcane Ward. The ward takes the damage first.
- Damage Immunities. Any damage Immunities the Wizard has are applied to leftover damage if the ward is reduced to 0 Hit Points.
- Temporary Hit Points. The Wizard takes the leftover damage. If the Wizard has Temporary Hit Points, these are lost first.
- Real Hit Points. Any leftover damage after the Temporary Hit Points carries over to the Wizard’s Hit Points.
Does the level 14 Illusionist ability let you make something real every round, or just once?
Illusory Reality is intended to make one illusory object real per Illusion spell.
Can a Diviner on the Ethereal Plane use Portent on a creature that the Wizard can see on the Material Plane?
Yes. Portent requires you to see the creature, but it has no range restriction.
For a Wizard to cast a Ritual spell contained in their spellbook, do they need to read from the book or use it as part of the Ritual?
Thanks to the Ritual Adept feature, a Wizard can cast spells with the Ritual tag in their spellbook as a Ritual without preparing the spell, in addition to following the normal rules of Ritual spells. If a Wizard is casting a spell that they don’t have prepared as a Ritual, then the Wizard must read from the spellbook, as the text of Ritual Adept states. However, if a Wizard is casting a spell they have prepared as a Ritual following the normal rules, they don’t need to consult their spellbook (unless they’re using it as a Spellcasting Focus for said spell).
Backgrounds
Can you have more than one background?
No. You can have only one background. It establishes key aspects of your life before you embarked on a life of adventure.
Species Traits
Does the Halfling’s Naturally Stealthy trait allow them to hide while observed?
Normally, to take the Hide action, you must meet the following criteria:
- You must be Heavily Obscured or behind Three-Quarters or Total Cover.
- You must be out of any enemy’s line of sight.
The Halfling’s Naturally Stealthy trait allows you to bypass these criteria if you’re obscured by a creature at least one size larger than you. However, you still must make a Dexterity (Stealth) check as you normally would when taking the Hide action, so there’s no guarantee of success.
Feats
Archery
Does the Archery feat work with a Melee weapon that you throw?
No, the Archery feat benefits only attack rolls you make with Ranged weapons. The Thrown Weapon Fighting feat benefits ranged attack rolls made with Melee weapons with the Thrown property.
Charger
If you have the Charger feat, can you use the Charge Attack benefit while mounted?
Yes, but only on a controlled mount.
When a mount moves, you move with it. Therefore, if the mount moves 10 feet in a straight line toward a target, you also move 10 feet in a straight line toward a target. However, you still must immediately take the Attack action after this movement to gain the benefit of Charge Attack. This is feasible on a controlled mount, since a controlled mount moves on your turn.
Conversely, you can’t use Charge Attack if you’re riding an independent mount, since an independent mount moves on a separate turn, and you’re not able to immediately take the Attack action after that movement.
Crossbow Expert
Does Crossbow Expert let you fire a Hand Crossbow and then fire it again as a Bonus Action?
The Crossbow Expert feat allows you to fire a Hand Crossbow multiple times on your turn. But you still must abide by the rules of the Hand Crossbow’s Light property, which state that the property’s additional attack must be made with a different weapon.
Dual Wielder
Can my character wield two Heavy weapons if they have the Dual Wielder feat?
The Dual Wielder feat allows you to simultaneously draw two weapons that lack the Two-Handed property. All Heavy weapons in the Player’s Handbook have the Two-Handed property, so they don’t benefit from this feat. (However, if we were to create a Heavy weapon that lacks the Two-Handed property in the future, that weapon could be used with this feat!)
Dueling
Is the Dueling feat intended to support using a Shield?
Yes. A character with the Dueling feat can equip a Shield or hold a Spellcasting Focus or another object that isn’t a weapon in their other hand.
Great Weapon Fighting
If you use Great Weapon Fighting with a spell like Divine Smite or Hex, do you get to treat any 1 or 2 you roll for the additional damage as a 3?
The Great Weapon Fighting feat benefits only the damage roll of the weapon used for the attack. For example, if you have this feat and make an attack roll with a Greatsword, you can treat any 1 or 2 you roll on the weapon’s 2d6 as a 3. If you cast Divine Smite after hitting with this attack, you can’t treat a 1 or 2 rolled for the spell’s damage as a 3.
Magic Initiate
If you’re a spellcaster, can you pick your own class when you gain the Magic Initiate feat?
Yes. For example, if you’re a Wizard and gain the Magic Initiate feat, you can choose Wizard for the feat.
Polearm Master
Can I add my Strength modifier to the damage of the bonus attack that Polearm Master gives me?
Yes. For the feat’s bonus attack, you add your ability modifier to the attack roll, as you do whenever you attack with that weapon, and if you hit, you add the same ability modifier to the damage roll, which is normal for weapon damage rolls.
A specific rule, such as the Light property, might break the general rule by telling you not to add your ability modifier to the damage. Polearm Master doesn’t have such a rule.
Savage Attacker
Does the benefit of the Savage Attacker feat apply to additional effects like the Rogue’s Sneak Attack or the Paladin’s Divine Smite?
No. The benefit of Savage Attacker applies only to rolls of the weapon’s damage dice, not to any extra damage that a feature or other ability might grant.
Equipment
Does Heavy armor reduce Dexterity saving throws or ability checks other than Stealth?
If you have training with it, Heavy armor doesn’t affect Dexterity saving throws or ability checks, other than Stealth.
If you attack with a Shield—most likely as an improvised weapon—do you keep the +2 bonus to AC?
Attacking with a Shield doesn’t deprive you of the Shield’s bonus to AC.
Spellcasting
General
Which of a character’s spells count as class spells? For example, if I’m playing a Sorcerer, which of my character’s spells are Sorcerer spells?
A class’s spell list specifies the spells that belong to the class. For example, a Sorcerer spell is a spell on the Sorcerer spell list, and if a Sorcerer knows spells that aren’t on that list, those spells aren’t Sorcerer spells unless a feature says otherwise.
Can a spellcaster cast spells off-target to minimize damage to party members from a spell like Shatter?
The spellcaster chooses where to place the point of origin of a spell like Shatter and may, therefore, choose a position that is advantageous to allies.
Can permanent magical effects be dispelled? Or are they no longer considered magical effects once permanent?
If the effect of a spell becomes permanent, it can be dispelled unless its description says otherwise (such as in the Wall of Stone spell).
Do spellcasters have to learn a Ritual version of a spell apart from the normal version, or are they the same?
If a spell has the Ritual tag and you have it prepared, you can cast it as a Ritual. You don’t need to prepare it twice or learn a different version.
Can spellcasters prepare spells not all at once, but at various times throughout the adventure?
No. Your spellcasting feature specifies exactly when you can change your list of prepared spells and the number of spells you can change.
For example, if you’re a Cleric, you change your list of prepared spells when you finish a Long Rest. You can’t prepare some spells at the end of the rest and then prepare more later.
Spell Attacks
Is a touch range spell considered a melee attack for purposes of subduing foes rather than killing?
Having a range of touch doesn’t mean a spell is a melee attack. A spell tells you if it delivers such an attack.
Can spell attacks score Critical Hits?
A spell attack can score a Critical Hit. The rule on Critical Hits applies to attack rolls of any sort.
When casting a spell that affects multiple targets, such as Scorching Ray or Eldritch Blast, do I fire one ray or beam, determine the result, and fire again? Or do I have to choose all the targets before making any attack rolls?
Even though the duration of each of these spells is instantaneous, you choose the targets and resolve the attacks consecutively, not all at once. If you want, you can declare all your targets before making any attacks, but you would still roll separately for each attack roll (and damage, if appropriate).
Can a spell with an attack roll be used as the attack in the Attack action or as part of the Extra Attack feature?
No. As explained in the Player’s Handbook, you can take one action on your turn in combat, in addition to moving. You choose your action from the options available to everyone—options such as Attack, Dash, and Magic—or you choose from among the special actions you’ve gained from a class or another source.
To cast a spell on your turn, you take the Magic action. Doing so means you’re not taking the Attack action or any other action. It is true that a number of spells, such as Fire Bolt and Ray of Frost, involve making an attack roll, but you can’t make such an attack without first casting the spell that delivers it. In other words, just because something involves an attack roll doesn’t mean the Attack action is being used.
By extension, the Extra Attack feature (given by several classes, including the Fighter and Paladin) doesn’t let you cast extra attack spells. That feature specifically relies on the Attack action, not the Magic action or any other action.
In summary, to make a spell attack, you have to first cast a spell or use a feature that creates the spell’s effect. A game feature, such as Extra Attack, that lets you make an attack doesn’t let you cast a spell unless it says it does.
Can you use a melee spell attack to make an Opportunity Attack?
No, you can’t cast a spell when a creature provokes an Opportunity Attack from you. This is because each spell has a casting time. For example, the Chill Touch spell has a casting time of an action. A game mechanic, such as Opportunity Attack, doesn’t let you alter that casting time unless a feature says otherwise (see the War Caster feat for an example of this).
Some spells (like Guiding Bolt) target a creature. Some others (like Fire Bolt) target objects too. Does this mean that I can’t attack the door with Guiding Bolt?
The target specifications (creature, object, or something else) in spells are intentional.
Spell Level
What level is a spell if you cast it without a spell slot?
Unless the text says otherwise, a spell cast without a spell slot is cast at its lowest possible level, which is the level that appears in its description.
An example of an exception to this is often found in monster stat blocks. A monster with the Spellcasting action may have spells listed with a “(level # version)” parenthetical. This means the spell is still cast without a spell slot, but its effects are equivalent to a version of the spell cast using a spell slot of the specified level.
Casting Time
Is there a limit on the number of spells you can cast on your turn?
There’s no rule that states you can cast only X number of spells on your turn, but there are some practical limitations. The main limiting factor is your action. Many spells require an action to cast, and unless a feature says otherwise, you only have one action on your turn. You also must abide by the rule of only expending one spell slot to cast a spell on your turn.
So, for example, if you take your Bonus Action to cast Healing Word using a spell slot, you can also take the Magic action to cast Vicious Mockery—a cantrip which doesn’t require a spell slot.
Can you cast a Reaction spell on your turn?
Yes, but you must abide by the rule of expending only one spell slot to cast a spell on your turn. For example, if you take a Magic action to cast Fireball using a spell slot and an enemy casts Counterspell, you can’t also then expend a spell slot to cast Counterspell targeting that enemy.
Does casting a spell as a Ritual require Concentration if the spell doesn’t normally require it?
Concentration is required when casting any spell, including a Ritual version, for longer than 1 action. Once the casting is complete, the spell requires Concentration only if its Duration entry says it does.
Components
Does a spell consume its Material components?
A spell doesn’t consume its Material components unless its description says it does. For example, the pearl required by the Identify spell isn’t consumed, whereas the diamond required by Raise Dead is consumed when you cast the spell.
If a spell’s Material components are consumed, can a Spellcasting Focus still be used in place of the consumed component?
No. A Spellcasting Focus can be used in place of a Material component only if that component has no cost noted in the spell’s description and if that component isn’t consumed.
What’s the amount of interaction needed to use a Spellcasting Focus? Does it have to be included in the Somatic component?
If a spell requires Material components, the spellcaster must have a hand free to access or hold them, but it can be the same hand used to perform Somatic components, if any. This latter rule holds true for using a Spellcasting Focus, which a spellcaster must hold unless its description says otherwise.
For example, a Cleric uses an Emblem on a Shield as their Holy Symbol. When in combat, this Cleric likes to wield a Mace in one hand and the emblazoned Shield in the other. This Cleric must have the Shield in hand when casting a Cleric spell that requires a Material component. If the spell, such as Aid, also requires a Somatic component, the Cleric can perform the Somatic component with the hand holding the Shield, allowing the Cleric to keep wielding the Mace. However, if this same Cleric were to later cast Cure Wounds—which has Somatic components but no Material components—they would need to unequip either their Shield or Mace to free a hand for the Somatic components.
Duration
If you’re concentrating on a spell, do you need to maintain line of sight with the spell’s target or the spell’s effect?
You don’t need to be within line of sight or within range to maintain Concentration on a spell unless a spell’s description or other game feature says otherwise.
If I have 10 Temporary Hit Points and I take 30 damage from an attack while concentrating on a spell, what is the DC of the Constitution save to maintain my Concentration?
The DC is 15 in that case. When Temporary Hit Points absorb damage for you, you’re still taking damage, just not to your real Hit Points.
In contrast, a feature like the Abjurer Wizard’s Arcane Ward can take damage for you, potentially eliminating the need to make a Constitution saving throw or, at least, lowering the DC of that save.
Can a spellcaster dismiss a spell after casting it?
You can dismiss a non-instantaneous spell. See the “Duration” section of chapter 7 of the Player’s Handbook for more information.
Specific Spells
Does casting Animate Objects during a Time Stop spell end the Time Stop?
No. Commanding the newly created creatures with your Bonus Action does end Time Stop, however.
Can you extend the duration of Armor of Agathys by gaining more Temporary Hit Points?
The spell requires you to have Temporary Hit Points, and they don’t need to be from the spell.
How does Barkskin work with Shields, cover, and other modifiers to AC?
The target of Barkskin has an Armor Class of 17 if its AC is lower than that. This means the target effectively ignore any modifiers to its AC—including any armor, a Shield, or cover—unless its AC is higher than 17. For example, if you’re the target of a Barkskin spell and your AC is normally 14, your AC is 17 while under the effects of the spell; however, if your AC is normally 16 and you have Half Cover, your AC is 18, and Barkskin’s effect isn’t relevant.
Is the Chill Touch spell intended as a way of foiling Regeneration?
Chill Touch does, indeed, stop the target it hits from regaining Hit Points until the end of your next turn. This is true even if the target takes none of the Necrotic damage, whether because of Immunity or some other reason.
Using 5-foot squares, does Cloud of Daggers affect a single square?
Cloud of Daggers (5-foot Cube) can affect more than one square on a grid unless the DM says effects snap to the grid. There are many ways to position that Cube.
Can a creature under the effect of Compelled Duel teleport more than 30 feet away from the caster?
No. You can’t move farther than 30 feet away from the caster of Compelled Duel by any means, including teleportation.
If the damage from Disintegrate reduces an Orc to 0 Hit Points, can Relentless Endurance prevent the Orc from turning to ash?
Yes. The Disintegrate spell turns you into dust only if the spell’s damage leaves you with 0 Hit Points. If you’re an Orc, Relentless Endurance can turn the 0 into a 1 before the spell can disintegrate you.
Can you use Dispel Magic to dispel a magical effect like a Druid’s Wild Shape?
Dispel Magic has a particular purpose: to break other spells. It has no effect on a magical effect that isn’t created by a spell unless the text says otherwise (though the DM can always make exceptions).
Can you use Dispel Magic on the creations of a spell like Animate Dead or affect those creations with Antimagic Field?
Whenever you wonder whether a spell’s effects can be dispelled or suspended, you need to answer one question: is the spell’s duration instantaneous? If the answer is yes, there is nothing to dispel or suspend. Here’s why: the effects of an instantaneous spell are brought into being by magic, but the effects aren’t sustained by magic. The magic flares for a split second and then vanishes. For example, the instantaneous spell Animate Dead harnesses magical energy to turn a corpse or a pile of bones into an Undead creature. That necromantic magic is present for an instant and is then gone. The resulting creature now exists without the magic’s help. Casting Dispel Magic on the creature can’t end its mockery of life, and the Undead can wander into an Antimagic Field with no adverse effect.
Another example: Cure Wounds instantaneously restores Hit Points to a creature. Because the spell’s duration is instantaneous, the restoration can’t be later dispelled. And you don’t suddenly lose Hit Points if you step into an Antimagic Field!
In contrast, a spell like Conjure Woodland Beings has a non-instantaneous duration, which means its effect can be ended by Dispel Magic and temporarily disappears within an Antimagic Field.
Can you take a Ready action to ready Dispel Magic to stop another spell from taking effect?
The easiest way to stop a spell is to cast Counterspell on its caster while it’s being cast. If successful, Counterspell interrupts the other spell’s casting, and that spell fails to take effect. Counterspell works against any spell, regardless of a spell’s casting time or duration.
With the Ready action, Dispel Magic can be cast in response to another spell being cast, yet Dispel Magic can’t substitute for Counterspell. The main reason is that Dispel Magic removes a spell that is already on a target, whether that target is a creature, an object, or some other phenomenon. Dispel Magic can’t dispel something in advance. If a spell isn’t already present on a target, Dispel Magic does nothing to that target. The best that a readied Dispel Magic can do is dispel a spell immediately after the spell has been cast to prevent it from having any effect after the action used to cast it. For example, on your turn you could say something like this: “I ready Dispel Magic, and if the high priest casts a spell on anyone, I cast Dispel Magic on the target if the spell takes hold.” If the high priest then cast Hold Person on your companion who fails the save against it, you could unleash your readied Dispel Magic and end Hold Person.
Can Dispel Magic end Globe of Invulnerability?
Yes, Dispel Magic can dispel the barrier created by Globe of Invulnerability, but not any magical effects that are active inside the barrier.
If Dispel Magic targets the magical effect from Bless, does it remove the effect on all the targets?
Dispel Magic ends a spell on one target. It doesn’t end the same spell on other targets.
Can the familiar you conjure with the Find Familiar spell use the Help action to grant you Advantage on your attack roll?
A familiar can’t attack, but it can take non-Attack actions, including Help.
Does the familiar of Find Familiar count as an ally for the purposes of Sneak Attack?
A familiar is an ally. Its proximity to a target can allow you to use the Sneak Attack feature or any other feature that requires the presence of an ally.
When a creature succeeds on a saving throw against Guardian of Faith and takes 10 Radiant damage, how much damage does that count against the total amount of damage the spell can deal? Is it 20 because that’s how much it dealt or 10 because that’s how much the target took?
It dealt 10 damage to the creature, so 10 is subtracted from the total.
Do the Temporary Hit Points from Heroism accumulate each round?
Temporary Hit Points aren’t cumulative. The spell would tell you if you were meant to add together the Temporary Hit Points it provides.
If the Heroism spell is cast on a character that already has the Frightened condition, does it remove that condition?
The Heroism spell suppresses the Frightened condition if it was already on the spell’s target. When the spell ends, the target’s immunity goes away and the Frightened condition resumes if it has not expired or been removed.
Can you use a Shield with Mage Armor?
Mage Armor works with a Shield. Shields are grouped with armor in the equipment rules in the Player’s Handbook, but various game features distinguish between the armor you don and a Shield you wield. Take a look at the Monk’s Unarmored Defense feature and compare it to the Barbarian’s version. In the Monk’s version, you must both forgo wearing armor and forgo wielding a Shield if you want to benefit from the feature, whereas a Barbarian must only forgo wearing armor.
Does Unarmored Defense work with a spell like Mage Armor?
Unarmored Defense doesn’t work with Mage Armor. You might be asking yourself, “Why don’t they work together? Mage Armor specifies that it works on a creature who isn’t wearing armor.” It’s true that the target of Mage Armor must be unarmored, but Mage Armor gives you a new way to calculate your AC and is therefore incompatible with Unarmored Defense or any other feature that provides an AC calculation.
I find it confusing that the Mage Armor spell is named that when it doesn’t count as armor.
Some spells and class features have figurative, not literal, names. The text of the spell or class feature explains what it does.
Can an object created with Minor Illusion move? For example, a wall sliding down a corridor?
An illusory object created by Minor Illusion doesn’t move. Compare to spells like Major Image and Mislead, which talk about moving.
Could Minor Illusion create a fog cloud? If so, would shooting an arrow through it cancel the illusion?
An illusory object made by Minor Illusion is meant to be like a stool or a rock, not an atmospheric effect.
Does Planar Binding summon the creature to be bound, or is that done separately?
Planar Binding doesn’t summon a creature. It attempts to bind a creature that is within the spell’s range.
Can you concentrate on a spell while transformed by Polymorph?
You can’t cast spells while you’re transformed by Polymorph, but nothing in the spell prevents you from concentrating on a spell that you previously cast before being transformed.
Does a willing creature under the effects of Polymorph have to take the mental stats of the new form?
Yes. Unless a spell tells you otherwise, its effect is no different for a willing creature than it is for an unwilling one.
If a creature under the effects of Polymorph takes enough Fire damage to revert to its true form and that form has Resistance to Fire damage, does the true form take the full remaining damage or only half due to Resistance?
When the creature reverts to its true form, any leftover damage is subject to that form’s damage Resistances, if any.
Can a creature under the effects of Polymorph have other spell effects on them, or are those game statistics also replaced by the those of the beast form?
Polymorph replaces only the target’s character sheet or stat block with the stat block of the chosen form. Other effects, such as other spells, still exist.
What kinds of things count as “nonmagical trinkets” for Prestidigitation?
Prestidigitation can create a little bauble, the nature of which is up to the spellcaster and the DM. See the Trinkets table in the Player’s Handbook for examples.
If you grapple or shove an enemy, does that end a Sanctuary spell cast on you?
No. The Sanctuary spell ends only if the warded creature makes an attack roll, casts a spell, or deals damage. The Grapple and Shove options of an Unarmed Strike do none of these things.
If I cast Shillelagh on my Quarterstaff and have the Polearm Master feat, does the bonus attack use a d4 or a d8 for damage?
The benefit from Polearm Master applies to the opposite end of the weapon and always uses a d4 for damage rather than the weapon’s normal damage die. This is true for a Quarterstaff enhanced with Shillelagh just as it is for a normal one.
Do the effects of Storm of Vengeance stack? Or do the effects change each turn?
In the spell Storm of Vengeance, each new effect replaces the effect of the previous round.
Is the sentence of suggestion in the Suggestion spell the Verbal component, or is the Verbal component separate?
Verbal components are mystic words, not normal speech. The spell’s suggestion is an intelligible utterance that is separate from the Verbal component.
If you are affecting a target with Telekinesis and an ally put you inside Otiluke’s Resilient Sphere, can you continue affecting the target or other targets with the existing Telekinesis spell?
You can maintain your telekinetic grip on a target you were already affecting, but you can’t affect a new target. The sphere provides Total Cover that stops you from targeting anything outside it.
Can you use True Strike with Extra Attack, Opportunity Attack, Sneak Attack, and other weapon attack options?
True Strike doesn’t work with Extra Attack or any other feature that requires the Attack action. Like other spells with a casting time of an action, casting True Strike requires you to take the Magic action, not the Attack action. Similarly, unless a special feature allows you to do so, you can’t cast True Strike when making an Opportunity Attack.
However, an attack made as part of True Strike works with Sneak Attack so long as it fills the normal requirements for that feature. For example, if you have the Sneak Attack feature and cast True Strike with a Finesse weapon, you can deal Sneak Attack damage to the target of the attack if you have Advantage on the attack roll and hit.
Can I use Unseen Servant to act as an ally when using a class feature like Sneak Attack?
Unseen Servant creates an Invisible, mindless, shapeless force. In combat, it doesn’t act as a creature, an enemy, or an ally.
Whenever you cast Wish, do you always have a 33 percent chance of never casting it again?
If you cast Wish to duplicate a spell of level 0–8, there are no detrimental effects. However, if you do anything other than duplicate a spell of level 0–8, you suffer the stress described in the final paragraph of the spell. As soon as that stress affects you, there is a 33 percent chance that you are unable to cast Wish again.
Monsters
What actions can monsters use to make Opportunity Attack? Are Multiattack and breath weapon actions allowed?
When making an Opportunity Attack, a monster can make any single melee attack listed in its stat block. A monster also has the option to make an Unarmed Strike as an Opportunity Attack, following the normal rules of an Unarmed Strike.
An action, such as a breath weapon effect, that doesn’t include a melee attack roll isn’t eligible to be chosen for an Opportunity Attack. Additionally, a monster can’t use its Multiattack when making an Opportunity Attack, because the use of Multiattack specifically predicates on taking the Attack action, and an Opportunity Attack takes a Reaction.
The Monster Manual says gnolls speak Gnoll, but the Player’s Handbook doesn’t mention that language. What is correct?
The Player’s Handbook language tables don’t list every language in the D&D multiverse. The Monster Manual mentions other languages, including Modron, Sahuagin, and Slaad.
If a monster makes a melee attack that uses its Dexterity modifier, is it considered to have used a Finesse weapon?
A weapon doesn’t have the Finesse property unless its description says so, and using Dexterity for an attack doesn’t confer the Finesse property. If a weapon does have that property, you can use Strength or Dexterity with it.
Does a creature with Magic Resistance have Advantage on saving throws against Channel Divinity abilities, such as Turn the Faithless?
Channel Divinity creates magical effects (as stated in both the Cleric and the Paladin). Magic Resistance applies.
If a Shadow rolls a Critical Hit, does it reduce the target’s Strength by 2d4, as well dealing the extra Necrotic damage?
No. A Critical Hit lets you roll damage dice twice. An effect that deals damage is one that reduces the target’s Hit Points. The Shadow’s Strength reduction isn’t damage because it has no effect on the target’s Hit Points.
Is a Vampire affected by Hold Person or Calm Emotions?
Many spells affect not just any creatures, but only certain types, as specified in the spell. Hold Person and Calm Emotions work only on Humanoids, and a Vampire is not a Humanoid.
Can a creature that burrows grapple a target and drag them into the ground by burrowing?
No. A burrowing creature can drag another creature with them only if they have the ability to leave a tunnel. For example, a Purple Worm has the Tunneler trait, so it can drag a Grappled creature into a tunnel it creates when burrowing. Conversely, an Earth Elemental can’t drag a creature into the ground with it.
Can a Hydra use Reactive Heads to make multiple Opportunity Attack against one creature at the same time when it provokes?
Yes. For that reason, we recommend taking the Disengage action when you’re going to move away from a Hydra.
Magic Items
When I cast a spell from a magic item, how do I set the spell save DC?
Set the DC the same way you would when casting a spell without using a magic item (DC equals 8 plus your spellcasting ability modifier plus your Proficiency Bonus). If you don’t have a spellcasting ability, your spellcasting ability modifier is +0 for the item, and your Proficiency Bonus still applies.
Can potions be administered to Unconscious characters?
Yes, you can administer a potion to someone else as a Bonus Action.
If a potion doesn’t duplicate a spell, does it require Concentration?
A potion’s effect requires Concentration only if its description says so or if it duplicates a spell that requires Concentration.
When should I use the rule for scrolls in the Dungeon Master’s Guide, and when should I use the rule for Spell Scrolls?
The rule for scrolls is for scrolls in general, including a Scroll of Protection, and it allows you to try to activate a spell if you’re literate. The rule for a Spell Scroll is specific to that type of scroll and introduces an additional requirement: the spell on the scroll must be on your class’s spell list for you to read the scroll.
A Spell Scroll can be named in a variety of ways: Spell Scroll, Scroll of X (where X is the name of a spell), or Spell Scroll of X (where X, again, is the name of a spell). No matter how its name appears, a Spell Scroll follows the same rule.
For you to meet a Spell Scroll’s requirement, the spell on the scroll needs to be on whatever spell list is used by your class. Here are two examples. If you’re a Cleric, the spell must be on the Cleric spell list, and if you’re a Fighter with the Eldritch Knight subclass, the spell must be on the Wizard spell list, because that is the spell list used by your subclass.
Do the AC bonuses from a Ring of Protection and Braces of Defense stack?
Yes. In general, bonuses stack unless the text explicitly says otherwise (such as effects from the same spell). For instance, you can’t benefit from more than one Ring of Protection, because the text says you can’t attune to more than one copy of an item at a time.
My Fighter attacks a creature with a magic Longbow and nonmagical arrows. Is the attack magical?
The attacks made by a magic Ranged weapon are magical even if the ammunition is nonmagical.
Are magic weapons with the Thrown property (Javelins and the like) assumed to return to their owner after being thrown?
If a magic weapon returns to you after you throw it, its description says so, as in the Dwarven Thrower.
Can a Sphere of Annihilation enter a Leomund’s Tiny Hut?
Yes. The sphere destroys the dome.
Can you gain the magical bonus of a +2 Shield if you are holding the Shield without taking an action to don it?
No. You must don a Shield to gain its benefits.