October 2016 Sage Advice & PHB Errata

Spiked armor is worn, thus you can't duel wield with it.

When I first read this my mind automatically replaced duel with dual, so I thought that there was actually a rules clarification stating that you cannot wear two sets of armour at the same time. But I guess a dwarf does it in Boarmurdered so you can't argue that there isn't precedence for it.

This is another instance where all of these rulings conform to my current understanding of the rules so no shockers for me.

 

[MechaTarrasque]

WotC has published the latest Sage Advice column from D&D developer Jeremy Crawford, along with an updated errata file for the Player's Handbook reflecting changes to be found in the 6th printing of the book (there are about 10 new errata items from the 6th printing, plus the ones from earlier printings). The Sage Advice features various barbarian class features, as well as some combat clarifications.

There is a new, barbarian and bladesinger-heavy sage advise column on the D&D website.

Neither frenzy nor the GW feat gives you a second (or additional) bonus actions.

Spiked armor is worn, thus you can't duel wield with it.

You can two weapon fight with bladesong.

You can't take the same fighting style twice, so the fighter/ranger multiclass doesn't get to double down on archery.

 

[Enevhar Aldarion]

In the article there is also a link to the new PHB errata update with changes made in the sixth printing of the book. Some of the fixes I do not remember being mentioned in prior Sage Advice columns or by Jeremy on Twitter.

 

[Simonb1]

Hi all,

MechaTarrasque, thank you also there are several interesting clarifications.

Simonb1

 

[Leatherhead]

Bonus action scarcity is a real thing for Barbarians.

The Spiked Armor only being a weapon for Battleragers bit is very strangely worded. I envision it as a sort of fighting style that gives proficiency in spiked armor, the ability to bonus attack with it, and/or grapple damage with it. I would assume everyone else could "main-hand" the armor as a improvised weapon.

The ruling on standing up while prone implies that Moving (the rules concept) requires getting out of your square.


Also, there is some errata.
Apparently the Alert Feat is even better now.
Minor Conjuration disappears when it deals damage (no weapons for you~)
Glyph of Warding got nerfed by anchoring it to a position.

 

[Jester David]

I'll be ignoring the greatsword critical ruling. I understand they want to stick to RAW, but that just penalizes people for the non-existence of a d14.

The death save clarification is good to know though. That's a game changer....

 

[AaronOfBarbaria]

...that just penalizes people for the non-existence of a d14.

Um... d14s exist, I have like a dozen of them. At a distance you might mistake one for a d10, but once you get close you see the days of the week written (twice) next to the numbers and there is no mistaking it.

Also, the brutal critical ruling of only adding 1d6 to a 2d6 weapon isn't to "penalize" anyone - it's to incentivize use of a great axe to people that would otherwise consider 1d12 weapons entirely inferior to 2d6 weapons.

 

[TheCosmicKid]

I'll be ignoring the greatsword critical ruling. I understand they want to stick to RAW, but that just penalizes people for the non-existence of a d14.

What's a d14 got to do with anything? I'm pretty sure the greatsword critical damage isn't just RAW but RAI, giving barbarians and half-orcs reason to choose the greataxe even though the greatsword is more reliable and has slightly higher average damage.

(Also, if you really want to, you can make a d14. It's not a Platonic solid, but neither is the d10.)

 

[Leatherhead]

Also, the brutal critical ruling of only adding 1d6 to a 2d6 weapon isn't to "penalize" anyone - it's to incentivize use of a great axe to people that would otherwise consider 1d12 weapons entirely inferior to 2d6 weapons.

Yes, it gives the Greataxe a niche, but niche protection is largely an outdated philosophy. (The Maul already has a niche, being the big blunt weapon)
Firstly, some concepts just feel better with a Greatsword, such as the Human Noble Barbarian.
And secondly, this leads to some rather absurd situations like a two-handed Longsword out-critting a Greatsword.

 

[Jester David]

Um... d14s exist, I have like a dozen of them. At a distance you might mistake one for a d10, but once you get close you see the days of the week written (twice) next to the numbers and there is no mistaking it.

Also, the brutal critical ruling of only adding 1d6 to a 2d6 weapon isn't to "penalize" anyone - it's to incentivize use of a great axe to people that would otherwise consider 1d12 weapons entirely inferior to 2d6 weapons.

What's a d14 got to do with anything? I'm pretty sure the greatsword critical damage isn't just RAW but RAI, giving barbarians and half-orcs reason to choose the greataxe even though the greatsword is more reliable and has slightly higher average damage.

(Also, if you really want to, you can make a d14. It's not a Platonic solid, but neither is the d10.)

This makes no sense to me.
Why would they care if people use the greataxe or not? If it was an issue they'd just make both a d12 (or both 2d6). I doubt they sat around considering weapons when they designed the critical hit rules.

The 0.5 damage difference between the greatsword and a greataxe is insignificant. It takes the better part of a campaign to roll enough for the bell curve to matter enough for the extra 1/2 damage