D&D 5E Gust of wind vs breath weapon

Leo_ASF · Feb 11, 2017

When fighting a green dragon a druid of my group took a ready action to counter the dragon's cone of gas breath weapon, so as the spell's description implied it disperse any gas, I allowed it but it got a little confusing the next few rounds when it breaths again.... How would you had rule it? And what about other kinds of Dragóns? (white, red, black)

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Fanaelialae · Feb 11, 2017

Leo_ASF said:
When fighting a green dragon a druid of my group took a ready action to counter the dragon's cone of gas breath weapon, so as the spell's description implied it disperse any gas, I allowed it but it got a little confusing the next few rounds when it breaths again.... How would you had rule it? And what about other kinds of Dragóns? (white, red, black)

I think it was a fine ruling.

Was the druid still concentrating on Gust of Wind when the dragon breathed later? In that case, the dragon would be aware of which way the wind is blowing and could simply move so that his breath weapon is unaffected by it. Given that it is a dragon, it probably wouldn't fall for the same trick again. If it were incapable of moving, then it would probably just make physical attacks.

I would only allow Gust of Wind to affect gas attacks. I'd say it could work against something like a Brass Dragon's sleep gas, but not against fire, cold, or acid. (One could make an argument that fire and cold are just gases at a certain temperature, but I'd say they function differently on the grounds that a 2nd level spell isn't something that should be able to shut down all breath weapons.)

MNblockhead · Feb 11, 2017

I've always thought of Gust of Wind as effective against gas, mist, fog, etc. that was passive in the atmosphere, meaning moving and spreading through normal forces of the weather and natural environment. I don't know that it should be effective, or *as* effective against a gas (or fire, etc.) being strongly propelled. What I would do it decrease/change the area of effect. I need to look at the books, however, to re-read the RAW. This is one of those things that could really upset a player if I sprung on my own simulationalist home rule during his fight to the death with the big bad.

GX.Sigma · Feb 11, 2017

Fanaelialae said:
I think it was a fine ruling.

Was the druid still concentrating on Gust of Wind when the dragon breathed later? In that case, the dragon would be aware of which way the wind is blowing and could simply move so that his breath weapon is unaffected by it. Given that it is a dragon, it probably wouldn't fall for the same trick again. If it were incapable of moving, then it would probably just make physical attacks.

I would only allow Gust of Wind to affect gas attacks. I'd say it could work against something like a Brass Dragon's sleep gas, but not against fire, cold, or acid. (One could make an argument that fire and cold are just gases at a certain temperature, but I'd say they function differently on the grounds that a 2nd level spell isn't something that should be able to shut down all breath weapons.)

I agree with this 100%.

Bitbrain · Feb 11, 2017

The main DM for my group ruled that gust of wind would have no effect on a dragon's breath weapon in his campaigns.

His argument was that a breath weapon has so much kinetic energy behind it that it simply overwhelms gust of wind.

ad_hoc · Feb 11, 2017

I would allow it against a Wyrmling.

Against a Young Dragon I would give advantage to saving throws.

It would have no effect against an Adult or Ancient Dragon.

MarkB · Feb 11, 2017

It's a fairly large, loud, obvious spell effect that can only be redirfected on the caster's turn, so unless the fight is in very tight quarters, the dragon will generally be able to work around it. The only way I'd allow it to completely negate even a gas-based breath weapon is if the caster readied an action to cast or redirect it in the event of the dragon breathing. I'd still probably allow anyone standing directly within it to gain advantage on saving throws - but the dragon could also use it creatively, imposing disadvantage on those same characters' saves against its wing attacks.

FitzTheRuke · Feb 12, 2017

Yeah I think it is cool until the dragon gets wise. Might work once. Might make it give advantage to the save instead (or at least instead on the second attempt)

Cool use of a spell, though.

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Croesus · Feb 13, 2017

Leo_ASF said:
When fighting a green dragon a druid of my group took a ready action to counter the dragon's cone of gas breath weapon, so as the spell's description implied it disperse any gas, I allowed it but it got a little confusing the next few rounds when it breaths again.... How would you had rule it? And what about other kinds of Dragóns? (white, red, black)

First, cool idea by the player of the druid. Unfortunately, it doesn't really work RAW. The Ready action doesn't allow the druid to cast the spell before the breath attack occurs. Ready requires a trigger action, and that action is completed before the readied action. So the dragon would breath, then the druid (if still standing) casts gust of wind.

As GM, I might allow the druid to make an insight check to see if he can tell when the dragon is about to breath, then cast his spell. But in such a case, the dragon should have a chance to react to the gust of wind spell, probably an INT check or Perception roll. If gust of wind is already active and the dragon can't maneuver around it, I like ad-hoc's idea of limiting the effect based on the dragon's age/size.

S'mon · Feb 13, 2017

I think if my Druid Readied an action to cast or redirect Gust of Wind as the green dragon breathed I would allow that to disperse the gas (if outside). It seems the best ruling for imaginative play, and the Druid is giving up an action to Ready. My thinking is that the gas is static and has to hang there for a bit to poison foes, whereas other breath weapons are kinetic. I could imagine allowing other spells to negate different breath weapon attacks also. Of course after the first time the dragon would change tactics.