D&D 5E Anti-magic field and monster abilities

[MightyZehir]

Since supernatural abilities are not in 5E, how do you guys handle those monsters abilities in anti-magic field?

From what I have seen in the monster manual, many abilities have words like 'innate spellcasting','magic' 'magical', ' magically', 'spell attack' in their abilities' description.

I would rule that anti-magic field protects you from them.

There are a few oddities such as medusa's gaze which doesn't contain the these keywords while creatures with similar abilities such as basilisk and cockatrice do.

I would also rule them to be affected by anti-magic field.



Then we come to abilities with no keywords and don't have creatures of similar abilities with the keywords.

These include breath weapons( dragons, behirs, mephits) , infernal wound( devils), frightful presence and life drain.

I would rule that anti-magic field have no effect against them.


Now , how would you guys handle these abilities against anti-magic field? Like how they are in previous edition?

 

[1of3]

Roll dice, when I'm not sure. A saving throw for the creature in an Antimagic Field, maybe.

There is a similar uncertainty with Dispel Magic, which works on spells and similar effects. In that case, I'd make it Disadvantage on the dispelling check.

 

[Eejit]

Abilities without keywords should work in antimagic field.

Check out the demilich.
All of the demiliches main abilities lack keywords such as "spell", "casting", "magic".
Their lair actions includes creating an antimagic field.

Clearly that is meant to be to the advantage of the demilich, together with their immunity to nonmagical weapons.

 

[mcbobbo]

Abilities without keywords should work in antimagic field.

Check out the demilich.
All of the demiliches main abilities lack keywords such as "spell", "casting", "magic".
Their lair actions includes creating an antimagic field.

Clearly that is meant to be to the advantage of the demilich, together with their immunity to nonmagical weapons.

I'm not sure that's so clear. It's akin to claiming that creatures who can cast silence no longer need verbal components.

 

[Eejit]

I'm not sure that's so clear. It's akin to claiming that creatures who can cast silence no longer need verbal components.

No. It's akin to claiming that creatures who can cast silence don't need verbal components for certain special abilities which give no indication of requiring verbal components.

 

[MightyZehir]

It will be always up to the DMs to decide because magical effects are not clearly defined in 5E.

I use the keywords for my ruling because I want the decisions to be fast and consistent.

As for demilich, I would rule its howl and life drain would work in anti-magic field while its legendary actions except flight would not function.

 

[MightyZehir]

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[MightyZehir]

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[MightyZehir]

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[MightyZehir]

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