D&D 5E Empowered Evocation plus Magic Missile?

[1of3]

If that was rai, they need to errata it. A single dev tweeting his view ought to be helpful guidance, but only where the rule is unclear. In this instance the rule is clear, and Mearls is simply incorrect.

Pro tip: The books do not even contain rules. They contain rule suggestions. The rules are what you and your buddies use at the gaming table. mearls' suggestion therefore has exactly the same status.

 

[Psikerlord#]

Pro tip: The books do not even contain rules. They contain rule suggestions. The rules are what you and your buddies use at the gaming table. mearls' suggestion therefore has exactly the same status.

Yes I agree theyre all suggestions, really.

 

[ExploderWizard]

Imagine if we had this when the 1st ed DMG came out LOL

( at symbol ) ZagygTSR How does initiative spell segments and speed factor work ?

HA! With the twitter character limit? Good luck.

 

[Snapdragyn]

Obviously it is not clear. Some are reading

as if it says

where I can see the rules may be intended as

(above bold has been added)

The best way to decide is see what the other schools give at level 10 and judge accordingly.

My 'gut' reading is the last one you added (which doesn't quote here, but essentially 'add mod once PER SPELL, not once per die rolled or once per target').

However, you bring up a good point w/ comparing it to other level 10 school abilities.

 

[jodyjohnson]

Looking at the HP of equivalent level opponents, I expect RAW to be fine, even if some tables will go with RAI (Mearls).

Wasting a good Shield slot on Magic Missile will be a poor trade even with a extra single target damage.

 

[Wrathamon]

it says damage die roll, not rolls, I would think its applied once based on what is written.

You make one damage roll of 3d4+bonus, or if you are making multiple damage rolls you can apply the bonus to one of those rolls.

 

[Warmaster Horus]

it says damage die roll, not rolls, I would think its applied once based on what is written.

You make one damage roll of 3d4+bonus, or if you are making multiple damage rolls you can apply the bonus to one of those rolls.

Perhaps if you target one creature with all your Magic Missiles. But if you target three targets, each gets their own damage roll for the spell. You can potentially do lots of extra HP of damage hitting a cluster of targets with a Fireball with the +AbilMod. Why is that allowed, but not multiple targets from a targetted spell?

 

[steeldragons]

Perhaps if you target one creature with all your Magic Missiles. But if you target three targets, each gets their own damage roll for the spell. You can potentially do lots of extra HP of damage hitting a cluster of targets with a Fireball with the +AbilMod. Why is that allowed, but not multiple targets from a targetted spell?

Because one is a 3rd level area effect spell and the other is a 1st level targetted spell?

That would be my guess.

Again [and again and again] we have folks trying to "game the system" by attempting to assert that very clear language means something else [that invariably gives them broken/overpowered ability. Funny that.].

You get to add you ability mod to the damage of the spell.

So...Magic Missile deals d4+1 three times/darts...[using the example provided in the OP] +5. I agree to the above suggestion and would rule that if the player wanted to split that up those 5 points amongst the 3 darts, fair game. But no way is it RAW or RAI that you get to add 5. "Cast Burning Hands? +5 damage. Cast Magic Missile? Well, for this one we mean +15." Really?! No. Not really.

There is no reasonable reading of the description that says, "Yes, of course! This let's me add 5 more HP to damage EACH TIME!" There's not. Mearls was wrong/incorrect/mistaken/forgot you could fire MMs at different targets. Those wanting to assert there is such a reading are just looking to exploit unintended power....which if that's the game you play, good for you. Have fun! But that does not change what is written or intended.

 

[Warmaster Horus]

Burning Hands would do +AbilityMod to each target struck, so that could be +30pts of damage for a 1st level spell. It's not gaming the system, it's reading the rules - which are vague and seem to support a bonus to a damage roll, one of which can occur to several targets per spell.

 

[steeldragons]

But [MENTION=6785438]Warmaster Horus[/MENTION], they aren't "vague" or "seem to support a bonus to a damage roll." It states it flat out.

"...you can add your Intelligence modifier to the damage roll of any wizard evocation spell you cast."

It doesn't "seem" it says, it says. You add it to the damage. Not "per target", not "per dart". To the damage of the spell. 3 x d4+1, then +Mod. That's what it says. It's not "opinion" or "interpretation"...it's basic reading comprehension. .

Does +30 to a Burning Hands spell make sense to you? A Fireball could do +40 or more. Does that make sense? It's a 10th level ability, yes. But does it make sense that your Int. mod. should be exponentially more powerful against a group than an individual? Your Int. mod. is the same no matter how many people you're fighting.

Again, if you want to take "the Word of Mearls" as law/"official", that's up to an individual table...and fine/no skin off my back if you do. But the only "RAI" that is portraying is the AI in Mearls' own game...and I will continue to believe [until proven otherwise] that it was a simple mistake/not thinking it through to say "per target", since it doesn't make sense for that to happen.

This trend of being able to [purposely] shade "misunderstanding/lack of clarity" where there isn't any is something of a hot topic/button pusher for me. I'm not trying to "one true way" it or tell anyone they're playing "wrong" or whatever. Play how you want. Just recognize it for what it is instead of feigning "Oh. I don't know/not sure what this means..." when there's nothing to question. Granted, there are vague or unclear rules in 5e. That's a given. It's bpractically part of D&D's DNA at this point. But this? This is not one of them.