I was right about Shield Master

[epithet]

...But if I am in a situation where running as close to RAW and RAI is important, like if I ever get back into AL play, then I will be using the current official rulings...

I have never participated in any kind of organized RPG play, so I genuinely do not know the answer to this question: What happens in an Adventurer's League game if the DM rules in a way that is contrary to the Crawford advisory opinion interpreting the rule in question? Does it matter if it is a Sage Advice pdf opinion vs. a Twitter thing?

I sometimes wish I had gotten into the Living Greyhawk thing, back in the day, but if there were rules gestapo yanking your credentials if you didn't strictly adhere to the infallible dogma issued ex cathedra, I'm probably better off having skipped it.

 

[Oofta]

I have never participated in any kind of organized RPG play, so I genuinely do not know the answer to this question: What happens in an Adventurer's League game if the DM rules in a way that is contrary to the Crawford advisory opinion interpreting the rule in question? Does it matter if it is a Sage Advice pdf opinion vs. a Twitter thing?

I sometimes wish I had gotten into the Living Greyhawk thing, back in the day, but if there were rules gestapo yanking your credentials if you didn't strictly adhere to the infallible dogma issued ex cathedra, I'm probably better off having skipped it.

It varies widely, it's not like the AL Gestapo is going to come out and enforce the rules. AL DMs are not supposed to use house rules, but most I've played with don't pay any attention to the tweets. It might be different at major conventions, I've only played at a local store and charity conventions.

 

[Maxperson]

In 6 seconds?

Maybe your body....

(that was intended with good-natured humor)

lol No insult taken.

It's not 6 seconds, though. I said simultaneously, as in the exact same moment. If the push comes after the attack, it works just fine over 6 seconds.

 

[Maxperson]

...is that a fighter with the extra attack feature and shield master can shove a melee target 5 feet, move 5 feet forward, shove the target another 5 feet, move 5 feet forward, then shove the target a 3rd time.

Shove him 5 feet forward, shove 5 feet back, shove him 5 feet forward and shake him all about!

 

[pemerton]

people need to stop using "when" to start their comparison examples because the feat wording starts with "if", not "when", and in natural American English this makes a difference. "When" sounds like you can do them at the same time, but "If" means you need to actually do the first before you get to do the second.

These things are completely dependent on context - there is no general implication of the sort you described.

When you get to the theatre, you can pick up the tickets from the booking office requires getting to the theatre before the tickets can then be picked up. If you pick up a razor blade you might cut yourself is a warning about an event that might occur utterly concurrently with picking up the razor blade.

I learned to speak English in Australia, not the US, but I read a lot of writing by Americans and "when" and "if" don't behave any differently in American usage.

you cannot do two different actions simultaneously. Once you start one action, you need to complete it before you can start another action. Whatever the trigger is for a bonus action, you need to compete that before you get to do the bonus.

What page of the Basic PDF is this stated on?

 

[Guest 6801328]

lol No insult taken.

It's not 6 seconds, though. I said simultaneously, as in the exact same moment.

Ah, my bad. (My fault for not reading the whole thread...how on earth did "simultaneous" even become a point of argument?)

If the push comes after the attack, it works just fine over 6 seconds.

Or if the attack comes after the push, really.

 

[Satyrn]

It varies widely, it's not like the AL Gestapo is going to come out and enforce the rules.

Danggit. That would actually make my job as DM easier. Any time I was to lazy to bother interpreting a rule, I could just say something totally wrong, like "yeah, that spell summons the Spanish Inquisition," and BOOM! in barges the AL Gestapo to give me the right answer.

 

[Mistwell]

I didn’t say OP. Said imbalanced. Anyways, I think the game would have been designed a bit differently if bonus actions didn’t have actions tied with them

In general, they don't. The general rule, right from the basic rules, is "You choose when to take a bonus action during your turn, unless the bonus action's timing is specified." Bonus actions were designed, as a concept, to not require triggers. Only the exceptions in a specific rule changes that.

 

[Keravath]

I have never participated in any kind of organized RPG play, so I genuinely do not know the answer to this question: What happens in an Adventurer's League game if the DM rules in a way that is contrary to the Crawford advisory opinion interpreting the rule in question? Does it matter if it is a Sage Advice pdf opinion vs. a Twitter thing?

I sometimes wish I had gotten into the Living Greyhawk thing, back in the day, but if there were rules gestapo yanking your credentials if you didn't strictly adhere to the infallible dogma issued ex cathedra, I'm probably better off having skipped it.

AL DMs can completely ignore Sage Advice if they wish.

From the DDAL FAQ

"As a D&D Adventurers League Dungeon Master, you are empowered to adjudicate the rules as presented by the official materials (PHB, DMG, MM, etc.). Run the game according to those rules, but you are the final arbiter of any ambiguities that might arise in doing so."

"Sage Advice (SA) is a great barometer for ‘rules-as-intended’, in any case. Whether or not your DM chooses to utilize SA for rules adjudication in is at their discretion; as always, the DM remains the final arbiter of rule disputes."

However, variant rules are generally not allowed: ALDMG: 'only the “Variant: Playing on a Grid” and “Variant: Skills with Different Abilities” variant rules are allowed for use.'


So an AL DM can't make up their own rules or include homebrew rules. An AL DM also can't use variant rules like flanking and other options from the DMG. However, in grey areas where there is room for interpretation they are not constrained to follow Sage Advice rulings or twitter ... they can go with whatever fits their current situation at the table best.


That is how it is supposed to work ... it doesn't always run that way so it is a good idea as a player to be relatively laid back about it.
Some examples:
-I know of an AL DM who liked to use critical miss rules and a few other things they just made up or pulled from variant rules but then used in AL games at a local store ... they didn't last long (a really good DM who made it fun for the players might be able to play this way as long as the players at the table were ok with it and it just increased the fun without affecting overall balance/objectives in the module)
- in a module I played in with a ranger/life cleric ... the DM refused to allow the life cleric healing bonus on a casting of healing spirit because they thought it was "broken". It didn't effectively matter in the circumstance in which it was used since healing spirit by itself was more than sufficient. However, there is no basis in the rules for the DM to make a judgement call due to being "OP" .. especially when the rules involved are quite explicit. 4 hit point goodberries can be another contentious issue even though they too are permitted by the rules. It is generally not worth arguing with a DM about this sort of issue but in theory an AL DM is supposed to go by what the rules say and not what they wish the rules would say.

 

[FrogReaver]

In general, they don't. The general rule, right from the basic rules, is "You choose when to take a bonus action during your turn, unless the bonus action's timing is specified." Bonus actions were designed, as a concept, to not require triggers. Only the exceptions in a specific rule changes that.

The most common and popular bonus actions almost all have an attack action tied to them.

What does anything you said besides your first 4 words have anything at all to do with bonus actions being tied to other actions. Everything else you talked about was about timing which I never mentioned In the post you quoted. Hopefully you can understand the frustration that causes.