Sage Advice: Jeremy Crawford on Ability Checks & What They're Not

A new Sage Advice column has arrived. In this one, Jeremy Crawford discusses ability checks and spellcasting. Questions include whether attack rolls and saves are basically ability checks (no), whether the hex spell's target has disadvantage on attacks and saves which use the chosen ability (no), whether the bard's Jack of All Trades feature applies to attacks and saves (no), and whether an ability check to grapple or shove is an attack roll (no).

He goes on to answer questions on spellcasting limits, lines of sight, and cantrip scaling.

Find the article here.

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[FormerlyHemlock]

Not a fan of the spellcasting rulings at all. Specifically, I don't like the mutiple-spells-per-round ruling (rounds are still only 6 seconds, no?) and really don't like the cantrip scaling by total level (training as a barbarian should not even remotely affect your ability to cast powerful cantrips).

And yet, Magic Initiate/Spell Sniper/High Elf barbarians have to cast cantrips at some level. It can't be zero.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

And yet, Magic Initiate/Spell Sniper/High Elf barbarians have to cast cantrips at some level. It can't be zero.

Agreed, I have no trouble that hte can cast a powerful cantrip. they have been practising it a lot, and they are used to channeling the energy required but never deveopled the mental discipline needec to prepare a real spell.

 

[I'm A Banana]

.....makes me want to play an Eldritch Knight for the 2x Fireball kaboom special....

I'm a fan of all the rulings, good stuff!

 

[Larac]

And if the grappler’s target is under the effect of the Dodge action, that action doesn’t inhibit the grapple, since Dodge doesn’t affect ability checks.

 

[Smoo]

And yet, Magic Initiate/Spell Sniper/High Elf barbarians have to cast cantrips at some level. It can't be zero.

Why not?

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

Why not?

Because The Principle of Least Surprise is a rule of good design, including game design. That leads to an absurd situation where a PC takes a feat in order to spend an action accomplishing... nothing at all. "I hit!" "You deal 0d6 damage!" "Yes!"

That result is so absurd that you'd expect it to be spelled out explicitly in the text somehow if it were intended, because otherwise everyone will figure it's a mistake. Ergo, I conclude that it's not how the designers are telling us to run our games.

 

[Celtavian]

Good clarifications. Nice article. I did not realize the bard received his proficiency bonus on initiative checks. That was good to know.

 

[Jester David]

Not a fan of the spellcasting rulings at all. Specifically, I don't like the mutiple-spells-per-round ruling (rounds are still only 6 seconds, no?) and really don't like the cantrip scaling by total level (training as a barbarian should not even remotely affect your ability to cast powerful cantrips).

5e seems to be trying to balance on this fine line between the gritty simulation style of 2e and earlier, and the ubermensch video-gaminess of 3e and later. These rulings seem to come directly from the mouth of someone who prefers the video game style.

The cantrip thing makes some sense. If you're casting a cantrip - even from a one level dip - that's taking your entire action and multiple attacks. If you can justify a barbarian having a wizard level, you can justify them practicing with that single spell a lot.

The multiple-spells thing is very niche. It's pretty limited to either the eldritch knight or multiclass fighters, and then only a couple times per day. You can do a lot in one turn (bonus action spell, cantrip, action surge regular spell) but you're not going to have a lot of resources left afterwards.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

The cantrip thing makes some sense. If you're casting a cantrip - even from a one level dip - that's taking your entire action and multiple attacks. If you can justify a barbarian having a wizard level, you can justify them practicing with that single spell a lot.

The multiple-spells thing is very niche. It's pretty limited to either the eldritch knight or multiclass fighters, and then only a couple times per day. You can do a lot in one turn (bonus action spell, cantrip, action surge regular spell) but you're not going to have a lot of resources left afterwards.

You have to action surge a cantrip, not a regular spell, due to the bonus action spell.

The only way I can think of to cast three regular spells in one turn involve a readied enemy action and Action Surge:

1.) Enemy has a Readied Action to flee as soon as I cast a spell.
2.) I cast Bestow Curse or something.
3.) Enemy takes his reaction (during my turn) and flees.
4.) I use my reaction and Warcaster to cast Hold Person on him as he's fleeing.
5.) I Action Surge to cast Disintegrate on the now-held enemy, who auto-fails his saving throw and loses 80 HP.

That's Bestow Curse, Hold Person, and Disintegrate all in one turn, but it's not something I can replicate at will. It takes specific circumstances to bring my triple combo into play, and it's actually not any better than a regular double combo plus a reaction spell on someone else's turn.

 

[Smoo]

Because The Principle of Least Surprise is a rule of good design, including game design. That leads to an absurd situation where a PC takes a feat in order to spend an action accomplishing... nothing at all. "I hit!" "You deal 0d6 damage!" "Yes!"

That result is so absurd that you'd expect it to be spelled out explicitly in the text somehow if it were intended, because otherwise everyone will figure it's a mistake. Ergo, I conclude that it's not how the designers are telling us to run our games.

That's only absurd with a rigid, non-intelligent DM. I assure you that I'm perfectly capable of handling that situation in a rational manner.

The designer can tell me how to run my games all he wants, as can you. I reserve the right to not listen.

ETA: By the way, I'm not even sure where you're getting this 0d6 business. Nowhere in the text of, say, firebolt, does it say that it only does its damage at 1st level. If you can cast it, it does damage. So are you just pulling rules from the ether?