D&D 5E Using a Flaming Sphere while hidden

[ECMO3]

If I am hidden can I keep running my flaming sphere into people without exposing myself? It is not an attack, and it is not casting a spell, so I think RAW I am good.

 

[jgsugden]

This is up to the DM as the spell is silent as to what it takes to direct the sphere. If the DM rules it requires gestures or sounds, they may rule that you cannot do it while hidden. In my setting, I typically require players to roll a stealth roll to do things like this, but the DCs are very low.

 

[LordEntrails]

Hidden or invisible per the spell?
Hidden, sure, at my table. Thought you may need to make opposed stealth checks.
Invisible per the spell, no, at my table. Causing damage to foes cancels the spell, regardless of how a character causes the damage.

 

[Maxperson]

If I am hidden can I keep running my flaming sphere into people without exposing myself? It is not an attack, and it is not casting a spell, so I think RAW I am good.

There's no RAW at all on this. RAW just says that it takes a bonus action, which means your PC is acting in some way. It doesn't say whether it's thought alone, verbal, somatic, verbal and somatic, wiggle your tush or whatever. The DM would be the one to decide what exactly the PC is doing when he uses his bonus action to move the sphere.

Personally I would allow it, but if another DM only allowed it with more dexterity(stealth) checks to stay hidden or ruled you couldn't say hidden at all, I'd be okay with that as well.

 

[Celebrim]

You know that scene in Harry Potter where Hermione thinks Snape is cursing Harry's broom.

Actually casting the spell is obvious to anyone in the vicinity, but merely directing the spell from a hidden place only requires concentration. If you are hidden, you don't get less hidden. IF you aren't hidden except by a crowd such as at a Quidditch tournament, it requires a Sense Motive check to figure out who is subtly concentrating on an existing spell with a difficulty determined by the crowd size and proximity to the caster.

 

[Maxperson]

You know that scene in Harry Potter where Hermione thinks Snape is cursing Harry's broom.

Actually casting the spell is obvious to anyone in the vicinity, but merely directing the spell from a hidden place only requires concentration. If you are hidden, you don't get less hidden. IF you aren't hidden except by a crowd such as at a Quidditch tournament, it requires a Sense Motive check to figure out who is subtly concentrating on an existing spell with a difficulty determined by the crowd size and proximity to the caster.

That's certainly one valid way to rule it.

 

[Plaguescarred]

Nothing in the rule indicate that you stop hiding if you cause a creature to make a saving throw, such as when you ram a Flaming Sphere into a creature. What the rule say is that if you are hidden when you make an attack, you give away your location when the attack hits or misses, which isn't the case here.

But since the DM decides when circumstances are appropriate for hiding, there could some that find such act inapropriate.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Can you move the sphere to a location you cannot see/don't have a line of sight to?

 

[greg kaye]

Can you move the sphere to a location you cannot see/don't have a line of sight to?

I'm sure you have your view but, on the basis of the description:
"As a bonus action, you can move the sphere up to 30 feet" there doesn't seem to be a dependence on sight. It adds that, "If you ram the sphere into a creature, that creature must make the saving throw against the sphere's damage, and the sphere stops moving this turn" so, I'd expect that the same would apply to solid objects.
However, without relevant lines of sight, I wouldn't think that "... you can direct it over barriers up to 5 feet tall and jump it across pits up to 10 feet wide." I think it would collide at least non-sloping barriers and drop into pits.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

there doesn't seem to be a dependence on sight

I agree there is not in the spell description but unsure how this interacts with general spell rules.

If you ram the sphere into a creature, that creature must make the saving throw against the sphere's damage, and the sphere stops moving this turn" so, I'd expect that the same would apply to solid objects.

In 5e objects are not creatures, and creatures are not objects, so this does not automatically follow. The sphere is not solid.

... you can direct it over barriers up to 5 feet tall and jump it across pits up to 10 feet wide.

I would interpret this as being blocked by any barriers over 5 ft. tall, and any pits greater than 10 ft. wide. It doesn't fall in, it just stops.

But could I, for example, cast Flaming Sphere then lock myself in a metal box, then just wiz it round and round the room in the hope of hitting something? Would I know if it hit something?