thank you for the previous blazing quick answers...here is therefore another question: my DM has nerfed the conjure animals spell for my druid significantly by wanting to determine each time what animals appear and also position them on the battlefield... given that's one of the goto signature spells for my lvl8 druid, i feel a little deflated. it's like the DM choosing the fighter's weapon in each fight... however, the DM says it's not strictly speaking a NERF, only a reasonable interpretation of RAW, since RAW is written ambiguously as regards to the actual beasts appearing. it only lists the CR but does not say anywhere that the player has a choice...what argument would you use to counter?
D&D 5E Conjure Animals NERFED
The Crimson Binome
Hero
I would tell your DM that picking the animals, and placing them onto the field, is what makes the spell so much fun. If you didn't get to pick them, then the spell would be too boring to cast, so you'll probably just stop using it.
Your DM may counter with further balancing guidelines, such as suggesting that the animals must be placed in a group, or that they should be limited to animals that are native to the territory. That's a good compromise, and you could even bring it up as a suggestion if the DM is tired of you immediately flanking everything with dinosaurs.
Your DM may counter with further balancing guidelines, such as suggesting that the animals must be placed in a group, or that they should be limited to animals that are native to the territory. That's a good compromise, and you could even bring it up as a suggestion if the DM is tired of you immediately flanking everything with dinosaurs.
Sacrosanct
Legend
Huh. We've always played where the DM picks and places the animals. That's a HUGELY powerful spell, and if you got to choose exactly what was summoned, and where, then no wonder it's your go to spell lol. I hardly think it's nerfing it for the DM to choose.
I would require the player to pick animals appropriate to the environment he is in. If the player is picking the most advantageous option every time, then I see no point in letting him pick. The player has no regard for the intent of the spell. They gave picking the animals back to the DM because it was always intended the animals fit the environment. Most players were picking the best mechanical option in the book.
My compromise would be you can pick the animals, make sure they fit where you are.
My compromise would be you can pick the animals, make sure they fit where you are.
ChrisCarlson
First Post
Has he already done so, or going to begin doing so? It sounds like he hasn't done it yet and you are already assuming he's trying to hose you are screw you over. What if he is going to use factors unknowable to you, such as regional considerations and local fauna, to give you thematically cool and useful creatures you might not have even considered?
How have you used the spell? Sounds like you use it a lot. Maybe the DM is trying to pull you back a bit from spamming the same thing and trying to open you up to other options and class features to broaden your enjoyment of the game I'm not saying his is or that its even right to do so. But if true, I would agasin refrain from making it sounds like he's bashing you with a nerf bat or trying to ruin your character.
In a way, many DMs do eventually. Introduce a magic weapon into the group and oft times the fighter will switch to it.
This has been a topic of considerable debate for many months. For the record, I agree his interpretation is a valid one. And is often cited as a way to manage a player's abuse of conjure woodland beings to get 8 pixie servants who each cast their various awesome and super useful spells for the conjurer.
The sage advice article clarified that the DM picks the creatures: http://media.wizards.com/2015/downloads/dnd/SA_Compendium.pdf
"The design intent for options like these is that the spell-caster chooses one of [the CR and number of creature options], and then the DM decides what creatures appear that fit the chosen option."
The placement thing seems a bit odd to me though that would just cause me to start casting it before combat.
Barring the GM intentionally trying to screw you over (your 8 CR 1/4 or lower choice summons 8 normal snails) it might make it weaker but still very useful.
"The design intent for options like these is that the spell-caster chooses one of [the CR and number of creature options], and then the DM decides what creatures appear that fit the chosen option."
The placement thing seems a bit odd to me though that would just cause me to start casting it before combat.
Barring the GM intentionally trying to screw you over (your 8 CR 1/4 or lower choice summons 8 normal snails) it might make it weaker but still very useful.
the Jester
Legend
Your DM is correct that he gets to choose the specific creatures summoned, but you ought to be able to place them IMHO.
pukunui
Legend
From Sage Advice:
In my own campaign, I have a guy playing a druid with a bear theme. He only ever wildshapes into bears. Since he is essentially nerfing himself (by consciously removing much of wildshape's utility), when he asked if he could always just summon bears with conjure animals, I was happy to let him do so. I also let him place the bears when he casts the spell.
In my own campaign, I have a guy playing a druid with a bear theme. He only ever wildshapes into bears. Since he is essentially nerfing himself (by consciously removing much of wildshape's utility), when he asked if he could always just summon bears with conjure animals, I was happy to let him do so. I also let him place the bears when he casts the spell.
Tony Vargas
Legend
It's not the player's place to argue rules interpretations with the DM like a lawyer making a case to a judge or jury. The 5e DM's role is to interpret (and change and add to and overrule and outright ignore and change his mind about later) the rules as he sees fit, it's the "DM Empowerment" feature of 5e.
You can always be more circumspect in how you use the spell. Maybe the DM is basing what monsters appear on what sorts are nearby, or what the environment is like? If so, you can make an effort to determine what might be summoned before you ever cast the spell (or get into combat). You could be sure to have other worthwhile spells prepped to use instead of it when the 'nerfed' version isn't good enough. Nothing unreasonable about not prepping the spell, at all, for that matter.
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