D&D 5E spell questions

[pukunui]

Hi all,

Got a couple spell-related questions:

1) During tonight's session, a remorhaz had the druid in its mouth (that is, he was being grappled by it). My wife, who is playing a wizard, wanted to cast Otiluke's resilient sphere on the druid to protect him. I ruled that it wouldn't work because the sphere would have to go through the parts of the remorhaz that were physically touching the druid. Would anyone have ruled differently?

2) At the end of the session, the PCs hit 10th level. This means that my wife's wizard has just gained Empowered Evocation. First off, the errata kinda sucks. I feel like it needlessly complicates things in a few cases, like with scorching ray and Melf's minute meteors. What's wrong with letting the wizard add their Int modifier to all damage rolls produced by a single spell?

Anyway, I think I've got it all figured out except for one spell: Bigby's hand. The "grasping hand" option already lets you add your spellcasting ability modifier to the damage. Would Empowered Evocation let her add her Int mod to the damage again, or does it not stack in this case?

3) She also has the Spell Sniper feat, and I just want to make sure that it does apply to the lightning bolt part of the storm sphere spell. That is, normally you can make a ranged spell attack to hit a creature within 60 feet of the sphere with a lightning bolt, so with the Spell Sniper feat that would be 120 feet ... while the spell's normal range for determining where you can place the sphere would remain at 150 feet. Right?


Thoughts?


Thanks in advance.

Regards,
Jonathan

 

[CapnZapp]

Quite advanced questions!

The first ones aren't even questions, as you (correctly) ask for rulings.

I'll limit myself to answering the parts where rulings aren't involved (kind of):

Spell sniper and Storm Sphere: well, unless the're been errata I'd say while I can see that your interpretation is Rules as Intended, I can see the argument that by RAW, all that is needed for its range to be doubled is for the spell to require an attack roll.

Since Storm Sphere makes you roll an attack roll its range is doubled, and "its range" is 150 ft. That's pure RAW lawyerism that probably goes against RAI though.

Unless there's a PHB spell with similar mechanics, I'd say this is because the feat writers did not anticipate how Elemental Evil Player´s Companion would add a spell whose attack roll had a separate range from the spell's formal range.

As you can see, your ruling is still required here

 

[CapnZapp]

What's wrong

If this does not cause problems for your campaign, nothing.

If this ruling makes the spell (or any later spell component) unbalanced to the point where your grup's fun is reduced, that.

 

[pukunui]

Jeremy Crawford says that being grappled doesn't prevent you from being targeted by a spell.

I guess that means you *could* use Otiluke's resilient sphere to end a grapple. It *is* a 4th level spell, after all. I suppose that allowing it push the grappler far enough away that the sphere is able to enclose around the target doesn't seem OP really. Luckily the druid didn't end up getting eaten by the remorhaz, even with my "no" ruling, so I'll just remember it for next time.

 

[Helldritch]

Hi all,

Got a couple spell-related questions:

1) During tonight's session, a remorhaz had the druid in its mouth (that is, he was being grappled by it). My wife, who is playing a wizard, wanted to cast Otiluke's resilient sphere on the druid to protect him. I ruled that it wouldn't work because the sphere would have to go through the parts of the remorhaz that were physically touching the druid. Would anyone have ruled differently?

I would've allowed it. It is a fourth level spell and nothing in the rule prevents you from targeting someone that is grappled. It is akin to targeting the orc being grapple by your fighter with a fire bolt. I would not prevent it, nor would I prevent the sphere. The remorhaz would've just spit out the wizard.

2) At the end of the session, the PCs hit 10th level. This means that my wife's wizard has just gained Empowered Evocation. First off, the errata kinda sucks. I feel like it needlessly complicates things in a few cases, like with scorching ray and Melf's minute meteors. What's wrong with letting the wizard add their Int modifier to all damage rolls produced by a single spell?

Anyway, I think I've got it all figured out except for one spell: Bigby's hand. The "grasping hand" option already lets you add your spellcasting ability modifier to the damage. Would Empowered Evocation let her add her Int mod to the damage again, or does it not stack in this case?

You can't add the ability twice or more per spells. That is the RAW. But you are free to rule otherwise.

3) She also has the Spell Sniper feat, and I just want to make sure that it does apply to the lightning bolt part of the storm sphere spell. That is, normally you can make a ranged spell attack to hit a creature within 60 feet of the sphere with a lightning bolt, so with the Spell Sniper feat that would be 120 feet ... while the spell's normal range for determining where you can place the sphere would remain at 150 feet. Right?

Yep. You got it.

 

[pukunui]

I would've allowed it. It is a fourth level spell and nothing in the rule prevents you from targeting someone that is grappled. It is akin to targeting the orc being grapple by your fighter with a fire bolt. I would not prevent it, nor would I prevent the sphere. The remorhaz would've just spit out the wizard.

Apparently using ORS to rescue an ally from being swallowed whole is a classic move. I honestly had no idea.

You can't add the ability twice or more per spells. That is the RAW. But you are free to rule otherwise.

Right. Was just checking.

Yep. You got it.

Cheers!

 

[Satyrn]

Hi all,

Got a couple spell-related questions:

1) During tonight's session, a remorhaz had the druid in its mouth (that is, he was being grappled by it). My wife, who is playing a wizard, wanted to cast Otiluke's resilient sphere on the druid to protect him. I ruled that it wouldn't work because the sphere would have to go through the parts of the remorhaz that were physically touching the druid. Would anyone have ruled differently?

2) At the end of the session, the PCs hit 10th level. This means that my wife's wizard has just gained Empowered Evocation. First off, the errata kinda sucks. I feel like it needlessly complicates things in a few cases, like with scorching ray and Melf's minute meteors. What's wrong with letting the wizard add their Int modifier to all damage rolls produced by a single spell?

Anyway, I think I've got it all figured out except for one spell: Bigby's hand. The "grasping hand" option already lets you add your spellcasting ability modifier to the damage. Would Empowered Evocation let her add her Int mod to the damage again, or does it not stack in this case?

3) She also has the Spell Sniper feat, and I just want to make sure that it does apply to the lightning bolt part of the storm sphere spell. That is, normally you can make a ranged spell attack to hit a creature within 60 feet of the sphere with a lightning bolt, so with the Spell Sniper feat that would be 120 feet ... while the spell's normal range for determining where you can place the sphere would remain at 150 feet. Right?


Thoughts?


Thanks in advance.

Regards,
Jonathan

I'm just gonna answer 1)

1) I'd let it work, probably giving the remorhaz that Reflex save, though. Or more likely have it automatically work but have the PC fall to the ground for minor damage and then comically roll away.

 

[Shiroiken]

1) During tonight's session, a remorhaz had the druid in its mouth (that is, he was being grappled by it). My wife, who is playing a wizard, wanted to cast Otiluke's resilient sphere on the druid to protect him. I ruled that it wouldn't work because the sphere would have to go through the parts of the remorhaz that were physically touching the druid. Would anyone have ruled differently?

I'd have allowed it to work, but there was nothing wrong with your ruling. This is totally a judgement call IMO.

2) At the end of the session, the PCs hit 10th level. This means that my wife's wizard has just gained Empowered Evocation. First off, the errata kinda sucks. I feel like it needlessly complicates things in a few cases, like with scorching ray and Melf's minute meteors. What's wrong with letting the wizard add their Int modifier to all damage rolls produced by a single spell?

I have houseruled this in a way that works out well with the spirit of the RAI without making it busted. You can add the extra damage once per target, per spell, per round. So if you spread your Scorching Rays and Melf's around, you get the extra damage, but focused fire doesn't.

Anyway, I think I've got it all figured out except for one spell: Bigby's hand. The "grasping hand" option already lets you add your spellcasting ability modifier to the damage. Would Empowered Evocation let her add her Int mod to the damage again, or does it not stack in this case?

To me it should be added twice: once for the spell, and once for the feat.

3) She also has the Spell Sniper feat, and I just want to make sure that it does apply to the lightning bolt part of the storm sphere spell. That is, normally you can make a ranged spell attack to hit a creature within 60 feet of the sphere with a lightning bolt, so with the Spell Sniper feat that would be 120 feet ... while the spell's normal range for determining where you can place the sphere would remain at 150 feet. Right?

The Range of a Spell is listed under the spell. The spell's effect isn't changed, so you still must target a creature within 60' of the sphere.

 

[pukunui]

I'd have allowed it to work, but there was nothing wrong with your ruling. This is totally a judgement call IMO.

Fortunately, the druid survived being attacked by the remorhaz even without the wizard's help, and it was the only fight of the day, so no harm done there really. Next time, though, I will allow it to work. Can't mess with tradition, after all!

I have houseruled this in a way that works out well with the spirit of the RAI without making it busted. You can add the extra damage once per target, per spell, per round. So if you spread your Scorching Rays and Melf's around, you get the extra damage, but focused fire doesn't.

That's not a bad way to do it.

To me it should be added twice: once for the spell, and once for the feat.

OK.

The Range of a Spell is listed under the spell. The spell's effect isn't changed, so you still must target a creature within 60' of the sphere.

OK.