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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Hypersmurf" data-source="post: 3141897" data-attributes="member: 1656">My rule of thumb - not necessarily because it's clearly defined anywhere, but because I need something to make the decision clear - is that if a random numeric effect is defined in the text of the spell, it's Empowerable.  If it's defined elsewhere (and perhaps echoed in the text of the spell), it isn't.Example: Scorching Ray.  The effect of the spell is "One or more rays".  But the damage dealt by those rays is a random numeric effect defined within the spell text.  Empowerable.Example: Shillelagh.  "2d6" and "3d6" are mentioned in the text of the spell, but these are not definitions; they are merely repeating the information defined elsewhere for damage dealt by a Medium or Large club.  Not Empowerable.Example: Flame Blade.  The 1d8 damage is defined in the spell.  Empowerable.Example: Summon Monster.  The damage dealt by a monster is not mentioned in the spell text, but found in the Monster Manual.  The damage is not Empowerable (though the number of creatures summoned is, potentially).Example: Mordenkainen's Faithful Hound.  The Hound's damage is defined in the spell text.  Empowerable - and possibly an example of the weakness of a rule of thumb <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />So I would rule the Claws of the Beast - which defines the damage dealt - is Empowerable.  If it said "dealing damage as normal for a Claw attack for a creature of your size category (1d3 for Small, 1d4 for Mediuim, 1d6 for Large)", I would consider this to be repeated information, not defined information.So my rule of thumb draws a fairly fine line, but at least it means I can rule consistently.  Otherwise, the same logic that says "The spell creates claws, the claws deal the damage" would apply to, say, Flaming Sphere...-Hyp.</blockquote>

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