In my campaign, a wizard who has a staff of the magi was targeted by a chain lightning spell, with the intent that the additional bolts would hit his nearby companions. The wizard opted to use his reaction to absorb the spell with his staff's spell absorption power. His position was that he's the target of the spell, and could absorb it, and there would be no additional bolts at his companions because as the initial target, the spell was absorbed. I re-read the spell and the magic item, and decided to concur with his interpretation. Was I wrong per rules as written? Please advise.
D&D 5E Chain Lighting and Spell Absorbtion 5e
AaronOfBarbaria
Adventurer
You are the DM, and you have made a ruling that your players agree with - it is impossible for that ruling to be considered "wrong", even by the "rules as written" because those very rules say that whatever the DM rules is correct.
As for advice: As a DM myself, I would make the exact ruling that you did in that situation because chain lighting reads as implying a time at which only one target is selected, even though a total of four targets are selected in the full execution of the spell.
As for advice: As a DM myself, I would make the exact ruling that you did in that situation because chain lighting reads as implying a time at which only one target is selected, even though a total of four targets are selected in the full execution of the spell.
mellored
Legend
Which was more fun?
Letting the wizard absorb the spell and protect his allies.
Or letting the wizard absorb part of the spell and have his allies still be blasted?
My guess is the first. So that's the right ruling.
and remember, you can always add another enemy with another chain lightning.
Letting the wizard absorb the spell and protect his allies.
Or letting the wizard absorb part of the spell and have his allies still be blasted?
My guess is the first. So that's the right ruling.
and remember, you can always add another enemy with another chain lightning.
Thanks for the input, I was concerned I mucked it up.
As for what was more fun? I'd say either possibility. It was an aerial battle, with characters on a flying carpet and griffons against a spell casting, flame breathing, teeth snapping dragon. The dragon was trying to chain lightning the wizard and then the griffon mounts, it was a very pivotal moment in the confrontation with either outcome filled with dramatic potential.
As for what was more fun? I'd say either possibility. It was an aerial battle, with characters on a flying carpet and griffons against a spell casting, flame breathing, teeth snapping dragon. The dragon was trying to chain lightning the wizard and then the griffon mounts, it was a very pivotal moment in the confrontation with either outcome filled with dramatic potential.
Similar Threads
