D&D (2024) D&D 2024 PHB errata thread +

[Jefe Bergenstein]

Yes. Based on the fact that the wording for the Light property did include the wording about the weapon needing to be in a different hand in Unearthed Arcana playtests 2 and 3, and then got removed in 4. It was clearly an intentional change that occurred during the playtest process, and was not reversed in the day 1 errata.

I think it is a stretch to assume intent given WOTC's sloppy, err... naturalistic writing. Light specifically refers to dual wielding in its descriptor, which is the source of the extra attack. The image of someone attacking, sheathing, unsheathing and attacking again as somehow being faster than just attacking twice with the weapon in hand strains even MY v-tude to the point where it's clearly an oversight.

Of course, we wouldn't have this nonsense if they didn't listen to the grognards who pitched a fit over keywords and clear language. Apparently it's not D&D unless you have to divine RAI on whatever ass pull ruling was scribbled on the back of a pizza box the week before.

 

[Xetheral]

not really.
The barbarian dragging the cleic is a barbarian not attacking.
It's not any more powerful than having 2 clerics.

You could do this in 2014. You just had to move the monsters instead of the cleric. And you very likely where adding your own hurt that push instead of giving the cleric disadvantage to attack.

And the 2024 "buff" is offset by having the damage at the end of the monsters turn. Potentially breaking your concentration.

A Barbarian with Extra Attack could still make one attack after grappling the Cleric. Spirit Guardians damage against everyone that can be reached in one move is likely higher damage than what the Barbarian can do with one attack anyway. Also, some of the other creative/ridiculous options (such as letting the Cleric share, or be pulled in a vehicle by, the Barbarian's mount) don't require the Barbarian's action at all.

Moving the monsters instead of the Cleric in the 2014 rules is entirely different, both because abilities to move enemies are almost all one-monster-at-a-time, and because the potential to force enemies into damaging hazards is conceptually baked-in to forced movement. This contrasts with the 2024 rules where the maximum potential upside is hitting every enemy with Spirit Guardians on every allies' turn via the creative/ridiculous use of movement rules that don't usually equate higher speed with more damage (with Spike Growth being the notable 2014 exception).

 

[Mistwell]

Now that I've gotten around to reading the spell list in earnest instead of a quick skim, it actually does say that a target can only be affected by spirit guardians once per turn.

"When you cast this spell, you can designate creatures to be unaffected by it. Any other creature’s Speed is halved in the Emanation, and whenever the Emanation enters a creature’s space and whenever a creature enters the Emanation or ends its turn there, the creature must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 3d8 Radiant damage (if you are good or neutral) or 3d8 Necrotic damage (if you are evil). On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage. A creature makes this save only once per turn."

Bolded text by me.

So... Whenever a creature (a) has the spell's AoE enter its space, (b) enters the area of the spell's AoE, or (c) ends its turn within the spell's AoE, it must make that save. The triggering event to cause the damage is, as per the text, rolling a saving throw. But it's only allowed to make that save roll once per turn - i.e. if there's a second time in the same turn that one of the three listed events occurs that would normally trigger having to make another save, it simply doesn't (because its one allowed save per turn has already taken place) and so nothing happens. The text distinctly states that no damage is taken until after the saving throw is rolled - so if no saving throw is rolled (since a second save cannot be forced), no damage is taken.

That final sentence in the quoted text is actually pretty common in damaging Emination spells, presumably to stop shenanigans like the one being discussed.

Now, the fighter or barbarian can presumably still drag the cleric around to harm other, as of yet unaffected creatures, but thats a different matter entirely.

[Edit - whoops I see many people already made this point. Sorry for not reading their posts first]

I believe the error in what I think you're laying out is the definition of a turn. A turn isn't a round. Each player, and each monster, get a turn each round. So you force a save on the cleric's turn. Then the monk drags the cleric around, and you force a save on the monks turn. Then the fighter knocks the foe into the field, and you force a save on the fighter's turn. Then the monster ends it's turn in the field, and another save. Each one of these is a different turn, each one applied just once per turn.

 

[Mistwell]

It needs to be 1/round.


I checked all the others on my list, and they're all still there. I'm not aware of any other changes, although there might be some.

I think it's very intentionally 1/turn and not 1/round. This is to encourage a whole series of knocking foes around, with a lot more abilities added to the game for that very thing. The monk ability to travel with an ally is also, I think, meant to trigger these field effects. All of this is added synergy between the melee combatants and the spellcaster combatants. They're tweaking things to benefit players who work together during a combat.

 

[mellored]

A Barbarian with Extra Attack could still make one attack after grappling the Cleric.

Or they could attack the enemy and push it into the zone, dealing 2d6+5+rage extra damage.

Spirit Guardians damage against everyone that can be reached in one move is likely higher damage than what the Barbarian can do with one attack anyway

If there is a horde of zombies, sure.

But your spreading damage out. And assuming the Barbarian doesn't provoke an OA.

Also, some of the other creative/ridiculous options (such as letting the Cleric share, or be pulled in a vehicle by, the Barbarian's mount) don't require the Barbarian's action at all.

Then the cleric isn't moving on their turn.

 

[pukunui]

I think it's very intentionally 1/turn and not 1/round. This is to encourage a whole series of knocking foes around, with a lot more abilities added to the game for that very thing. The monk ability to travel with an ally is also, I think, meant to trigger these field effects. All of this is added synergy between the melee combatants and the spellcaster combatants. They're tweaking things to benefit players who work together during a combat.

Sure. But I don't like it at all with things like spirit guardians for all the reasons previously stated numerous times. That spell is annoying enough in 2014. It did not need a buff. If/when I switch to 2024, I will either change it to 1/round or ban it entirely. Encouraging teamwork is fine. Encouraging cheese like dragging the cleric around to deal more spirit guardians damage is not.

 

[Mistwell]

Sure. But I don't like it at all with things like spirit guardians for all the reasons previously stated numerous times. That spell is annoying enough in 2014. It did not need a buff. If/when I switch to 2024, I will either change it to 1/round or ban it entirely. Encouraging teamwork is fine. Encouraging cheese like dragging the cleric around to deal more spirit guardians damage is not.

I agree it didn't need the buff. I think they justified it because they added many spells that function the same way, including a lot of the conjure spells.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I'd probably allow one drag per round.

If 5 people play pinball with the cleric it reminds me too much on peasant railgun.

 

[Nikosandros]

I think that I might house-rule it so that the emanation can damage by entering a creature space only on the caster's turn. This would leave the possibility of pushing enemies in the emanation, but remove the (IMHO) silliness of dragging the caster around.

 

[Xetheral]

Or they could attack the enemy and push it into the zone, dealing 2d6+5+rage extra damage.

If there is a horde of zombies, sure.

But your spreading damage out. And assuming the Barbarian doesn't provoke an OA.

Then the cleric isn't moving on their turn.

Sure, there will be times that dealing weapon damage plus Spirit Guardians damage to a single target will be better than dealing Spirit Guardians damage to multiple targets. The creative/ridiculous options enabled by the 2024 rules won't always be the best choice.

And the cleric only needs half their move to get on a mount (or five feet of movement to get on a vehicle) so I have no idea why you'd think the cleric has to be stationary on their own turn to set up being moved action-free by one or more allies on different turns. Indeed, on rounds after the spell is already cast the Cleric can move on their own turn, ready an action to move again on an enemy's turn, and then use half of that movement (or five feet for a vehicle) to set up being moved action-free by an ally on that ally's turn, triggering Spirit Guardians damage 3x per round without doing anything other than moving and readying actions. And it only goes up from there depending on where the boundary lies between creative and ridiculous at one's table.