D&D 5E DM's: How Do You Justify NPC's Having Magic/Abilities That Don't Exist in the PHB?

[pontinyc]

Looking for some input on how you DM's justify in-game mechanics or magical effects that some npc's may have, but aren't listed in the PHB? For ex., you want your BBEG to appear in hologram/projected form before the pc's and kill one of his own minions with Power Word: Kill. His projected image then sits and has a conversation with the PC's, inviting them to join his forces.

Fun idea but there's nothing in the PHB to allow this specifically. How does one justify the fact that this individual has access to magic that isn't available to the PC's and what might you say to the party wizard who says they want to learn to do that?

Many thanks in advance for any thoughts!

 

[FrogReaver]

Looking for some input on how you DM's justify in-game mechanics or magical effects that some npc's may have, but aren't listed in the PHB? For ex., you want your BBEG to appear in hologram/projected form before the pc's and kill one of his own minions with Power Word: Kill. His projected image then sits and has a conversation with the PC's, inviting them to join his forces.

Fun idea but there's nothing in the PHB to allow this specifically. How does one justify the fact that this individual has access to magic that isn't available to the PC's and what might you say to the party wizard who says they want to learn to do that?

Many thanks in advance for any thoughts!

No justification required.

For the wizard wanting to learn that - 'you know of no spell that has that effect'. Even if you did it might be a spell like 'healing word' that you cannot learn.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

The PHB, is not and should not be the be all and end all of magic in the fictional world. Potentially there are all sorts of known and unknown rituals floating out there that the PCs do not know about or that never get introduced in the campaign.

 

[Lanefan]

Looking for some input on how you DM's justify in-game mechanics or magical effects that some npc's may have, but aren't listed in the PHB? For ex., you want your BBEG to appear in hologram/projected form before the pc's and kill one of his own minions with Power Word: Kill. His projected image then sits and has a conversation with the PC's, inviting them to join his forces.

Fun idea but there's nothing in the PHB to allow this specifically. How does one justify the fact that this individual has access to magic that isn't available to the PC's and what might you say to the party wizard who says they want to learn to do that?

Many thanks in advance for any thoughts!

I usually don't even try. Instead, NPCs are largely limited to what PCs can do as they all exist in the same setting using the same mechanical framework (5e as written really gets this wrong).

That said, "magic items" can explain away a lot of weird things; though you'll have to be prepared for said items to belong to the PCs once all is said and done.

 

[Lanefan]

The PHB, is not and should not be the be all and end all of magic in the fictional world. Potentially there are all sorts of known and unknown rituals floating out there that the PCs do not know about or that never get introduced in the campaign.

Fine, except if the PCs just saw someone use this previously-unknown ritual then that someone has a spellbook somewhere and that ritual's gonna be in it.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

Fine, except if the PCs just saw someone use this previously-unknown ritual then that someone has a spellbook somewhere and that ritual's gonna be in it.

Seeing is not the same as the full documentation of ritual. It matters also as to the type of campaign one is running. We are not all playing the same game as you are.

 

[MichaelSomething]

DM Empowerment

 

[Vaalingrade]

Magic.

It's right there in the name.

 

[dave2008]

Looking for some input on how you DM's justify in-game mechanics or magical effects that some npc's may have, but aren't listed in the PHB? For ex., you want your BBEG to appear in hologram/projected form before the pc's and kill one of his own minions with Power Word: Kill. His projected image then sits and has a conversation with the PC's, inviting them to join his forces.

Fun idea but there's nothing in the PHB to allow this specifically. How does one justify the fact that this individual has access to magic that isn't available to the PC's and what might you say to the party wizard who says they want to learn to do that?

Many thanks in advance for any thoughts!

Most of the time no explanation is needed. There are many magical things in the world beyond the scope of the PCs and it is just assumed there is magic and spells beyond the options in the PHB. My players understand that so they don't typically ask. I mean it is not like the PCs are limited to the spells in the PHB either. PCs can research and develop new and unique spells just like NPCs.

If your looking for a justification for your own edification, well it depends on the particular circumstances. Unique spells, or even existing spells, used in combination with rituals and magic items can create a vast array of effects. Having some combination of those three can create unique magic that would be very difficult for PCs to recreate if that is your goal.

 

[dave2008]

Fine, except if the PCs just saw someone use this previously-unknown ritual then that someone has a spellbook somewhere and that ritual's gonna be in it.

Not all spells and rituals are written in spell books. No to mention the effect described could be created through a combination of ritual, spells, and magic item(s) the way I see it. I guess a PC could try to recreate that, but it is usually not worth the effort.

 

[Seramus]

The books are finite. There's no way they can contain everything a world needs to live and breathe.

Even with something like Forgotten Realms, those old spells and abilities from earlier editions don't stop existing just because they are no longer listed.

 

[Seramus]

Fine, except if the PCs just saw someone use this previously-unknown ritual then that someone has a spellbook somewhere and that ritual's gonna be in it.

I always allow my PCs access to the same strange rituals the NPCs use, if they meet the requirements. Sometimes those requirements are swearing undying fealty to Juiblex and letting an ooze devour their insides to puppet their Hollow shell of a body.



If a PC actually does it, I WILL let them use the ritual!

 

[SakanaSensei]

Yeah, I just do it. No one has ever asked any questions.

 

[Aldarc]

It's a game.

 

[W'rkncacnter]

i mean, if you're just trying to justify it to the players, then just...don't make it a spell. make it a feature specific to your BBEG. as soon as you make it an actual spell you place it in a system the players are almost certainly actively engaging with. you don't need to open that can of worms if you don't want to.

 

[Stormonu]

I try not to use spells that PCs can't turn around themselves and do, but I'm not too bothered if an NPC has an ability they can use that the PCs can't replicate.

Could be that BBEG is an illusionist who has the ability to cast spells through his projected image. Maybe he used wish to have that ability.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

No need. Class abilities only describe what the PCs can do, they don't apply to the rest of the universe.

 

[Andvari]

Magical research has existed since the beginning of D&D, so new spells are likely being invented across the world. The PHB just has the more common spells. If you want to go the extra mile, you can create rules for the spells and let the PCs find them in the evil wizard's spell book as part of the reward for defeating him.

But in general, don't feel restricted by the PHB when it comes to NPCs. That way lies madness. How did the red dragon become a red dragon? It's not listed as a race in the PHB. NPCs can be creatures or "classes" that aren't available to players, including having access to magic or special abilities PCs might never be able to learn.

 

[el-remmen]

It also depends on what it is. . . like if I give the BBEG a spell that lets him project his image, what does it matter if later on in the campaign they find the spellbook containing the ritual of project image? They can do it if they meet the requirements.

If it is the ritual of razing the capital city the PCs operate from, well maybe they gain access to that too, but why would they want to do that? Or maybe they do!

Also, don't underestimate the power of "that's just something they can do." For example, the first time the PCs in my game (which has no rogues) ran into a foe with the Cunning Action ability and thus could disengage as a bonus action they were up in arms! "You can't do that! Disengage is an action!" To which I responded, "It is just something he can do. . ."

 

[Fanaelialae]

The PHB only covers the playable options. It isn't meant to cover every possible person or creature in the world, as evidenced by the MM which contains plenty of abilities unavailable to players.

If you need an in-game explanation, there are plenty available. For the example you gave, perhaps it's only feasible for someone who's been born with an extremely rare talent. The PCs weren't born with that talent, and therefore can't replicate the BBEG'S ability.

An easy approach for these types of one-off abilities is to think about the various ways that superheroes/villains obtain their unique abilities in stories.