D&D 5E Does a nonmagic arrow from a magic bow pierce nonmagic weapon resistance?

[zoroaster100]

As the title says, if you have a magic (say +1) bow, and an ordinary arrow, and hit a creature that has resistance to non-magic bludgeoning, piercing and slashing weapons, does the bow imbue the arrow with magic so that it pierces the resistance, or does the arrow itself have to be magical. This question came up in my game during the last session but we weren't able to quickly find an official answer in the rules. Is there an official answer in the rules or in Sage Advice or another source?

 

[Mephista]

Yes. Sadly, I don't have a source to quote, but I remember it coming up before.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Yes -- if the bows or arrow is magical, it's a magical attack. (If that weren't an archer would be needlessly penalized with respect to magic items, since they'd need twice as many to have equal functionality.)

 

[JackOfAllTirades]

Sometimes these "official" rulings make no sense to me at all.

 

[CapnZapp]

Of course the attack is magical, you have a magical bow.

 

[Zardnaar]

How about magic arrows stacking with a magic bow? +1 arrows and +1 bow= +2 to hit and damage?

 

[Kobold Stew]

I'd say yes, since arrows are consumable -- once they hit their target, they lose their magic (so DMG, sub Ammunition +1 in the list of magic items).

 

[Scorpio616]

How about magic arrows stacking with a magic bow? +1 arrows and +1 bow= +2 to hit and damage?

Yes, because magical ammunition still consumed on a hit and yet is one single piece when rolled as loot.

I'm going to guess that rolling +1 ammo on the random table means one, not a quiver?

Jeremy Crawford
That's correct. A generous DM could certainly turn it into a quiver!

 

[Uchawi]

If a magic bow can grant mundane ammunition the magical property, then there is still hope for masterwork weapons doing the same. I always thought magic was a means to an end, just like technology in the modern era grants an advantage but does not invalidate other means.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

Yes. Arrows cannot be magical weapons in 5E; they are ammunition, not weapons, according to the PHB equipment chapter. An attack from a magical weapon like a bow is still a magical weapon attack even if it is using nonmagical ammunition.