D&D 5E Heat Metal Spell. Unfair to Heavy Armor Wearers?

[Reynard]

I'd be going with no on that one, personally. If you've removed yourself from the fight to the point where it's totally irrelevant to your situation (like teleporting to the moon or any other place the enemy cannot conceivably get to), you pretty much can't spend actions on it.

Sure but I am curious about the rule. In my example the target escaped to the moon. But if the caster still gets to use a bonus action to inflict damage, then that wasn't an escape at all.

 

[Oofta]

I wonder if anyone has asked about the action aspect. Like, if you cast heat metal and the target teleported to the moon, could you still use a bonus action once every six seconds to inflict damage on them?

Nothing in the spell says it would not work. You just have to see something in range to cast.

Considering how literal the sage advice has become I can't imagine you're going to get a different answer.

EDIT: from the PHB
Once a spell is cast, its effects aren’t limited by its range, unless the spell’s description says otherwise.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Sure but I am curious about the rule. In my example the target escaped to the moon. But if the caster still gets to use a bonus action to inflict damage, then that wasn't an escape at all.

i mean it doesn't say you can't

 

[Reynard]

Nothing in the spell says it would not work. You just have to see something in range to cast.

Considering how literal the sage advice has become I can't imagine you're going to get a different answer.

EDIT: from the PHB
Once a spell is cast, its effects aren’t limited by its range, unless the spell’s description says otherwise.

Sure, but usually actions with targets require line of sight. Like I said, I am just curious if it ever came up and if they answered it. It doesn't really matter to me because at myt table you absolutly still nee line of sight on the thing you heated up to cause it to flair and burn someone.

 

[James Gasik]

I would say you have to have some indication the target is affected by the spell. Like, if you can't see them, that's fine as long as you can hear their screams of pain. But if you can neither see nor hear them, it gets a little wonky, what do you do, count six seconds down and take a bonus action? What if you're on another plane where time flows differently?

I guess you can scry on the target in some way, that'd be fine.

 

[Baron Opal II]

I wonder if anyone has asked about the action aspect. Like, if you cast heat metal and the target teleported to the moon, could you still use a bonus action once every six seconds to inflict damage on them?

What is the longest stated range of a spell in the PHB?

 

[Reynard]

What is the longest stated range of a spell in the PHB?

Interplanar?

 

[Irlo]

What is the longest stated range of a spell in the PHB?

I believe the longest range of a PHB spell is "unlimited" (see Sending as an example). But I don't think that spell range is related to the question at hand.

 

[James Gasik]

Telepathy and Tsunami are "Unlimited"

Storm of Vengeance has "Sight".

Control Weather has a 5 mile radius but it's technically Self.

Next up is 1 mile mile for Clairvoyance.

And after that Arcane Gate, at 500 feet.

Then there's a few at 150 feet.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Combine with ring of fire resistance.

Better yet, two birds, one spell:

Wear that, cast heat metal, and enjoy toasting your enemies.

 

[Baron Opal II]

I believe the longest range of a PHB spell is "unlimited" (see Sending as an example). But I don't think that spell range is related to the question at hand.

Telepathy and Tsunami are "Unlimited"

Storm of Vengeance has "Sight".

Control Weather has a 5 mile radius but it's technically Self.

Next up is 1 mile mile for Clairvoyance.

And after that Arcane Gate, at 500 feet.

Then there's a few at 150 feet.

I was thinking that if, barring spells like sending and gate, if there was a cluster of spells at a range of, say, 400 ft.* you could use that as a working maximum for the heat metal effect. So, maybe at 150 ft. the druid can't activate heat metal for that round? Eh, an idle thought of little consequence.

* Was that a 4e thing? Mostly four ranges of spells; touch, close (60), med (150), long (400)?

 

[billd91]

I was thinking that if, barring spells like sending and gate, if there was a cluster of spells at a range of, say, 400 ft.* you could use that as a working maximum for the heat metal effect. So, maybe at 150 ft. the druid can't activate heat metal for that round? Eh, an idle thought of little consequence.

* Was that a 4e thing? Mostly four ranges of spells; touch, close (60), med (150), long (400)?

3e had those range terms.
Touch
Close (25 ft + 5ft/2 levels)
Medium (100 ft + 10 ft/level)
Long (400 ft + 40 ft/level)

 

[Quartz]

Sage Advice:

If you’re concentrating on a spell, do you need to maintain line of sight with the spell’s target or the spell’s effect?​

You don’t need to be within line of sight or within range to maintain concentration on a spell, unless a spell’s description or other game feature says otherwise.

Right. Well, I'm binning that for attack spells that require LOS to target when I next run a game.

Per the SRD: "Once a spell is cast, its effects aren’t limited by its range, unless the spell’s description says otherwise."

Thanks. I think I'll refer you to the above.

 

[Quartz]

What is the longest stated range of a spell in the PHB?

Of attack spells, Meteor Swarm has, I think, the longest range of 1 mile.

 

[James Gasik]

I was thinking that if, barring spells like sending and gate, if there was a cluster of spells at a range of, say, 400 ft.* you could use that as a working maximum for the heat metal effect. So, maybe at 150 ft. the druid can't activate heat metal for that round? Eh, an idle thought of little consequence.

* Was that a 4e thing? Mostly four ranges of spells; touch, close (60), med (150), long (400)?

3e had defined ranges like Close, Short, Medium, and Long, though they varied based on caster level.

EDIT: Ninja'd by bild91.

 

[JiffyPopTart]

My attitude is this: if the bad guys want a PC dead, then they make choices appropriate to that motivation. There is no "fair" in that space, and "fun" emerges from playing as honestly (in regards to the world and its inhabitants) as possible. Unless there is a compelling reason for the villain to act otherwise, they want the PC dead.

I don't subscribe to this. By this logic the PCs will constantly be chasing plots already accomplished (ala Ozymandius from Watchmen) and slaughters already made so as the smart bad guys would always seek to avoid (or deathtrap) the PCs.

There has to be room made for the PCs to have a chance.

 

[Reynard]

I don't subscribe to this. By this logic the PCs will constantly be chasing plots already accomplished (ala Ozymandius from Watchmen) and slaughters already made so as the smart bad guys would always seek to avoid (or deathtrap) the PCs.

There has to be room made for the PCs to have a chance.

I don't quite grok how these things are connected. What does the bandit being willing to take advantage of an opportunity to coup de gras a PC have to do with Ozymandias?

 

[JiffyPopTart]

I don't quite grok how these things are connected. What does the bandit being willing to take advantage of an opportunity to coup de gras a PC have to do with Ozymandias?

I'm referring to a GM employing not-fun-for-the-players tactics like having a druid cast heat metal then teleporting to the moon and concentrating on it.

 

[Reynard]

I'm referring to a GM employing not-fun-for-the-players tactics like having a druid cast heat metal then teleporting to the moon and concentrating on it.

Why is this "not fun for the player"? Is it simply an issue of "winning" or is there some other element?

 

[James Gasik]

Not having the ability to interact with a problem or solve it isn't exactly fun. It'd be like dropping the PC's on a deserted island and rolling damage for exposure to the elements, but giving them no ability to take shelter.