D&D 5E If you use thunderstep but teleport less than 10 feet do you take damage?

[Vaalingrade]

I think that an "instant" is an undefined unit of time. Events that occur instantaneously are effectively simultaneous for most purposes. But an instant is not indivisible, and instantaneous events can be sequenced. When not explicitly sequenced, as in thunder step, results are simultaneous.

As for the disappearance and reappearance, they are not separate events. IMO, there is a single event: a teleportation. You can't have one without the other. The two are inseparable and simultaneous.

Why would the game specify the disappearance in the spell description then?

 

[Maxperson]

Why would the game specify the disappearance in the spell description then?

It could be poor use of language. Or more likely, they just wanted to let the players and DM know where the thunder happened, so when the caster disappears, that's where and when the thunder happens. However, the disappearance and reappearance are part of the same instant effect and nothing written anywhere says otherwise, so if you do teleport within 10 feet you arrive in time to be hit by your own spell.

 

[Rabulias]

Why would the game specify the disappearance in the spell description then?

As I said, there are some instantaneous effects that can be sequenced in a particular order. I can only assume they sequenced the events to try to prevent an overly technical reading of the "instantaneous" duration of the spell to lead some to think the damage would hit the caster at the same time they are teleporting.

 

[Lyxen]

The speed of light is basically instantly in game terms. Instantaneous doesn't equate to no time at all in 5e.

Note that the speed of light does not need to be that fast in the game world, or it could actually be infinite. For example, on the Discworld, the speed of light is actually really slow due to Discworld's "embarrassingly strong" magic field.

And I have had no trouble using totally unconventional physics in many games, especially at high level where bizarre planes create environment totally unlike the prime.

 

[Lyxen]

Why would the game specify the disappearance in the spell description then?

Because it does NOT have to be absolutely simultaneous with the appearance. As mentioned, an "Instant" is an unspecified period of time.

So, once more, you can very well use @Maxperson's perspective, and it works, or you can use other perspectives, and they also work perfectly within the RAW, even assuming that it's important to you. And that's my only point, the game is open, if you want teleportation to be more Star Trek like (because it looks cool), you absolutely can as well.

Same if you want teleportation to go through other dimensions in your cosmology (like astral or ethereal in previous editions), you can (just being aware that this introduces constraints on the spells, like it was in 1e where the absence of a medium prevented some spells from working in some places), but if you want it to be purely (intra)dimensional travel, you can too.

And for me that's the beauty of 5e, the rules are clear enough to run games, but they do not box you in, reducing your possibilities, but also leaving you open to ruleslawyers and nitpickers, since the DM can make any ruling he wants.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

No. He is not damaged.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Basically the reading depends on if you're just straight up out to get the player for daring to use this spell.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Basically the reading depends on if you're just straight up out to get the player for daring to use this spell.

No. It depends on whether you want the spell to double as a safe AOE spell centred on the caster alongside of its intended use. Personally I don't.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

No. It depends on whether you want the spell to double as a safe AOE spell centred on the caster alongside of its intended use. Personally I don't.

There are cantrips that do that job better, I don't see any balance issues in allowing it. It would be a very inefficient use of a 3rd level spell slot.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

There are cantrips that do that job better, I don't see any balance issues in allowing it.

I don't think it is a huge balance issue, I am just generally a bit leery about interpretations that allow spells to expand their functionality and thus double as several spells. It's not like the spellcasters are weak and need buffing, they have plenty of tools.