jaelis
Oh this is where the title goes?
For the most part 5e does a good job describing spells in a clear way and providing enough information for a DM to make sensible judgements about them. But there are a few exceptions where there are spells with ambiguities or at least confusing points. I've tried to collect some here as reference, based on my own experiences, discussions on the forum, and questions on twitter.
None of these are things that a DM can't easily deal with. But they are things where the DM and player might not see it the same way. So I would mainly say that if you are player looking at one of these spells, you should check with your DM ahead of time to see how they would rule.
Where relevant, I note any information the designers have provided via Twitter or Sage Advice.
Note I've only got spells from the Player's Handbook here. I hope someone finds it useful!
Spells
Animal Shapes – While the spell in effect, you can use your action to transform affected creatures into new forms. Does this reset their hit points to the maximum for the new form? (Compare to the wording of Shapechange.)
Comment: Twitter say yes, it does reset hp.
Astral Projection – If you leave the astral plane through a portal, does the spell end or can you later create new astral forms and return to the astral plane?
Barkskin – It is confusing how this spell interacts with other AC bonuses.
Comment: The Sage says that if you are benefiting from the spell, you ignore all bonuses. But if a bonus would put your normal AC above 16, use that instead.
Beast Sense – There doesn’t seem to be an obvious way to decide if a random beast would be a willing target.
Comment: Two simple answers are that only friendly beasts are willing, or that any non-hostile beast is willing.
Conjure Animals/Celestials/Elemental/Fey/Minor Elementals/Woodland Beings – It is not clear how the type of conjured creature is determined.
Comment: The Sage says that the DM chooses the type.
Contagion – Do the disease effects apply as soon as the target is afflicted, or after it fails three saves?
Comment: The Sage says it is after failing the saves.
Creation – What is the duration for a non-precious metal like steel?
Disintegrate – How does the 0-hp effect interact with abilities like Wild Shape and Relentless Endurance?
Comment: The Sage says disintegrate kills you outright, so you die regardless.
Faerie Fire – The wording isn't perfectly clear whether you gain advantage on attacks against an invisible opponent, or whether their invisibility is simply negated.
Comment: Per Twitter, you do gain advantage.
Freedom of Movement – The spell lets you spend 5 ft of movement to end the Grappled or Restrained conditions, but while grappled or restrained your movement is 0 so you don't have 5 ft to spend.
Gentle Repose – Does the time extension apply to the Revivify spell?
Comment: Twitter says yes.
Goodberry – How does this interact with the Disciple of Life feature and other healing bonuses?
Comment: The Sage says bonuses apply to each berry.
Imprisonment – Is it required to specify an ending condition for the spell?
Comment: The spell doesn’t say you are required to set a condition. But it also requires that any condition set have a reasonable likelihood to come to pass. The implicit ending condition “Never” violates the likelihood requirement, so the intent seems ambiguous.
Incendiary Cloud – Each turn the cloud moves directly away from you in a direction you choose. How can you choose what direction is directly away from you?
Invisibility/Greater Invisibility – If the target is carrying a light source, does it continue to provide illumination?
Jump – What happens if the distance you jump exceeds your remaining speed?
Comment: Twitter says your jump distance is limited by your speed.
Leomund's Tiny Hut – Can planar travel be used to enter or exit the hut?
Lightning Arrow – Does the initial target also take the 2d8 secondary damage?
Comment: Twitter says no.
Mage Armor – Can you use this with a shield?
Comment: The Sage says yes.
Major Image/Minor Illusion/Programmed Illusion/Project Image/Silent Image – Does the illusion fade any time you discern it to be an illusion, or only if you succeed on the Int check? If the former, it is not always clear what is required to discern something as an illusion; for instance if the illusion is of an insubstantial effect. Also: Does an illusion of a light source provide actual illumination?
Meld Into Stone – While in the stone, you can cast spells on yourself. Can you see yourself for that purpose?
Mirage Arcane – Can you use this terrain effects to walk over water or through air?
Comment: Twitter suggests yes, as you could climb a tree created by the spell.
Mislead – Can the illusory double walk through walls and the like? Can it be discerned as an illusion?
Nystul's Magic Aura – The mask usage mentions disguising only creature type in one place, but both alignment and type in another.
Otiluke's Resilient Sphere - Can you teleport through the sphere, or use planar travel to escape it?
Pass Without Trace – Does the "veil of shadows and silence" have any effect besides the Stealth bonus? For instance can people hear you normally? Can you hide in the shadows?
Comment: Twitter says the spell doesn’t remove the need to hide behind something or in an obscured area.
Phantasmal Killer/Weird – The frightened condition affects you while you can see the source of your fear, and you cannot move closer to the source. The location of the source of fear for these spells is not clear. Also, note the errata for these spells.
Comment: In my opinion, it works well if you rule the source of fear is omnipresent, and therefore the targets cannot move. You could also let the caster choose the location of the fear source.
Planar Binding – The spell is intended to work with Magic Circle, but Magic Circle’s duration will end shortly before the Planar Binding casting is finished. Is this something you can ignore, or do you need to use a higher-level version of Magic Circle to extend the duration?
Plant Growth – Is some minimum density of normal plants required in the area to get the first effect? Would dungeon fungus qualify?
Prismatic Wall - When destroying the layers in order, does the order matter which side of the wall you start from? If so, can you choose the orientation of the sides when you cast the spell?
Raise Dead/Resurrection/True Resurrection – If you kill an undead creature can you return the corpse to its previous living state?
Comment: Twitter suggests no.
Ray of Enfeeblement – It is sometimes hard to determine if a monster's attack uses Strength.
Reincarnate – This nominally requires a record of racial choices made at character creation, like which skills a half-elf picked or which feat a variant human chose. Probably most players won’t track this, so a method will be required to decide which abilities are lost. In addition, some people may balk at things like an ex-dwarf remembering his former life and experience, but no longer speaking dwarven.
Rope trick – Can planar travel reach in and out of the space?
Scrying - Can a creature physically interact with the sensor?
Shatter - Does any creature made of inorganic material have disadvantage on the save, or only creatures made of materials similar to stone, metal, or crystal?
Simulacrum – Not really ambiguous as written, but this is unbalanced enough that probably most DMs won't let you play it by the book.
Comment: There are well documented abuses in regards to creating an unlimited number of sims, and also with bypassing the stress from wishing for an exceptional effect. Aside from that, personally I think this spell is overpowered in its ability to exchange one 7th level slot for a full (or nearly full) daily allotment of spells, including of 8th and 9th level. For comparison, a conjuration spell that summoned an archmage (CR 12) would presumably require a 12th level slot.
Spirit Guardians – Is the effect triggered if you are in the area when the spell is cast? What if the caster moves the spell area onto you?
Comment: The Sage says no to both. This also applies to Blade Barrier, Cloudkill, Cloud of Daggers, Evard’s Black Tentacles, Forbiddance, Moonbeam, and Sleet Storm.
Telekinesis - If you target a willing creature, can it forgo the Str contest and let you succeed automatically?
Time Stop – Is the d4 roll for the duration secret or known to the player?
True Polymorph – Is it possible for the new creature have class levels or other extraordinary traits? (Compare wording to shapechange.)
Unseen Servant – Can the servant act as an ally in combat?
Comment: The Sage says no.
Wall of Fire/Thorns - If you enter the wall on your turn and also end your turn there, do you take damage twice?
Wall of Force – Nothing can physically pass through the wall, but this requires interpretation in regard to spells.
Comment: Twitter indicates that the wall provides total cover in regards to spells.
Word of Recall – The sanctuary must be in a region dedicated to or linked to your deity. What if you don't have a deity?
The Sage Advice Compendium discusses a few other spells, mostly making points that seem to me clear already from the spell description. But for completeness, those spells are:
Armor of Agathys, Darkness, Dispel Magic, Fireball, Hail of Thorns, Heroes’ Feast, Heroism, Hex, Minor Illusion, Planar Binding, Polymorph, Shillelagh, Suggestion, Wish
And here are all the spells that have received official errata:
Mass Cure Wounds, Mass Heal, Phantasmal Killer, Polymorph, Revivify, True Polymorph, Weird
None of these are things that a DM can't easily deal with. But they are things where the DM and player might not see it the same way. So I would mainly say that if you are player looking at one of these spells, you should check with your DM ahead of time to see how they would rule.
Where relevant, I note any information the designers have provided via Twitter or Sage Advice.
Note I've only got spells from the Player's Handbook here. I hope someone finds it useful!
Spells
Animal Shapes – While the spell in effect, you can use your action to transform affected creatures into new forms. Does this reset their hit points to the maximum for the new form? (Compare to the wording of Shapechange.)
Comment: Twitter say yes, it does reset hp.
Astral Projection – If you leave the astral plane through a portal, does the spell end or can you later create new astral forms and return to the astral plane?
Barkskin – It is confusing how this spell interacts with other AC bonuses.
Comment: The Sage says that if you are benefiting from the spell, you ignore all bonuses. But if a bonus would put your normal AC above 16, use that instead.
Beast Sense – There doesn’t seem to be an obvious way to decide if a random beast would be a willing target.
Comment: Two simple answers are that only friendly beasts are willing, or that any non-hostile beast is willing.
Conjure Animals/Celestials/Elemental/Fey/Minor Elementals/Woodland Beings – It is not clear how the type of conjured creature is determined.
Comment: The Sage says that the DM chooses the type.
Contagion – Do the disease effects apply as soon as the target is afflicted, or after it fails three saves?
Comment: The Sage says it is after failing the saves.
Creation – What is the duration for a non-precious metal like steel?
Disintegrate – How does the 0-hp effect interact with abilities like Wild Shape and Relentless Endurance?
Comment: The Sage says disintegrate kills you outright, so you die regardless.
Faerie Fire – The wording isn't perfectly clear whether you gain advantage on attacks against an invisible opponent, or whether their invisibility is simply negated.
Comment: Per Twitter, you do gain advantage.
Freedom of Movement – The spell lets you spend 5 ft of movement to end the Grappled or Restrained conditions, but while grappled or restrained your movement is 0 so you don't have 5 ft to spend.
Gentle Repose – Does the time extension apply to the Revivify spell?
Comment: Twitter says yes.
Goodberry – How does this interact with the Disciple of Life feature and other healing bonuses?
Comment: The Sage says bonuses apply to each berry.
Imprisonment – Is it required to specify an ending condition for the spell?
Comment: The spell doesn’t say you are required to set a condition. But it also requires that any condition set have a reasonable likelihood to come to pass. The implicit ending condition “Never” violates the likelihood requirement, so the intent seems ambiguous.
Incendiary Cloud – Each turn the cloud moves directly away from you in a direction you choose. How can you choose what direction is directly away from you?
Invisibility/Greater Invisibility – If the target is carrying a light source, does it continue to provide illumination?
Jump – What happens if the distance you jump exceeds your remaining speed?
Comment: Twitter says your jump distance is limited by your speed.
Leomund's Tiny Hut – Can planar travel be used to enter or exit the hut?
Lightning Arrow – Does the initial target also take the 2d8 secondary damage?
Comment: Twitter says no.
Mage Armor – Can you use this with a shield?
Comment: The Sage says yes.
Major Image/Minor Illusion/Programmed Illusion/Project Image/Silent Image – Does the illusion fade any time you discern it to be an illusion, or only if you succeed on the Int check? If the former, it is not always clear what is required to discern something as an illusion; for instance if the illusion is of an insubstantial effect. Also: Does an illusion of a light source provide actual illumination?
Meld Into Stone – While in the stone, you can cast spells on yourself. Can you see yourself for that purpose?
Mirage Arcane – Can you use this terrain effects to walk over water or through air?
Comment: Twitter suggests yes, as you could climb a tree created by the spell.
Mislead – Can the illusory double walk through walls and the like? Can it be discerned as an illusion?
Nystul's Magic Aura – The mask usage mentions disguising only creature type in one place, but both alignment and type in another.
Otiluke's Resilient Sphere - Can you teleport through the sphere, or use planar travel to escape it?
Pass Without Trace – Does the "veil of shadows and silence" have any effect besides the Stealth bonus? For instance can people hear you normally? Can you hide in the shadows?
Comment: Twitter says the spell doesn’t remove the need to hide behind something or in an obscured area.
Phantasmal Killer/Weird – The frightened condition affects you while you can see the source of your fear, and you cannot move closer to the source. The location of the source of fear for these spells is not clear. Also, note the errata for these spells.
Comment: In my opinion, it works well if you rule the source of fear is omnipresent, and therefore the targets cannot move. You could also let the caster choose the location of the fear source.
Planar Binding – The spell is intended to work with Magic Circle, but Magic Circle’s duration will end shortly before the Planar Binding casting is finished. Is this something you can ignore, or do you need to use a higher-level version of Magic Circle to extend the duration?
Plant Growth – Is some minimum density of normal plants required in the area to get the first effect? Would dungeon fungus qualify?
Prismatic Wall - When destroying the layers in order, does the order matter which side of the wall you start from? If so, can you choose the orientation of the sides when you cast the spell?
Raise Dead/Resurrection/True Resurrection – If you kill an undead creature can you return the corpse to its previous living state?
Comment: Twitter suggests no.
Ray of Enfeeblement – It is sometimes hard to determine if a monster's attack uses Strength.
Reincarnate – This nominally requires a record of racial choices made at character creation, like which skills a half-elf picked or which feat a variant human chose. Probably most players won’t track this, so a method will be required to decide which abilities are lost. In addition, some people may balk at things like an ex-dwarf remembering his former life and experience, but no longer speaking dwarven.
Rope trick – Can planar travel reach in and out of the space?
Scrying - Can a creature physically interact with the sensor?
Shatter - Does any creature made of inorganic material have disadvantage on the save, or only creatures made of materials similar to stone, metal, or crystal?
Simulacrum – Not really ambiguous as written, but this is unbalanced enough that probably most DMs won't let you play it by the book.
Comment: There are well documented abuses in regards to creating an unlimited number of sims, and also with bypassing the stress from wishing for an exceptional effect. Aside from that, personally I think this spell is overpowered in its ability to exchange one 7th level slot for a full (or nearly full) daily allotment of spells, including of 8th and 9th level. For comparison, a conjuration spell that summoned an archmage (CR 12) would presumably require a 12th level slot.
Spirit Guardians – Is the effect triggered if you are in the area when the spell is cast? What if the caster moves the spell area onto you?
Comment: The Sage says no to both. This also applies to Blade Barrier, Cloudkill, Cloud of Daggers, Evard’s Black Tentacles, Forbiddance, Moonbeam, and Sleet Storm.
Telekinesis - If you target a willing creature, can it forgo the Str contest and let you succeed automatically?
Time Stop – Is the d4 roll for the duration secret or known to the player?
True Polymorph – Is it possible for the new creature have class levels or other extraordinary traits? (Compare wording to shapechange.)
Unseen Servant – Can the servant act as an ally in combat?
Comment: The Sage says no.
Wall of Fire/Thorns - If you enter the wall on your turn and also end your turn there, do you take damage twice?
Wall of Force – Nothing can physically pass through the wall, but this requires interpretation in regard to spells.
Comment: Twitter indicates that the wall provides total cover in regards to spells.
Word of Recall – The sanctuary must be in a region dedicated to or linked to your deity. What if you don't have a deity?
The Sage Advice Compendium discusses a few other spells, mostly making points that seem to me clear already from the spell description. But for completeness, those spells are:
Armor of Agathys, Darkness, Dispel Magic, Fireball, Hail of Thorns, Heroes’ Feast, Heroism, Hex, Minor Illusion, Planar Binding, Polymorph, Shillelagh, Suggestion, Wish
And here are all the spells that have received official errata:
Mass Cure Wounds, Mass Heal, Phantasmal Killer, Polymorph, Revivify, True Polymorph, Weird
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