D&D (2024) Magic Missile is saved! Hooray!

[Maxperson]

Note: I’m not saying it’s clear but the magic missile spell doesn’t say whether you roll damage once and apply that to each missile or whether you roll it separately for each missile. Either is a valid reading of the spell as written.

It does. It doesn't use the words, "Roll separately," but it does It says three darts and each dart strikes a creature of your choice. Three separate darts there. Then it says a dart(singular) does 1d4+1. That language set up means that you roll damage separately for each individual dart.

If it’s the case that damage is rolled once and applied to each missile then the vocation ability would ultimately apply to each missile.

But it's not the case. Not only does it not say that you roll only once and apply it to each missile, the language used says the exact opposite in the context that it's written in.

 

[Lord Twig]

For those of you that like Magic Missile as a Concentration breaker, what about Death Saves? Someone mentioned it earlier, but I don't think anyone answered.

If there is a couple characters down, can the big bad finish one off with two missiles and give the other two fails? Or do they both just get two fails?

 

[payn]

For those of you that like Magic Missile as a Concentration breaker, what about Death Saves? Someone mentioned it earlier, but I don't think anyone answered.

If there is a couple characters down, can the big bad finish one off with two missiles and give the other two fails? Or do they both just get two fails?

 

[Maxperson]

IIRC I think Basic had magic missile deal 1d6+1 damage per missile. I had forgotten about that.

FWIW, I still think the spell is a decent spell in 5E. Having a spell deal guaranteed damage is pretty nice IMO and I use it from time to time. I do think making it two additional missiles per spell level when upcasted would make it more appealing in general, however.

Yes. Sometimes(It feels like fairly often when I'm a player) everything is on the line and PCs and resources are low, as are the bad guy(s). You don't want to risk failure or death of a PC via a miss or successful enemy save when you can guarantee damage with Magic Missile.

 

[Maxperson]

For Moldvay Basic and Rules Cyclopedia yes, but a steeper jump in missiles with two extra missiles only every five levels gained instead of one missile every two levels in AD&D and 3e. Same for the OD&D magic missile but notably it has no indication that it is auto hit.

Moldvay Basic:
Magic Missile Range: 150'
Duration: 1 turn
A magic missile is a glowing arrow, created and shot by magic, which does 2-7 (Id6+1) points of damage to any creature it strikes. It will automatically hit any visible target. For every 5 levels the caster has gained, he or she may shoot two more missiles when casting the spell. EXAMPLE: a 6th level magic-user may cast three missiles. These may be shot at one target, or the caster may choose to cast the missiles at different targets.

1e:
Magic Missile (Evocation)
Level: 1 Components: V, S
Range: 6” + 1”/level Casting Time: 1 segment
Duration: Special Saving Throw: None
Area of Effect: One or more creatures in a 10 square foot area
Explanation/Description: Use of the magic missile spell creates one or more magical missiles which dart forth from the magic-user’s fingertip and unerringly strike their target. Each missile does 2 to 5 hit points (d4 + 1) of damage. If the magic-user has multiple missile capability, he or she can have them strike a single target creature or several creatures, as desired. For each level of experience of the magic-user, the range of his or her magic missile extends 1” beyond the 6” base range. For every 2 levels of experience, the magic-user gains an additional missile, i.e. 2 at 3rd level, 3 at 5th level, 4 at 7th level, etc.

OE Greyhawk:
Magic Missile: This is a conjured missile equivalent to a magic arrow, and it does full damage (2–7 points) to any creature it strikes. For every five levels the magic-user has attained he may add an additional two missiles when employing this spell, so a 6th-level magic-user may cast three magic missiles at his target, an 11th level magic-user casts five, and so on. Range 15”.

1e MM was fun because it didn't cap at 5 missiles.

 

[TiQuinn]

For those of you that like Magic Missile as a Concentration breaker, what about Death Saves? Someone mentioned it earlier, but I don't think anyone answered.

If there is a couple characters down, can the big bad finish one off with two missiles and give the other two fails? Or do they both just get two fails?

 

[Swarmkeeper]

For those of you that like Magic Missile as a Concentration breaker, what about Death Saves? Someone mentioned it earlier, but I don't think anyone answered.

If there is a couple characters down, can the big bad finish one off with two missiles and give the other two fails? Or do they both just get two fails?

I’d go with each getting two fails b/c the missiles hit simultaneously so it’s akin to a single attack on each PC.

 

[FrogReaver]

Then it says a dart(singular) does 1d4+1. That language set up means that you roll damage separately for each individual dart.

That’s a major leap. Even if there was 1 damage roll it would still be true that a dart (singular) did 1d4+1 damage.

 

[Maxperson]

That’s a major leap. Even if there was 1 damage roll it would still be true that a dart (singular) did 1d4+1 damage.

No. It would be true that all three darts(plural) did that damage. For it to be true that each singular dart does 1d4+1 damage, you need to roll separately.

The language as it is written, in the context that it is written in, is to roll the damage separately.

 

[FrogReaver]

No. It would be true that all three darts(plural) did that damage. For it to be true that each singular dart does 1d4+1 damage, you need to roll separately.

The language as it is written, in the context that it is written in, is to roll the damage separately.

Whether you roll once or for each dart, each dart does 1d4+1 damage. You are making a huge leap.