D&D 5E messy's 5e newbie questions thread

[Sword of Spirit]

92. The spell doesn’t have to be a melee spell, or even an attack spell. However, it looks to me like it should still occur right before the creature leaves your reach, which means a ranged attack roll would have disadvantage unless you have extra reach, and if you put a spell on your target that damages adjacent creatures it would damage you.

93. They don‘t have to abide by the restrictions of the Martial Arts feature unless they want the benefits of it. For instance, there is nothing stopping you from using Flurry of Blows with a maul or a glaive while wearing plate armor if you wish.

94. Flesh to Stone is permanent until dispelled if the target fails to break out of the spell (by succeeding on three saves) and the caster maintains concentration for the full minute. Polymorph isn’t permanent, but True Polymorph is a 9th level spell that is permanent if the target fails their save and the caster maintains concentration for the full hour.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

92. Does the opportunity attack granted by the war caster feat have to be a melee spell attack (like shocking grasp) or can it be a ranged spell attack (like fire bolt)?/

No, any spell that targets only that creature is eligible. It could be melee, ranged, saving throw or automatic effect. If your target is at 5 ft. ranged attack spells will have disadvantage.

93. Do any of the monk’s abilities require use with martial arts? Or, for example, can a monk use flurry of blows after making a (non-monk) weapon attack?

Flurry of Blows doesn't, the text just says "take the attack action". You could shoot someone with a bow then kick someone if the head if you like.

Stunning Strike specifies "melee weapon attack", so any kind of melee weapon will do. Ki-Empowered strikes only works with your unarmed strikes though. I haven't been through every subclass ability, so I can't say for sure that there are none at all.

 

[Benjamin Olson]

93. Do any of the monk’s abilities require use with martial arts? Or, for example, can a monk use flurry of blows after making a (non-monk) weapon attack?

Generally only the abilities within the Martial Arts feature are technically restricted by Martial Arts. These abilities are DEX based attacks, martial arts die, and the (single) unarmed strike bonus action. Just be cautious that other features may be optimized for the Dex-based attacks and martial arts die.

So, while a Monk with, say, a heavy crossbow could not follow up his heavy crossbow attack with a single unarmed strike bonus action attack, he could still use Flurry of Blows to make two bonus action unarmed strikes after attacking with such a weapon. Beware, however, that he no longer gets the benefits of his unarmed strikes being Dex-based or using a martial arts die, so without other class, racial, or feat features these two unarmed strikes will do the default unarmed 1+Strength Mod damage.

Similarly a Monk wearing armor, using a shield, or wielding a non-monk weapon can still deflect missiles, but if they choose to throw them back they don't gain the benefits of it being Dex-based or using the martial arts die, so a caught arrow would just be an improvised thrown weapon doing 1d4+Strength Mod damage.

 

[messy]

95. Why do some circumstances (such as cover, hide in plain sight, and pass without trace) provide a fixed bonus rather than advantage/disadvantage? These seem like perfect opportunities to use the new mechanic.

96. Ability score modifications due to age seem to have been left out of the PHB. What’s the deal?

97. Is the fire bolt cantrip a Harry Potter reference?

 

[Charlaquin]

95. Why do some circumstances (such as cover, hide in plain sight, and pass without trace) provide a fixed bonus rather than advantage/disadvantage? These seem like perfect opportunities to use the new mechanic.

So they can stack with advantage (which does not stack with itself)

96. Ability score modifications due to age seem to have been left out of the PHB. What’s the deal?

People want to be able to play older characters without having their physical stats penalized.

97. Is the fire bolt cantrip a Harry Potter reference?

No

 

[MarkB]

97. Is the fire bolt cantrip a Harry Potter reference?

No, it's mostly so that when everyone's stuck into close-quarters combat, and the wizard quickly exclaims "I cast firebolt at the bandit leader", you get to see the rest of the players reflexively duck before they realise he didn't say "fireball".