D&D 5E Misty Step in manacles?

[Imaculata]

I would always lean towards what is the most fun, and promotes clever use of spells.

 

[thekindgm]

If a character casts Misty Step while in manacles (verbal only spell), what happens? Do they teleport with the manacles on? Or do they drop to the ground?

What if the character is chained to a wall?

If the manacles are bolted on a surface I'd rule the character can teleport out of them.
If not, I'd have the player roll an Arcana check along with casting the spell, in order to be freed from them.

 

[Gardens & Goblins]

I believe this is why we have iron buckets as part of our Bag & Tag wizard hunting operation. They even come with chin straps. Well, bars...

 

[Shiroiken]

If the manacles are bolted on a surface I'd rule the character can teleport out of them.
If not, I'd have the player roll an Arcana check along with casting the spell, in order to be freed from them.

This makes the most sense to me. If the caster can figure out how to finagle the magic, they can leave undesired items behind. I'd probably make it a significant DC (15, maybe 20) based on the complexity of the object they're trying to leave behind.

 

[jaelis]

I'd let it work. In part because otherwise feels like screwing with the player, but also because I definitely think you can teleport out of a grapple without carrying the grappler along with you. And that seems kind of similar.

 

[Corpsetaker]

I would always lean towards what is the most fun, and promotes clever use of spells.

You actually have to be careful with this because it could come back and bite you in the bottom. The problem here is these clever actions can lead to loads of complications that can either bog the game down or actually wreck it.

Once you start allowing these things there really is no going back because players get angry. It's always best to keep it simple and use a bit of common sense.

 

[Corpsetaker]

I'd let it work. In part because otherwise feels like screwing with the player.

This is something I have a lot of trouble with. How exactly is this screwing the player? Sometimes things just doesn't always work out and the character does get screwed. A good player will just shrug his shoulders and find another way to get out.

 

[jaelis]

This is something I have a lot of trouble with. How exactly is this screwing the player? Sometimes things just doesn't always work out and the character does get screwed. A good player will just shrug his shoulders and find another way to get out.

Teleporting out of restraints is a pretty standard fantasy (and sci fi) trope. The player prepared the spell and burned a slot to cast it in the reasonable assumption that it would work. Saying it doesn't work feels like you're just arbitrarily saying "no."

If you've talked this over with your players ahead of time ("Here's how teleports work: any non-living object touching to your body but not physically attached to a larger fixed object comes with you.") then of course this is not an issue.

But in that case, you oughtn't be surprised if players to try to game your ruling. (Perhaps, I touch the bad guy's sword and then cast misty step.)

 

[Waterbizkit]

I'm more or less going with the majority, from what I can tell, on this one: if they're shackled to a wall or in a grapple or a similar situation I'd rule the spell allows them to escape. If they're wearing the manacles or a similarly restraining object that could travel with them, it does. The spell still has a significant number of excellent uses without it providing an easy way out of handcuffs or a straitjacket.

That's just my ruling though.

 

[AntiStateQuixote]

The spell doesn't specify. Personally I think the way that makes the most sense is that the caster chooses what teleports with them.

I would always lean towards what is the most fun, and promotes clever use of spells.

Teleporting out of restraints is a pretty standard fantasy (and sci fi) trope. The player prepared the spell and burned a slot to cast it in the reasonable assumption that it would work. Saying it doesn't work feels like you're just arbitrarily saying "no."

All of the above.

No clarity in spell description ... rulings, not rules. It's probably more fun for the character to not be manacled. It's a very common trope.

Let the players play with their toys and enjoy them.