Sage Advice 3/21/16 Exploding druids and antimagic field vs zombies and cure wounds

The answer to the druid and metal armor is excellent. Not so much the ruling itself, but the clear way it explains that classes have both story and game elements, and some classes have more story elements than others.

 

[Lost Soul]

Because at no other point does a game rule dictate what a PC does or does not like, or what they will or won't do. That's for the player to decide, not the rules.

(Except, for magical domination effects. Actually, ruling that druids won't wear metal armor because they are all magically dominated not to would be an interesting take on this ability. Maybe apply the penalties of the geas spell to a druid who wears metal armor...)

If that is true then why are rogues restricted to sneak attacks with ranged or finesse weapons only? There have been complaints about rogues not being able to use clubs and longswords to gain sneak attack. By your logic rogues attacking with any weapon allow a sneak attack because players not rules decide their actions

 

[Ganymede81]

If that is true then why are rogues restricted to sneak attacks with ranged or finesse weapons only? There have been complaints about rogues not being able to use clubs and longswords to gain sneak attack. By your logic rogues attacking with any weapon allow a sneak attack because players not rules decide their actions

Those situations, while both examples of rules put in place for fluff reasons as opposed to balance reasons (much like how rangers can't take the great weapon fighting style and how paladins can't take the dual weapon fighting style), are not analogous.

One describes what the PC can't do. The other describes what the PC won't do.

 

[Azzy]

View attachment 86692

 

[Lost Soul]

Those situations, while both examples of rules put in place for fluff reasons as opposed to balance reasons (much like how rangers can't take the great weapon fighting style and how paladins can't take the dual weapon fighting style), are not analogous.

One describes what the PC can't do. The other describes what the PC won't do.

I disagree. Scimitars were not considered finesse weapons in 3E where the concept was born. They were rolled into finesse weapons in 5E simply to accommodate a very popular dark elf fighter/ranger. Ergo, it makes complete sense that one handed weapons such as longswords and clubs which have been iconic rogue weapons since the class was called thief could always perform backstabs and sneak attacks. 5 E deliberately took away player choice though flimsy sneak attack logic but you are ok with that. Having druids face a similar penalty to uphold D&D tradition and continuity for druids is somehow illogical to you? Umm..ok. Your argument makes no sense since it should be player choice for what does & does not work for sneak attacks which is the EXACT same argument you are making for allowing druids to wear metal.

 

[Lost Soul]

View attachment 86692

Get lost Vecna you are only a God in the Ravenloft demiplane. This is 5E and we all know Forgotten Realms is the default setting. You have no power here

 

[Ganymede81]

I was pranked into contributing to a necro'd thread. What a rube.

 

[Azzy]

I was pranked into contributing to a necro'd thread. What a rube.

Eh, it happens (especially with the frequency of threads getting necro'd around here).

 

[Sword of Spirit]

I disagree. Scimitars were not considered finesse weapons in 3E where the concept was born. They were rolled into finesse weapons in 5E simply to accommodate a very popular dark elf fighter/ranger. Ergo, it makes complete sense that one handed weapons such as longswords and clubs which have been iconic rogue weapons since the class was called thief could always perform backstabs and sneak attacks. 5 E deliberately took away player choice though flimsy sneak attack logic but you are ok with that. Having druids face a similar penalty to uphold D&D tradition and continuity for druids is somehow illogical to you? Umm..ok. Your argument makes no sense since it should be player choice for what does & does not work for sneak attacks which is the EXACT same argument you are making for allowing druids to wear metal.

It's a different argument. Regardless of the reasons for the rules on sneak attacks (I think longswords should work myself), player agency is maintained because the restriction is mechanical with clear rules.

Rogue Player: "I sneak attack with a longsword."
DM: "You can attack with the longsword, but your Sneak Attack feature won't provide any bonus damage because it doesn't work with longswords"

This is a different situation from the following,

Druid Player: "I put on scale mail."
DM: "Your character wouldn't do that."

To take it even further, here is negotiation that might go on over the first one.

Rogue Player: "Okay, but I'm going to really try to hit them just right, making maximum use of my Dexterity. I'm going to lay an ambush and everything."
DM: "You do all of that, and I'm granting you advantage on your attack for that perfect setup. However, Sneak Attack only functions with certain weapons, and since you aren't using one, the damage it provides doesn't happen."

Compare that to the druid,

Druid Player: "My druid doesn't give a darn about the rules anymore. He's had enough of this life. Screw nature. I'm putting on the %*&^* armor."
DM: "Your character wouldn't do that."
Druid Player: "But I just did."
DM: "When you decided to play a druid, you decided to play a character who would absolutely never betray that restriction under any circumstances, therefore your character would not do that."
Druid Player: "Are you kidding me?"

Oath Breaker Paladin Player: "Wow, harsh."

 

[Yunru]

They're going through some pretty complex logic acrobatics to prevent you from destroying undead with dispel magic, when they had a better explanation in the same column: it's not a spell. If skeletons aren't held together with magic, the what the crap is holding them together?

The same thing that lets a Dragon fly.
They've been very clear that there's a difference between active magic, such as casting a spell, and passive magic, such as a dragon flying or undead being a thing.

 

[Nagol]

*edit*

NM, suckered into responding to necromancy.