Sage Advice: Sneak Attacks, Breath Weapons, and Magic Weapons

The month's Sage Advice column by WotC's Jeremy Crawford covers the rogue's sneak attacks, ability modifiers to use with attack roles, and answers the questions "does anti-magic field work on a dragon's breath weapon?" (no), and "do magic weapons automatically give you bonus to both attack and damage rolls?" (only if it says so in the description).

The Sage Advice Compendium PDF has been updated to include this information. You can read the current column here.

 

[jaelis]

Per the Sage:

What does “melee weapon attack” mean: a melee attack with a weapon or an attack with a melee weapon?
It means a melee attack with a weapon. Similarly, “ranged weapon attack” means a ranged attack with a weapon.

So if you make a ranged attack with any weapon, it is a ranged weapon attack.

 

[AaronOfBarbaria]

It says "If a weapon has the thrown property, you can throw the weapon to make a ranged attack." So that says it is indeed a ranged attack.

My clarification was to show that what you say here that I have quoted is distinctly different from "If a weapon has the thrown property, it is treated as a ranged weapon when you throw it and make a ranged attack."

The type of weapon (read: melee weapon or ranged weapon) is not inherently tied to the type of attack (read: melee weapon attack or ranged weapon attack).

This is why thrown weapons aren't an exception to the general rules, and why features like the Archery fighting style don't apply to melee thrown weapons like daggers and handaxes but the Dueling fighting style does apply to them even if they are used to make ranged attacks, and conversely ranged thrown weapons like darts can benefit from the Archery fighting style and not the Dueling fighting style.

 

[Sunseeker]

Are you saying the undead aren't magic?

I was under the impression that undeath is friendship.

I think it's more of "is the magic animating the undead an active magic effect" or has the magic already been spent, and now it's a passive magical effect. Because that seems to be their differentiation here.

 

[jaelis]

My clarification was to show that what you say here that I have quoted is distinctly different from "If a weapon has the thrown property, it is treated as a ranged weapon when you throw it and make a ranged attack."

The type of weapon (read: melee weapon or ranged weapon) is not inherently tied to the type of attack (read: melee weapon attack or ranged weapon attack).

This is why thrown weapons aren't an exception to the general rules, and why features like the Archery fighting style don't apply to melee thrown weapons like daggers and handaxes but the Dueling fighting style does apply to them even if they are used to make ranged attacks, and conversely ranged thrown weapons like darts can benefit from the Archery fighting style and not the Dueling fighting style.

OK. I guess it was just confusing when you said "Thrown weapons aren't actually an example of a specific exception to the general rules - they are just evidence that a ranged attack with a weapon is not always a ranged weapon attack."

As noted, a ranged attack with a weapon is in fact a ranged weapon attack (unless specifically noted, I suppose.) And as such it would use Dex unless there is a specific rule saying not to.

 

[AaronOfBarbaria]

OK. I guess it was just confusing when you said "Thrown weapons aren't actually an example of a specific exception to the general rules - they are just evidence that a ranged attack with a weapon is not always a ranged weapon attack."

As noted, a ranged attack with a weapon is in fact a ranged weapon attack (unless specifically noted, I suppose.)

Yes, I see now that when I said "ranged weapon attack" I didn't apply emphasis to show more clearly that I was meaning an attack made with a ranged weapon.

 

[dave2008]

Per the Sage:

So if you make a ranged attack with any weapon, it is a ranged weapon attack.

Thanks! I had it backwards as usual

 

[jaelis]

Thanks! I had it backwards as usual

Well its not like the usage is sparklingly clear in this case

 

[Greenstone.Walker]

As noted, a ranged attack with a weapon is in fact a ranged weapon attack (unless specifically noted, I suppose.) And as such it would use Dex unless there is a specific rule saying not to.

It depends on the weapon.

Melee Weapons (as listed on the weapon table) use STR, both when whacking with them (a [melee weapon attack]) and throwing them (a [ranged weapon attack]). There are exceptions, like the finesse property.

Ranged Weapons use DEX, when making a [ranged weapon attack].

 

[jaelis]

No, that's not how it works This month's Sage Advice spells out explicitly that the general rule is: ranged weapon attacks use dexterity. The type of weapon (melee vs ranged) isn't directly relevant. Of course, thrown weapons have a specific rule saying you can use Strength. But if you threw a longsword at someone, you would need to use Dex.

 

[Psikerlord#]

hmm I am inclined to say a breath weapon is magical, it's just too.... tangible.

I think undead etc are fine - once they're raised, the magic is finished, and they are self sustained.

I think the anti-magic field spell should simply not exist. Use dispel magic, counterspell, or you;'re out of luck.