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.

 

[SpiffyOne]

I assumed that 'thrown' weapons were Strength to hit & Strength to damage based on the weapon description in the PHB. This makes it sounds like it Dexterity/Dexterity as well. That's unfortunate IMO. It makes Strength even less useful.

 

[jaelis]

I assumed that 'thrown' weapons were Strength to hit & Strength to damage based on the weapon description in the PHB. This makes it sounds like it Dexterity/Dexterity as well. That's unfortunate IMO. It makes Strength even less useful.

No, you were correct. As he says, specific game mechanics can change the general rules, and thrown weapons (like finesse weapons) are one of those cases.

 

[SpiffyOne]

No, you were correct. As he says, specific game mechanics can change the general rules, and thrown weapons (like finesse weapons) are one of those cases.

Thanks for the clarification! I don't have the book at work with me!

 

[AaronOfBarbaria]

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.

A thrown weapon that appears on the melee weapon table is always a melee weapon, whether making ranged attacks with it or not - so you use Strength for attack and damage unless an exception is made (such as the finesse property, which allows the choice of Dexterity instead)

A thrown weapon that appears on the ranged weapon table is always a ranged weapon - so you use Dexterity for attack and damage unless an exception is made (such as the finesse property, which allows the choice of Strength instead).

 

[Faenor]

Does anti-magic field cause a beholder to lose its fly speed and go plop on the ground? Should we calculate whether a dragon's wings actually provide enough lift for it to fly without some magical element? Certainly a nalfeshne's wings wouldn't work. How about every other kind of undead? Do they rag doll in an anti-magic field? How about any kind of construct?

Just to be clear, my opinion is that no, anti magic field doesn't do any of that.

 

[NotActuallyTim]

Does anti-magic field cause a beholder to lose its fly speed and go plop on the ground? Should we calculate whether a dragon's wings actually provide enough lift for it to fly without some magical element? Certainly a nalfeshne's wings wouldn't work. How about every other kind of undead? Do they rag doll in an anti-magic field? How about any kind of construct?

They absolutely do. NO FIGHTING IN THE WAR ROOM! NO MAGIC IN THE ANTI MAGIC FIELD!

 

[Jester David]

So by this article's logic, a Sun Soul Monk loses Radiant Sun Bolt in an antimagic field, but can still throw kamehamehas and use its 17th level ability?

Hmmmm...Something's not adding up right...

Sage Advice is about rules, but 5e is about rulings. The game is simple and light weight, which means the rules cannot and will not cover everything. (Because no system can.)
It's up to the DM to adjudicate.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Are you saying the undead aren't magic?

I was under the impression that undeath is friendship.

Yes. Dispell magic also doesn´t work.

 

[jaelis]

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.

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. And it is an attack with a weapon, so I guess it is a ranged weapon attack. But yes, it does use a melee weapon for the job You can make a melee weapon attack with a ranged weapon too, when you bash someone with your bow.

I guess you are reading it like (ranged weapon) attack, but I'm pretty sure it should be ranged (weapon attack).

At any rate, the important thing here is that there is no doubt you use your Str mod when you throw a hammer.

 

[dave2008]

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. And it is an attack with a weapon, so I guess it is a ranged weapon attack. But yes, it does use a melee weapon for the job You can make a melee weapon attack with a ranged weapon too, when you bash someone with your bow.

I guess you are reading it like (ranged weapon) attack, but I'm pretty sure it should be ranged (weapon attack).

At any rate, the important thing here is that there is no doubt you use your Str mod when you throw a hammer.

No, they clarified this earlier I believe and AoB is correct. It is a (ranged weapon) attack, unless of course I am remembering incorrectly