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.

 

[Pauper]

Just Unfollow Jeremy Crawford on Twitter.

I don't follow Crawford on Twitter, yet I find his tweets inescapable, especially on these boards.

--
Pauper

 

[Pauper]

phb 146 every weapon is classified as a melee weapon or a ranged weapon.

Correct, but not really relevant. You can make a melee weapon attack without using a weapon. Depending on how you interpret the improvised weapon rules**, you can make a ranged weapon attack without using a weapon.

'Melee weapon attack' simply means 'unless something tells you otherwise, use Strength for the attack and damage rolls for this attack'. The weapon you're using, if any, might tell you otherwise (such as using a finesse weapon to make a melee weapon attack).

This kind of terminology confusion is unfortunately traditional in D&D ("what do you mean I have to be a 3rd level caster to cast a 2nd level spell? it's a 2nd level spell!").

** - The rules for improvised weapons say that you can use an object to make a melee or ranged weapon attack; however, the implication is that you only consider the object a weapon (allowing the character to apply a proficiency bonus to the attack roll) if it resembles a weapon enough to qualify as a version of that weapon. If you don't add proficiency to the attack, then the object shouldn't be considered a weapon, because the idea that you're using a weapon but can't add your proficiency bonus to that weapon strains against other rules.

--
Pauper

 

[Faenor]

Your table makes that line from phb 146 not true. Every weapon is classified as either a melee weapon or a ranged weapon. The wording is not 'every weapon is classified as a melee weapon or a ranged weapon depending on whether you use it to make a melee attacks or a ranged attack.' Sage advice wording maintains consistency with the wording in the phb.

 

[Faenor]

Oh, I'm sorry, that was someone else with the table.

But anyway, as soon as you say the rule makes an implication, then you are misunderstanding what rules are. The words of the rules are what's true. If the words don't say it, then it's not true. All the words, read together, including the headings, are the rules. If there is a true error, then it's errata. If there is a significant number of people not using the rules correctly, then sage advice comes up with other words that help people play the game as the rules already state.

 

[Hriston]

Your table makes that line from phb 146 not true. Every weapon is classified as either a melee weapon or a ranged weapon. The wording is not 'every weapon is classified as a melee weapon or a ranged weapon depending on whether you use it to make a melee attacks or a ranged attack.' Sage advice wording maintains consistency with the wording in the phb.

At the risk of repeating myself, here's the thing about my table. It makes no mention of what classification of weapon you're using. It only refers to the type of attack you're making. You're correct in saying that the type of attack doesn't change the type of weapon. The table doesn't say that it does. If you think that's what it says, then I suggest you go back and look at it again.

The reason the table makes no reference to the type of weapon you're using is because it's actually irrelevant to what ability modifier to use unless the individual weapon has a property that creates an exception to the rule that MWAs use Strength and RWAs use Dex. The use of the term Ranged Weapon Attack on the table in no way implies use of a ranged weapon. You can make a RWA with a melee weapon. The use of the term Melee Weapon Attack on the table in no way implies the use of a melee weapon. You can make a MWA with a ranged weapon.

 

[Faenor]

Quote to me the rule that says those two things. Or four things, depending how you are counting

 

[Hriston]

That says what exactly?

edit: This is in response to the original question, "Quote to me the rule that says so."

 

[Faenor]

Your two sentences that start with 'you can'. What words in the phb are those assertions based on?

 

[jaelis]

Your two sentences that start with 'you can'. What words in the phb are those assertions based on?

Basic rules pg 47:

"If a weapon has the thrown property, you can throw the weapon to make a ranged attack. If the weapon is a melee weapon, you use the same ability modifier for that attack roll and damage roll that you would use for a melee attack with the weapon."

"If a character uses a ranged weapon to make a melee attack, or throws a melee weapon that does not have the thrown property, it also deals 1d4 damage."

 

[Noctem]

You can't. The only way to make a Melee Weapon Attack with a Ranged Weapon is to make an Improvised Melee Attack. The same goes for making a Ranged Weapon Attack with a Melee Weapon.

There seems to be some confusion as to what the words (or rather keywords as established in 5e) mean. Hriston is not using them as they are defined in 5e and Faenor (understandably) is confused as to why they are being used if not for their defined meaning if they are going to be brought up in a rules discussion. So am I.