D&D 5E (2024) Tremorsense and Incorporeal Creatures

[EzekielRaiden]

This is consistent with the D&D 5E SRD, which clarified: Tremorsense can’t be used to detect flying or incorporeal creatures.



An incorporeal creature "has no body." In essence, it has nothing that would cause a vibration in the ground or otherwise create the movement necessary for an ability that by its very name senses "tremors" (aka a slight earthquake). Its ability to pass through solid objects does not make it cease to be incorporeal. With a rule saying otherwise, it's always incorporeal and can't be detected by a sense designed to detect earth movement.

I would say that the in-the-moment ruling was a reasonable "let's get going" choice, but that you are correct for the long-term, and it's best to tell the players this ASAP so that they can use that knowledge when making choices in the future.