D&D 5E Twinned Elemental Affinity

[Zinnger]

Okay, we now know that Elemental Affinity only works on ONE damage roll for a spell. So now the question has come up about a Twinned Spell. How is this handled? Do you: (1) Cast the spell, Twin it, and roll one to hit for the two targets and then roll one damage for the two which would include the additional damage from Elemental Affinity? (2) Cast the spell, Twin it, and roll two separate attack rolls for the two targets and then roll one damage for the two targets which includes the additional damage from Elemental Affinity? (3) Cast the spell, Twin it, and roll two separate attack rolls for the two targets and two separate damages for the two targets - choosing which of the two takes the additional damage from Elemental Affinity since this can only affect one damage roll for a spell? (4) Cast the spell, Twin it, and roll one attack to hit and use the same total for both targets and then roll two separate damages for the two targets - choosing which of the two takes the additional damage from Elemental Affinity since this can only affect one damage roll for a spell? We had been rolling everything separate until the player found out that the additional damage only applies to one roll. Now they want to use one damage roll (adding Elemental Affinity damage) and use this for both targets. Just wondering which is right and how others are dealing with this. Thanks in advance for any ideas.

 

[MoonSong]

I have more or less the same doubt, more so with scorching ray, how does it work ?

 

[IgnatiusJ.Reilly]

It's effectively the same spell. So, the same 'to-hit' roll, damage roll, etc. If Elemental Affinity applied to it initially, both targets would take the extra damage. I can't imagine it functioning any other way, at the moment anyway.

 

[MG.0]

I consider twinned spells entirely separate spells. My take is two separate attack rolls and separate damage rolls, with affinity applied to each.

Elemental affinity is supposed to represent the character being able to do increased damge with a particular type of magic because of his draconic heritage. From a common sense viewpoint, why would one of the twinned spells do something the other doesn't? Doesn't make sense to me.


Edit: Note that even if you view it as a single spell with a single to-hit and damage, common sense would suggest the elemental affinity would apply to both targets in that case too.

 

[Greenstone.Walker]

Twinned spell requires spending sorcery points (a long-rest replenishing resource), so I'm OK with ruling on the player's side. Add the CHA modifier once to the damage to both targets.

I prefer separate attack and damage rolls for each target (I like rolling lots of dice) but if a player wants to use the same damage roll and attack roll for both targets, I'm OK with that as well - but they have to decide before rolling any dice and if they choose one attack roll then that means one damage roll as well.

As for scorching ray, it can't be twinned.

 

[Coredump]

It is still one spell, but now with two targets.

Since damage is occuring at the same time, there is only 1 damage roll, and Ele Aff is added to both.


So at level 10, Firebolt is cast and twinned... you roll 2D10+Int and that damage applies to both targets.

 

[EvanNave55]

Okay, we now know that Elemental Affinity only works on ONE damage roll for a spell. So now the question has come up about a Twinned Spell. How is this handled? Do you: (1) Cast the spell, Twin it, and roll one to hit for the two targets and then roll one damage for the two which would include the additional damage from Elemental Affinity? (2) Cast the spell, Twin it, and roll two separate attack rolls for the two targets and then roll one damage for the two targets which includes the additional damage from Elemental Affinity? (3) Cast the spell, Twin it, and roll two separate attack rolls for the two targets and two separate damages for the two targets - choosing which of the two takes the additional damage from Elemental Affinity since this can only affect one damage roll for a spell? (4) Cast the spell, Twin it, and roll one attack to hit and use the same total for both targets and then roll two separate damages for the two targets - choosing which of the two takes the additional damage from Elemental Affinity since this can only affect one damage roll for a spell? We had been rolling everything separate until the player found out that the additional damage only applies to one roll. Now they want to use one damage roll (adding Elemental Affinity damage) and use this for both targets. Just wondering which is right and how others are dealing with this. Thanks in advance for any ideas.

I think twinned spells are a special case of one attack BECOMING two, so while I would normally say roll to hit and damage for both new attacks since its a special case youaff damage to both as well.

I have more or less the same doubt, more so with scorching ray, how does it work ?

Scorching ray however I view as one spell creating multiple original attacks seperate from one another so extra damage would apply to only one of those attacks.

 

[houser2112]

Elemental affinity is supposed to represent the character being able to do increased damge with a particular type of magic because of his draconic heritage. From a common sense viewpoint, why would one of the twinned spells do something the other doesn't? Doesn't make sense to me.

My common sense tells me that his draconic heritage makes his fire magic more potent no matter how many people he happens to hit with one particular casting of a spell. I hate this erratum.

 

[Zinnger]

Thanks everyone for your help. There is a lot of good wisdom here and I am happy to be a part of this group. I don't think it breaks anything for a twinned spell that uses up the limited supply of sorcery points to add the additional damage on two targets rather than just one. It seems the purpose of the twinned effect is to double the single spell by making an exact duplicate "twin" of the first. We will run it as two attack rolls but one damage roll for both targets which will include the Cha bonus.

Thanks again for the help and clarifications.

 

[Greenstone.Walker]

My common sense tells me that his draconic heritage makes his fire magic more potent no matter how many people he happens to hit with one particular casting of a spell. I hate this erratum.

I think the errata is to control how potent the spell is against one target, not many targets. Before the errata, if an 18 CHA sorcerer cast scorching ray and directed all beams at the same target, that is +12 damage. That is significantly better than all other 1st level spells.