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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Arial Black" data-source="post: 6770073" data-attributes="member: 6799649">The quoted section tells us how to resolve a single attack. It does not mention how to resolve multiple attacks, one way or another, because that is not the purpose of this section of the rules.Although each attack must obey that sequence in order of steps 1, 2 and 3, there is absolutely no problem with simultaneously resolving multiple attacks, just so long as each attack follows those same steps in order 1, 2, 3.The thing that defines these bolts as simultaneous is the duration of the spell: instantaneous. The spell energy-the bolts-come and go in an instant. The amount of time covered by an instantaneous spell is infinitesimal.In common speech, an infinitesimal amount of time is an amount of time that is smaller than any feasible measurement, but non-zero; so small that it cannot be distinguished from zero by any available means.While physicists may refer to Planck Units, gamers need not. All gamers need to know is that there is no useable time during 'instantaneous'; there is simply a before and an after.Since the spell comes and goes in an instant, you cannot shoot one bolt, see what it does to the target, and then use that information to decide who to target with the next bolt from the same instantaneous spell.It also means that there is no measurable delay between bolts as they hit the same target. That target is at point A, and there is no measurable time that elapses between the first bolt and the second. Each bolt does what it says, and moves the target 10 feet behind where it was when the bolt hit, and both bolts hit it when it is at point A.To do otherwise, you have to change the rules. You either have to change 'instantaneous' to be a length of time long enough to measure (which by definition would not be 'instantaneous'), or add words to Repelling Blast to make it move the target back by 10 feet for each bolt that hits (which it doesn't say), rather than by 10 feet if this casting of eldritch blast hits (which is what it does say).Crawford acknowledged that Repelling Blast can push a target beyond the range of subsequent beams, but the other bolts from the same casting are not 'subsequent', because all the bolts from one casting exist in the same instant. The spell doesn't last for several instants over the course of a round (that would be a '1 round' duration); the entire spell lasts for but a single instant. That's why the bolts are simultaneous. It would be redundant to add that you have to choose all targets before you resolve any of them, because the duration of instantaneous already means that. Still, sometimes they add redundant language just to be sure we understand, like with magic missile over the editions, just like scorching ray in 3.5 and PF. 5E dropped the redundant language for scorching ray, but they didn't change what 'instantaneous' means, not how this spell works. 5E trusts us to understand....which is one big drawback of 5E, as demonstrated by threads such as this one. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /></blockquote>

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