D&D 5E (2024) Wizard vs Sorcerer (a Campaign Experience)

[Zardnaar]

I really think the pseudo dragon ability can be classified as an attack.

An unarmed strike that initiates a grapple also has no attack roll.

It is not about not telling players, it is about having a serious talk and tell them that you think that ability fell victim to the 2024 conversion sloppiness.

My players dont really go for pact of chain. Never seen one in 12 years.

They ain't see interaction between it and summon undead. They dont really know about the weapon cantrips, spirit shroud or shadow blade.

Well 1 sorta does but its also not her thing. She did use spirit shroud.

 

[ECMO3]

I really think the pseudo dragon ability can be classified as an attack.

An unarmed strike that initiates a grapple also has no attack roll.

The 2024 Monster Manual clearly identifies a specific "Attack Notation" and a "Saving Throw Effect Notation" which designate different types of actions as defined in the beginning of the MM. The attack notation includes the option for other effects. The entry for the Pseudodragon Sting clearly follows the syntax for the "Saving Throw Effect Notation" and it was changed from the 2014 MM. This compares with the Pseudodragon Bite and other things like the Quasit poisoning Rend and the Sprite Enchanting Bow which all use the "Attack Notation".

The MM further specifies a "monster’s attack identifies whether the attack is a melee or a ranged attack" and the Pseudodragon Sting entry provides neither of these, while those other examples all do. Unarmed Strike in the PHB is also defined as a "melee attack".

It is not about not telling players, it is about having a serious talk and tell them that you think that ability fell victim to the 2024 conversion sloppiness.

I don't think it did fall victim to sloppiness. 2014 Sting was an attack and was explicitly changed in 2024 to NOT be an attack. It is hard for me to believe they would go through the effort to change it if it was not purposeful.

If it is an oversight, I find it more likely that it is an oversight in the Warlock Invocation section or spell description which do not provide more limiting verbiage on actions. However, then we would need to assume it is intended to restrict other things like Quasit Scare and Sprite Heartsight as well, and I don't think it is.

 

[ECMO3]

My players dont really go for pact of chain. Never seen one in 12 years.

I have seen a lot of them ..... but I think all of them were played by me