D&D 5E Would you marry a party member for +2 AC?

[Gavin O.]

in Xanathar's Guide they introduced a spell called Ceremony, which among other things, allows you to bond humanoids in marriage, and for the next 7 days, any creature so bonded gains +2 AC while they're within 30 feet of a creature they married. The effect lasts seven days and can't be repeated unless your partner(s) die.

So I wonder, have you ever DMed or been in a group where two party members used this spell to marry? Was it tactical for the +2 AC or did they do it for roleplaying reasons? If one of your party members asked you to marry them in anticipation of a very tough week of fighting, would you?

 

[Kobold Stew]

It is a silly, poorly conceived spell.

I would never use it.

 

[Hexmage-EN]

Yeah, there were some spells in Xanathar's I thought were pretty cool, but Ceremony in particular is bizarre. It reminded me why 4E focused on combat applicable spells and made everything else rituals and made me wish the designers would largely keep to that.

 

[DeanP]

If I marry the entire party, does the bonus stack?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

If I marry the entire party, does the bonus stack?

It IS a solid argument for polygamy.

 

[Mouseferatu]

"We're a committed adventuring party. We practice poly-armory."

 

[Sunseeker]

It IS a solid argument for polygamy.

Stacking is always a solid argument.

 

[Sunseeker]

Seriously though, what the heck were the devs thinking with this?

It's not just dumb but it's kinda offensive.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

"We're a committed adventuring party. We practice poly-armory."

Making them...the PolygArmy, right?

Side note: suddenly, those mass weddings by modern cult leaders take on a different perspective.

 

[Eltab]

If you want to use this spell, be ready to outlaw divorce. Because otherwise there will be battlefield marriages followed by PvP of the weakened survivors.

 

[Eltab]

Seriously though, what the heck were the devs thinking with this?

There was a whole 'nother thread about how to abuse this spell or completely wreck cultural norms by using it to optimize your character.

 

[Sunseeker]

There was a whole 'nother thread about how to abuse this spell or completely wreck cultural norms by using it to optimize your character.

I musta missed that.

 

[Nevvur]

Polymorph insect into humanoid.

Marry humanoid.

End polymorph.

Enjoy buff.

 

[flametitan]

I musta missed that.

The only one I can think of off the top of my head was for Pathfinder, though most of its commentary would be relevant to the D&D spell too.

 

[Riley37]

Polymorph insect into humanoid.

Marry humanoid.

End polymorph.

Enjoy buff.

True Polymorph is a high requirement, and regular Polymorph could only turn the insect into a beast.

Is it THAT hard to find a willing humanoid?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

True Polymorph is a high requirement, and regular Polymorph could only turn the insect into a beast.

Is it THAT hard to find a willing humanoid?

Have you seen smelled the prospective groom?

 

[cbwjm]

Pretty sure this bonus is just so that the married couple can survive the honeymoon.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Pretty sure this bonus is just so that the married couple can survive the honeymoon.

He probably needed it...

 

[Raith5]

Pretty sure this bonus is just so that the married couple can survive the honeymoon.

Yep. Because of bounded accuracy they decreased the 7 year itch into the 7 day itch.

 

[Giltonio_Santos]

Never used it, but I don't think it's that bad. My players are free to use it if they want to. Exploiting its mechanic would have no consequence besides those already applying to any abuse of magic granted by the gods. After all, in a world where part of the clergy can work real magic, why wouldn't they weave some of it in a rite of marriage? For the effect (+2 to AC), I'd probably use something else if I was designing the spell, but I'm ok witht their design choice.