How many hit points is in an arcane ward?

[NecroDancer]

I'm confused by the writing of this ability. At 2nd level an abjuration wizard gets an arcane ward, does the ward have HP equal to 2x (the wizard level + your intelligence modifier) or is it 2x (the wizard level) + your intelligence modifier?

I really need this to be clarified for an upcoming game

[Kane0]

I do believe it is (2x Wiz level) + Int mod
D&D is weird sometimes with its refusal (or inability) to clarify things (see 'level'), especially in relation to math (see 'THAC0').

[Occasional Sage]

I do believe it is (2x Wiz level) + Int mod
D&D is weird sometimes with its refusal (or inability) to clarify things (see 'level'), especially in relation to math (see 'THAC0').

ho needs THAC0 clarified when Dragon published this amazing tool (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-E52JdLj-ea4/T59kZE0lGnI/AAAAAAAABr0/XKo7AMwC5dg/s400/wheel+front.JPG)?

[Plaguescarred]

I'm confused by the writing of this ability. At 2nd level an abjuration wizard gets an arcane ward, does the ward have HP equal to 2x (the wizard level + your intelligence modifier) or is it 2x (the wizard level) + your intelligence modifier?

I really need this to be clarified for an upcoming gameSince in mathematics order of operations multiplication precedes addition without parentheses, then it should be 2x (the wizard level) + your intelligence modifier.

[NecroDancer]

Thanks for the help, I'm glad that I didn't misinterpret that rule or my DM would of been pissed.

[Vogonjeltz]

Thanks for the help, I'm glad that I didn't misinterpret that rule or my DM would of been pissed.

For future reference try applying PEMDAS (parentheses, exponents, multiplication, division, addition, subtraction).

[NecroDancer]

For future reference try applying PEMDAS (parentheses, exponents, multiplication, division, addition, subtraction).

I was just double checking, the rules are written poorly. 5e is a great system that was poorly transcribed

[Vogonjeltz]

I was just double checking, the rules are written poorly. 5e is a great system that was poorly transcribed

"The ward has hit points equal to to twice your wizard level + your Intelligence modifier." - PHB 115

There is nothing wrong with the way that is written.

[Kane0]

That depends heavily on your first language, your proficiency in English and your grasp of math. What might be obvious to some is outright bizarre to others.

[Toadkiller]

You know what? Regardless of what the question is, if you're not sure the smart thing to do is ask for clarification. It's all good.

[Vogonjeltz]

That depends heavily on your first language, your proficiency in English and your grasp of math. What might be obvious to some is outright bizarre to others.

The level of the entire universe of reader's language capabilities is neither reliable nor useful metric for determining when something is well written, only the system being employed.

Ok, let me caveat as: It's well written in english.

If it's poorly written in the esperanto version (if there is one) I couldn't speak to that, but my ability or inability to comprehend esperanto doesn't have relevance to how well the writing would be.

Given that the poster didn't mention anything about reading the text in a language other than english, it's not unreasonable to assume that was the version up for discussion.

I did start by mentioning that referencing PEMDAS so they wouldn't run into that problem later on. If the intent was to double the ability modifier as well, then it would be poorly written as the intent would not match the writing.

[MaxWilson]

Ok, let me caveat as: It's well written in english.

No, it isn't. A well-written sentence does everything it can to remove ambiguity, which occasionally means rewriting a grammatically-correct sentence to be less ambiguous.

A better version:

"The ward has hit points equal to your Intelligence modifiers + twice your wizard level." Same info, no ambiguity.

[Ruslan]

I have to agree, it is poorly written. While it does convey all the information it needs to convey, extracting this information from book to brain requires a bit of parsing and is slightly error-prone.


A better version:

"The ward has hit points equal to your Intelligence modifiers + twice your wizard level."We have a winner.

[MrStabby]

Also order of operations only helps understand it if it was in the author's head when it was written. It is a rule which, if universally applied, should give a consistent reading but that is all.