Shining Wrath
2017-03-03, 10:01 PM
The spell Freedom of Movement is described thus (5e SRD):
Freedom of Movement
4th-level abjuration
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (a leather strap, bound around the arm or a similar appendage)
Duration: 1 hour
You touch a willing creature. For the duration, the target’s movement is unaffected by difficult terrain, and spells and other magical effects can neither reduce the target’s speed nor cause the target to be paralyzed or restrained.
The target can also spend 5 feet of movement to automatically escape from nonmagical restraints, such as manacles or a creature that has it grappled. Finally, being underwater imposes no penalties on the target’s movement or attacks
Suppose a cleric was prepared with a leather strap bound around the arm beneath their armor. Could such a cleric, if manacled by a foe during combat, cast the spell? It is clearly designed to help escape from manacles, and arguably the somatic component is merely touching the target of the spell, which is still possible.
How would you rule this?
Freedom of Movement
4th-level abjuration
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (a leather strap, bound around the arm or a similar appendage)
Duration: 1 hour
You touch a willing creature. For the duration, the target’s movement is unaffected by difficult terrain, and spells and other magical effects can neither reduce the target’s speed nor cause the target to be paralyzed or restrained.
The target can also spend 5 feet of movement to automatically escape from nonmagical restraints, such as manacles or a creature that has it grappled. Finally, being underwater imposes no penalties on the target’s movement or attacks
Suppose a cleric was prepared with a leather strap bound around the arm beneath their armor. Could such a cleric, if manacled by a foe during combat, cast the spell? It is clearly designed to help escape from manacles, and arguably the somatic component is merely touching the target of the spell, which is still possible.
How would you rule this?