Can a spell caster limit the effect of a spell? Can I purposely fail a saving throw?

[BloodOgre]

Can a spell caster limit the effect of a spell?

..For example, if I cast the Fire bolt cantrip, does it HAVE to do damage? Or can I limit it to just 1HP of damage? For example, I'm trying to get a another character's attention.

..Does the create bonfire cantrip HAVE to fill a 5 ft square? Maybe I just want to light a campfire. Can I make a fireball a 10 foot radius instead of a 20-foot radius?

..Can I shoot just one magic missile?

.. Can I create a wall 120 feet long and ten feet high instead of 60 feet long and 20 feet high?

And as for saving throws, can I or another character intentionally fail a saving throw? For example, a character wants me to levitate him, or wants to be held (hold person)?

[Provo]

RAW makes no exception for any of these, but it is up to the DM to decide if any of these are reasonable. My thoughts:

Cantrips: Yeah I'd say they should do damage, but it should be adjustable. Why should a level 5 caster suddenly forget how to do a weaker spell? Idletyou choose how many dice you roll (up to your max). If you choose 0 damage dice, you do 1 damage.

Spells lvl 1+: This is a bit more difficult. It would have to be judged on a case by case basis. Fireball for instance is supposed to be a little challenging to work with due to friendly fire risk. (In this case I'd say, less area=less damage too)

Saving throws: Is the character consciously resisting? Are they aware if they succeed/fail that something is amiss? If the answer to both of these is yes, then I'd allow intentional failure.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Can a spell caster limit the effect of a spell?

..For example, if I cast the Fire bolt cantrip, does it HAVE to do damage? Or can I limit it to just 1HP of damage? For example, I'm trying to get a another character's attention.

..Does the create bonfire cantrip HAVE to fill a 5 ft square? Maybe I just want to light a campfire. Can I make a fireball a 10 foot radius instead of a 20-foot radius?

..Can I shoot just one magic missile?

.. Can I create a wall 120 feet long and ten feet high instead of 60 feet long and 20 feet high?

And as for saving throws, can I or another character intentionally fail a saving throw? For example, a character wants me to levitate him, or wants to be held (hold person)?


Yes, it will always cause damage. The spell says that it causes that much damage, therefore it does. This could be a case for prestidigitation or thaumaturgy, however (just trying to catch their attention, as prestidigitation specifically calls out being able to light or snuff a candle)
Again, the spell description states what the spell does. For the fire, try prestidigitation, and you cannot "shrink" fireball without some sort of ability.
RAW? No. The spell creates 3 darts, and each hits a creature that you target within range.
This is covered under the spell again. It has two shapes - the previously mentioned wall and a circular wall. It cannot take any other form, unless you have an ability that specifies otherwise.

[PhoenixPhyre]

By the text, no to all questions. Anything else is up to the DM.

Personally,

1) No. Spells do exactly what they say--nothing more, nothing less.
2) No. Spells do exactly what they say--nothing more, nothing less.
3) No. Spells do exactly what they say--nothing more, nothing less.
4) No. Spells do exactly what they say--nothing more, nothing less.

For both of these--it's like saying that I want to sing an A above middle C, but at 250 Hz instead of 440 Hz. Sorry, that's not how it works. For whatever reason, spells aren't adjustable. They're fixed effects except as explicitly specified in the spell text. Doing otherwise invites lots of meta-game thinking and exploitation.

5) Maybe. Something like banish (target: self) as an emergency plane shift for a planar traveler I'd probably let fly. Most other things that provoke saving throws aren't for use on a friendly target as a general rule.

[Dudewithknives]

Can a spell caster limit the effect of a spell?

..For example, if I cast the Fire bolt cantrip, does it HAVE to do damage? Or can I limit it to just 1HP of damage? For example, I'm trying to get a another character's attention.

..Does the create bonfire cantrip HAVE to fill a 5 ft square? Maybe I just want to light a campfire. Can I make a fireball a 10 foot radius instead of a 20-foot radius?

..Can I shoot just one magic missile?

.. Can I create a wall 120 feet long and ten feet high instead of 60 feet long and 20 feet high?

And as for saving throws, can I or another character intentionally fail a saving throw? For example, a character wants me to levitate him, or wants to be held (hold person)?


1. No, the spell does the damage you have for the spell. You can't just choose to do less damage, same as you can't choose to do max damage.

2. No, the area is not UP to X feet. it is X feet.

3. You have to shoot 3 magic missiles, they do not have to hit the same person. You could hit whatever you want with one missile and hit a spider on the wall with another and a bird in a tree for another.

4. No, it says specifically what the dimensions are, not create a wall of X square feet.

5. I do not think this is covered in the book exactly but if they know the effect is coming I would think you could relent and say you fail. If you do not see the spell coming, no. This is in DM call territory here.

[JackPhoenix]

Can a spell caster limit the effect of a spell?

..For example, if I cast the Fire bolt cantrip, does it HAVE to do damage? Or can I limit it to just 1HP of damage? For example, I'm trying to get a another character's attention.

..Does the create bonfire cantrip HAVE to fill a 5 ft square? Maybe I just want to light a campfire. Can I make a fireball a 10 foot radius instead of a 20-foot radius?

..Can I shoot just one magic missile?

.. Can I create a wall 120 feet long and ten feet high instead of 60 feet long and 20 feet high?

And as for saving throws, can I or another character intentionally fail a saving throw? For example, a character wants me to levitate him, or wants to be held (hold person)?

1) Yes. Just as you can't choose to knock targets unconscious with ranged attacks, including spells, you can't dial down a spell.

2) Yes. If you want to light a campfire, you may use Prestidigation, Fire Bolt or just boring old flint and steel. No, you can't change Fireball's area of effect.

3) No. As noted, you can aim the excess missiles at nearby insects or something, if you wish.

4) Depends on the wall in question. Both Wall of Stone and Wall of Force gives you 10' segments to arrange as you wish, and you don't have to use all of them. Wall of Fire is "up to" 60' long and 20' high, meaning you can make it smaller, if you wish, but not larger.

Saves: My ruling: depends on the effect in question. You can't voluntarily fail most Con saves, as you have no conscious control over your bodily response to poison or disease, but other saves are mostly OK. You may deliberately stand in Fireball without rolling Dex save if you want to, for example, intimidate your foes by standing in an explosion without flinching (perhaps thanks to fire resistance) or voluntarily surrender your will to succubus' charms.

[Asmotherion]

Well, here is how I DM it and it has given magic a whole new perspective:

A) Any caster attempting to use a cantrip with less dice than the maximum is an automatic success; There is no reason to loose your ability to do something you were able to do in the past. At the DM's option, they may also use a smaller damage die... more on that latter on this post.

B) Limiting the effects of a spell need a succesful Spellcasting check* with a DC 10+Spell level. Cantrips have a 0 modifier, so making a firebolt that deals 1 fire damage has a DC of 10. It is still a hostile act however, as it does deal damage, and is the equivalent of throwing a torch on someone (also deals 1 fire damage). What you're looking for is more in the effects of Prestidigitation/Minor Illusion.

*A Spellcasting Check is practically a Spell Attack against a DC instead of an AC. I extend this rule everytime someone tryes to do something not in the RAW scope of his spell, and adjust the initial DC from 10 to 15 or even 20+spell level depending on how much he wants to alter his spell.

C) If you know you are being targeted by an effect, I don't see why you would be forced to try a save... instincts perhaps? Otherwise, if you don't know you are targeted by an effect, you don't have a choice. Some magical effect are clear on weather you are awear you are being targeted by them (for example, being in the area of a fireball) or not (see college of glamour/whispers description); In the case of the first, you may know you're wearing a ring of fire elemental command on your hand, and decide that dodging is not necessary because of your career as a Warlock has gained you enough Arcane Knowlage to recognise a Fireball, or the Dm might decide that "you know what, ring or not, you see a freaking fireball coming at you, and experiance makes act on instict, trying to roll out of the way, totally forgetting your ring makes you immune to it's effects". In the second's case, or in the case of being the target of a non observable effect, you can't choose to fail; the save takes place in your subconsious (kinda) and the very point of the roll is for you to notice that.

[Twizzly513]

Can a spell caster limit the effect of a spell?

..For example, if I cast the Fire bolt cantrip, does it HAVE to do damage? Or can I limit it to just 1HP of damage? For example, I'm trying to get a another character's attention.

..Does the create bonfire cantrip HAVE to fill a 5 ft square? Maybe I just want to light a campfire. Can I make a fireball a 10 foot radius instead of a 20-foot radius?

..Can I shoot just one magic missile?

.. Can I create a wall 120 feet long and ten feet high instead of 60 feet long and 20 feet high?

And as for saving throws, can I or another character intentionally fail a saving throw? For example, a character wants me to levitate him, or wants to be held (hold person)?

Fire Bolt: The way I see it, the casting of Fire Bolt gives you a nice little mote of fire in your hand that you then throw. You either throw it or you don't, so my ruling is no.

Bonfire: There are several ways to light a campfire other than this. You can make one for the specified duration, if you want. No extra utility for not picking a utility cantrip. *waggles finger*

Fireball: Most assuredly not. The large AoE is meant to not allow it to be used when allies are all around a target. If you don't like the way the spell works, you shouldn't pick it.

Magic Missile: As with fire bolt, I'd say the casting of the spell involves the entire casting, not just a small bit. I would allow targeting the other darts at some object or even off into the air, but not making just one.

Wall: For this one, I might actually allow it. Saying no might discourage whatever creative tactics people have created, or, if they are in an enclosed space, I don't want to render that spell useless. For the others, it offers extra abilities where they shouldn't be. This one is alright in my eyes because it adds to combat dynamic and prevents the gimping of spellcasters rather than making them even better at doing literally everything than they already are.

Saves: This seems fine to me. If failing a save on one of those kinds of spells is a solution, I like the way the PCs are thinking, and I'm not going to stop that!