Simple RAW for 5e V: The Disadvantage Strikes Back

[daremetoidareyo]

R95: Where do you see in “UA – Skill Feats” that you can replace a skill?

Proficiency versatility UACFV p.1


4th-level feature (enhances Ability Score Improvement)

"When you gain the Ability Score Improvement feature from your class, you can also replace one of your skill proficiencies with a skill proficiency offered by your class at 1st level (the proficiency you replace needn't be from the class).

This change represents one of your skills atrophying as you focus on a different skill."

[E’Tallitnics]

Proficiency versatility UACFV p.1


4th-level feature (enhances Ability Score Improvement)

"When you gain the Ability Score Improvement feature from your class, you can also replace one of your skill proficiencies with a skill proficiency offered by your class at 1st level (the proficiency you replace needn't be from the class).

This change represents one of your skills atrophying as you focus on a different skill."

A95: RAW this is okay. If you were trying to swap out a different skill and keep expertise on the new skill there’s no RAW that supports that maneuver. But this is essentially Meta Gaming Bookkeeping.

[Man on Fire]

Q96

"Damage Resistance/Immunities: piercing, slashing and bludgeoning damage from nonmagical attacks that aren't silvered"

Imp has this as resistance, werewolf as an immunity. Does that include hits dealt by magical weapons (eg. +1 hammer) or do they count as magical attacks?

[Millstone85]

A96 From the SAC: "Every magic weapon can bypass resistances and immunities to damage from nonmagical attacks".

[smp4life]

I can attune to an item OR un-attune to an item on a short rest, not both, correct?

Also, figuring out how an item works take a short rest as well.

I can't attune to an item or de-attune to an item on a long rest.

Therefore if I'm a pc with 3 attunements and i find an item that is not a potion or a scroll.

1. Just by handling the item I can tell it is magical.
2. I take a short rest to figure out what the item does.
3. I take another short rest to de-attune from an item.
4. I take a third short rest to attune to the item.

Is this RAW?

[BeefGood]

Q98 I just realized that I don't know how to interpret ties in the case of Hiding. (a) The rogue attempts to hide, and his Stealth check equals the guard's passive Perception score. Is the rogue hidden? (b) A guard attempts to find a hidden rogue. The guard's Wisdom (Perception) check equals the rogue's Stealth check. Does the guard spot the rogue?

[E’Tallitnics]

I can attune to an item OR un-attune to an item on a short rest, not both, correct?

Also, figuring out how an item works take a short rest as well.

I can't attune to an item or de-attune to an item on a long rest.

Therefore if I'm a pc with 3 attunements and i find an item that is not a potion or a scroll.

1. Just by handling the item I can tell it is magical.
2. I take a short rest to figure out what the item does.
3. I take another short rest to de-attune from an item.
4. I take a third short rest to attune to the item.

Is this RAW?

Reminder: Please include the appropriate number in an Answer, Question and/or Reply.

A97: You have the exact sequence of steps correctly defined.

[E’Tallitnics]

Q98 I just realized that I don't know how to interpret ties in the case of Hiding. (a) The rogue attempts to hide, and his Stealth check equals the guard's passive Perception score. Is the rogue hidden? (b) A guard attempts to find a hidden rogue. The guard's Wisdom (Perception) check equals the rogue's Stealth check. Does the guard spot the rogue?

A98: To spot something that is hidden make a contested skill check: your Wisdom (Perception) vs its Dexterity (Stealth). In a tie nothing changes, which means that the Stealth didn’t work, since they were noticeable before the attempt.

[Dmdork]

Q99 druid, spirit totem, bear. Temp hp lasts for 1min?

[E’Tallitnics]

Q99 druid, spirit totem, bear. Temp hp lasts for 1min?

A99: Yes. “Unless a feature that grants you temporary hit points has a duration, they last until they're depleted or you finish a long rest.”

Since that feature has a duration they’re affected.

[Dmdork]

Q99A samurai's fighting spirit? How long do temp hp last?

[E’Tallitnics]

Q99A samurai's fighting spirit? How long do temp hp last?

A99a: Since that feature doesn't have a duration associated with it they follow the normal rules for temporary hit points, and therefore last until you finish a long rest.

[smp4life]

Q100

Is this a correct statement per RAW?

When a creature is invisible (in combat) and has not taken the hide action their location is known even if they are in an area of silence, not moving, & have somehow done away with their scent somehow (maybe via wish).

Attacks on them have disadvantage & they cannot be targeted by spells/effects that require the target to be seen.

The reason I ask is because in Dungeon of the Mad Mage a section reads:

"Halaster remains invisible even while attacking or casting spells....[H]e then uses the power of the throne to throw his voice so that he doesn't betray his location when he speaks..."

[E’Tallitnics]

Q100

Is this a correct statement per RAW?

When a creature is invisible (in combat) and has not taken the hide action their location is known even if they are in an area of silence, not moving, & have somehow done away with their scent somehow (maybe via wish).

Attacks on them have disadvantage & they cannot be targeted by spells/effects that require the target to be seen.

The reason I ask is because in Dungeon of the Mad Mage a section reads:

"Halaster remains invisible even while attacking or casting spells....[H]e then uses the power of the throne to throw his voice so that he doesn't betray his location when he speaks..."

A100: Yes. Being invisible is not hidden. A Stealth check must be processed to generate a DC for a contested skill check.

The rest of your 1st paragraph removes some of the other ways you might detect an invisible creature. Your 2nd paragraph is 100% correct.

[Chronos]

A 98 contention:

Quoth E’Tallitnics:

A98: To spot something that is hidden make a contested skill check: your Wisdom (Perception) vs its Dexterity (Stealth). In a tie nothing changes, which means that the Stealth didn’t work, since they were noticeable before the attempt.

If the guard was not aware of the rogue before, then on a tie (where nothing changes), he would remain unaware of the rogue. The check should be rolled at the point when the rogue could have become noticeable, and so, before the check, the rogue was not noticeable.

[E’Tallitnics]

A 98 contention:

If the guard was not aware of the rogue before, then on a tie (where nothing changes), he would remain unaware of the rogue. The check should be rolled at the point when the rogue could have become noticeable, and so, before the check, the rogue was not noticeable.

R98: You make a good point: “Both participants in a contest make ability checks appropriate to their efforts. They apply all appropriate bonuses and penalties, but instead of comparing the total to a DC, they compare the totals of their two checks. The participant with the higher check total wins the contest. That character or monster either succeeds at the action or prevents the other one from succeeding.

If the contest results in a tie, the situation remains the same as it was before the contest. Thus, one contestant might win the contest by default. If two characters tie in a contest to snatch a ring off the floor, neither character grabs it. In a contest between a monster trying to open a door and an adventurer trying to keep the door closed, a tie means that the door remains shut.”

My example was focused on the situation (first example), yours on the guard being perceptive (second example).

I think this may be a case where the DM must decide which example to use.

[No brains]

Q101
Can a tiefling wizard cast their innate spells using slots?

[E’Tallitnics]

Q101
Can a tiefling wizard cast their innate spells using slots?

A101: No. The Wizard class can cast using their spell slots from spells they’ve prepared from their spellbook. The spells from Infernal Legacy are neither “prepared” or “known” spells.

[Man on Fire]

Q102

Ghast Stench Ability states:

Stench: Any creature that starts its turn within 5 ft. of the ghast must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or be Poisoned until the start of its next turn. On a successful saving throw, the creature is immune to the ghast's Stench for 24 hours.

Ghasts ambushed a party before all of them entered the room. Fighter entered the door and is facing Ghast right next to the door, while Warlock is standing right next to the door entrance with only thin wall between him and a Ghast. On the map the wall is no or not much bigger than standard grid border and Warlock is still within 5 feet of the Ghast. Does the Warlock make a saving throw despite the fact there is a wall between him and a Ghast?

[E’Tallitnics]

Q102

Ghast Stench Ability states:


Ghasts ambushed a party before all of them entered the room. Fighter entered the door and is facing Ghast right next to the door, while Warlock is standing right next to the door entrance with only thin wall between him and a Ghast. On the map the wall is no or not much bigger than standard grid border and Warlock is still within 5 feet of the Ghast. Does the Warlock make a saving throw despite the fact there is a wall between him and a Ghast?

A102: Yes. That ability doesn’t say “next to” but “within 5 feet” which encompasses the Warlocks current location.

[Mr Adventurer]

Q103

Does it take any action to pass an object from one hand to another? E.g. if I have a weapon in one hand and nothing in the other hand, can I swap hands without action cost?

[E’Tallitnics]

Q103

Does it take any action to pass an object from one hand to another? E.g. if I have a weapon in one hand and nothing in the other hand, can I swap hands without action cost?

A103: Under, “INTERACTING WITH OBJECTS AROUND YOU” you can, as part of your action and movement, “hand an item to another character.” So this would be a similar task. Also mentioned is that if you want to do a second thing it requires your action.

[Mr Adventurer]

That sounds like your interpretation, not part of the rules.

[Xiander]

Re 103: It is hard to give a RAW answer to this, as it is pretty open to GM interpretation. The relevant rules section has this to say:

Other Activity on Your Turn
Your turn can include a variety of flourishes that require neither your action nor your move.

You can communicate however you are able, through brief utterances and gestures, as you take your turn.

You can also interact with one object or feature of the environment for free, during either your move or your action. For example, you could open a door during your move as you stride toward a foe, or you could draw your weapon as part of the same action you use to attack.

If you want to interact with a second object, you need to use your action.

If your GM counts switching hands as an object interaction, E’Tallitnics' interpretation is correct. A more lenient GM might count it as a flourish and let you have it for free, or let it count as a part of a different interaction.

"I switch my sword into my left hand and open the door with my right." Could be taken as one object interaction or two.

[E’Tallitnics]

That sounds like your interpretation, not part of the rules.

R103: Please see, “OTHER ACTIVITY ON YOUR TURN,” on page 190 of the PH.

By a strict interpretation of the RAW shifting your weapon from one hand to another isn’t listed so therefore it cannot be done.

My reply to your question was using common sense to find the most similar analogy in the RAW. Sort of like the fact that there are no RAW for putting on clothes, yet common sense would dictate that your character can do this function since they can don & doff armor.

[smp4life]

R103: Please see, “OTHER ACTIVITY ON YOUR TURN,” on page 190 of the PH.

By a strict interpretation of the RAW shifting your weapon from one hand to another isn’t listed so therefore it cannot be done.

My reply to your question was using common sense to find the most similar analogy in the RAW. Sort of like the fact that there are no RAW for putting on clothes, yet common sense would dictate that your character can do this function since they can don & doff armor.

I ask. Is there ANY reason to move an object from 1 hand to the other? There is no right or left handedness in d&d. Everyone is essentially ambidextrous.

[E’Tallitnics]

I ask. Is there ANY reason to move an object from 1 hand to the other? There is no right or left handedness in d&d. Everyone is essentially ambidextrous.

R103: Yes, to free up a hand for spell casting.

[Chronos]

Re 103:
Isn't there a Sage Advice somewhere that says that it's completely free, not even an object interaction, to switch between using a weapon one-handed and two-handed? If that's the case, then one could do that twice (still for free) to change what hand is holding a weapon.

[da newt]

A99: Yes. “Unless a feature that grants you temporary hit points has a duration, they last until they're depleted or you finish a long rest.”

There is nothing in the Spirit Totem description or Bear Spirit that states the TEMP HP granted only last while you are in the aura or while the Spirit Totem is present - therefore the TEMP HP follow the above "they last until they're depleted or you finish a long rest."

"Each creature of your choice in the aura when the spirit appears gains temporary hit points equal to 5+ your druid level." - no specific rule that over-rules the general rule to create a shorter duration than normal.

[smp4life]

R103: Yes, to free up a hand for spell casting.

Huh? If you have a hand-free to switch a weapon too, then you already have a free hand right?