Sage Advice - Targeting Revisited 

Thanks for clearing things up!! Just a note for the VOD. You guys say"bye" at roughly 20:00 and you have a blackscreen for 15 minutes thereafter. Take care!!

10:00 Starts talking about Booming/Green-flame blade

RE: spell sniper The clarification "do your arms get longer?" invites the question of the bugbear's extended reach. Pole arms are out but what is the thinking on longer arms? The flesh warping effects of demon ichor can also lengthen a player's reach...

Another spell with a confusing range/target is Goodberry. Its range is "Touch" but the spell describes the berries appearing in your hands, not touching anything.

A discussion about targeting was a prime situation to talk about the wording of share spells for the beast master. In particular, Many people make a comparison to phantom steed. Most people think they are equal but are clearly not.

I saw this conversation coming. Glad to see it too! (FYI video half blank)

There is 15 minutes of black silence at the end of this video.

First. But seriously, this is great clarification on the rules regarding spells and targeting, and how RAW for these spells have been updated to more accurately reflect RAI.

The second half of this video is my favorite.

Certainly won't be using the errata'd BB or GFB. The range was quite clear, and allowed for combination with a Reach weapon (like a whip) and Spell Sniper. To use it required a feat over an ASI, which is a reasonable trade off for something that isn't 'elongating my arms'. I don't understand how people were able to make that consideration.

Basically "this is how we fixed those SCAG spells that a sorc could twin & then also quicken for 3 casts of booming blade per turn"

Spell Sniper still works with Booming and Green Flame Blades. Need a reach weapon like a whip, and the spell sniper feat. Booming Blade description: "You brandish the weapon used in the spell’s casting and make a melee attack with it against one creature within 5 feet of you. Range: Self(5ft) Spell Sniper Description: "You have learned techniques to enhance your attacks with certain kinds of spells, gaining the following benefits: When you cast a spell that requires you to make an attack roll, the spell’s range is doubled." That is rules as written and I can't see how this could be argued otherwise. Also works with Bugbear. As long as you can reach the the target either a melee attack the spell with spell sniper will work.

I love the Booming and Green flame blade spells. (I imagine the first one makes your weapon kind of sound like a light saber and the other makes your weapon kind of look like a light saber 😄 ) But my biggest concern with them is that they in most cases dont work mechanically smoothly with any extra attacks you have. This causes you to at certain levels to abandon them and just make more regular attacks. Its a bit sad in my opinion. I dont have a good solution for this problem.

A 35 minute video specifically about targeting is exactly the kind of nerdy deep dive I was wishing for.

"GREEN FLAME!" (You know you heard it, Jeremy :)

Mirroring the others who have already asked this: what about reach weapons, bugbear racial feature or large creatures? That being said he's told me enough of the intention that homebrewing it to extend to match your actual reach makes sense for now.

So we can no longer booming blade with a whip and meta magic

I am still confused, it doesn't seem a clarification was made for Booming Blade and Green-Flame Blade with a weapon with Reach or the Bugbear's extra Reach.

Fascinating! The care taken regarding "targets" on spells with a range of Self(something) reminds me of a question: if a spellcaster is attuned to an Amulet of Proof against Detection and Location, can they benefit from casting Detect Magic? The item says "You can't be targeted by" divination magic, but if you are not the "target" of Detect Magic, it seems you can indeed benefit from casting it.

Is everyone else getting 15 minutes and 46 seconds of blank screen at the end of this video?

If a PC is standing next to its own similacrum, could it twin a spell with Range of Self? Joking, but I wouldn't be surprised to hear it at my table.

RIP melee sorcerers.

There's about 15 minutes of nothing but blank screen at the end.

What's with all these comments suggesting dead air halfway through? Aren't you seeing all this cool Spelljammer preview material? The hurwaet racial traits at 27:55 look like a lot of fun, and you can you not appreciate the new giff firearms? This is exciting stuff!

A question for a later time. If you use catapult on Alchemists fire or a magic stone, if it hits a creature or object what happens?

Yes! Love Sage Advice! 😄

Note: dead airtime at the end of video.

I've never had a problem with this, it's always seemed incredibly clear to me. But I _have_ had a number of players (or a DM or two) who seem to be easily confused. Usually it's because they've made some assumption that, as far as I've ever been able to tell, comes out of nowhere. So occasionally I've had to step in to clear things up. In some instances, repeatedly. Getting away from spells, my current group constantly gets grapples wrong. One guy is stuck in a 3.5 mindset, two others have a pathfinder game they play with others every other week, and so I guess that's some of the reason for it. They'll say "oh... okay... uh, make an unarmed attack to start the grapple" or "so, roll strength? And then... uh... make an attack roll? And... uh, the other person will... uh..." I've actually printed a copy of the rules text for grappling to have at hand so that I can read it to them verbatim each time. I'm hoping it'll stick, eventually.

nooooooooooo no more twinned booming blade!!! nooooooooooooooooooooooo

Do you guys not editing you videos before publish them?? Half this video is black

Is there supposed to be like 15 minutes of black screen and no audio after Jeremy is done talking?

Frankly JC is wrong where he talked about warcasting allowing you to make an opportunity attack. It allows you to cast a spell instead of making an opportunity attack, which has some weird connections to how some things interact with it. For example: boots of speed make so opportunity attacks used against have disadvantage, but attacks from spells made in replacement of the opportunity wouldn't be made at disadvantage.

Modal verbs FTW

i dont get it, rune knight turn you into a giant, extend your reach and still, 5feet on a booming blade? why dont just make "self" ?

Were thorn whip and lightning lure updated as well?

You've got about 15 minutes of black screen at the end of the video. Otherwise informative and useful.

Tiefling who uses touch spells with it's tail :D

favorite caracter build ever was an accident !!!! Rip twin booming blade

Is there meant to be a bunch of blank video included in this?

I'm very glad that my DM doesn't split hairs like this. We don't like min/maxing in our games and the idea of hyper-explaining how Goodberries (for example) is range: Touch but appear in your hand would make me crazy. The description of the spell tells you how it's used and what the effect is. IMHO only a rules-lawyer would debate the definition of 'touch' versus 'your palm'.

can my shadow sorcerer use booming blade on my pre-summoned shadow blade

Does anyone know what is the Target of spells like Banishing Smite, and what is the target of Armor of Agathys?

I think you have 20 minutes of dead air in this vid

This, uh....this video seems to be about twice as long as it needs to be?

19:27 good part starts

Video needs editing.

I still prefer to interpret the secondary target of Green Flame Blade as being mandatory, because otherwise in the hands of a character like a rogue this becomes the sort of cantrip you are always going to choose over a normal attack. Requiring a secondary target (even if that's yourself) makes it more interesting. It's already so good that there should be some limitation to it, and a reason to not use it some times.

should GFB and BB not be within melee weapon range then instead of just 5 ft. as you enhance your weapon with the spell. so if you use a polearm it would be 10ft. or if you are a bugbear. also of you look at warcasters wording it does not say target a creature but targets the creature, so word for word it should not be able to work with spells with the target of self. "When a hostile creature's movement provokes an opportunity attack from you, you can use your reaction to cast a spell at the creature, rather than making an opportunity attack. The spell must have a casting time of 1 action and must target only that creature."

Well, goodbye greens flame halberd!

So does spell sniper still make the range/reach of the spell 10 feet to allow use with a reach weapon?

It doesn't say it in the rules but would this imply that Bugbears can cast a touch spell targeting a creature within 10 feet cuz of long limbs? (I know it's only for melee attacks but just wondering)

I feel like chaos bolt needs to be talked about, if it hasn't already. I get that it's 'Chaos' but having to target a friendly if there are no enemies around sucks.

Yah I really hate this ruling. Put a chacter I never got to play in the trash. :(

Primo!