I'm playing D&amp;D 5e as a DM for about a 3-4 sessions now and the math involved in the Wizard's ability Arcane Ward is a little unclear to me. All of my players just reached level 2 and one of the players is a Wizard who chose The School of Abjuration archetype and he now has the Arcane Ward ability.  Playing by the PHB(p.109) the ability states:     Starting at 2nd level, you can weave magic around yourself for   protection. When you cast an abjuration spell of 1st level or higher,   you can simultaneously use a strand of the spell's magic to create a   magical ward on yourself that lasts until you finish a long rest. The   ward has hit points equal to twice your wizard level + your   Intelligence modifier.   With his Intelligence modifier (+3) and Wizard level 2 the equation should be:  $$ \begin{align} {Temporary\;HP} &amp;= ( 2 \times {Wizard\;level} ) + {Int\;modifier} \\ &amp;= ( 2 \times 2 ) + 3 \\ &amp;= 4 + 3 \\ &amp;= 7 \end{align} $$  But it can also be:  $$ \begin{align} {Temporary\;HP} &amp;= 2 \times ( {Wizard\;level} + {Int\;modifier} ) \\ &amp;= 2 \times ( 2 + 3 ) \\ &amp;= 2 \times 5 \\ &amp;= 10 \end{align} $$  The text makes it unclear.
23406
An abjuration wizard's Arcane Ward states:     [...] The ward has hit points equal to twice your wizard level + your Intelligence modifier.   So how many hit points is this supposed to be?  \$ (2 \times WizardLevel) + INT_{mod}\$  or  \$2 \times (WizardLevel + INT_{mod})\$ ?  I feel like the phrasing hints toward the first calculation, but it's still somewhat ambiguous.
84044
Never had an issue with spellcaster scaling until today. A player in the group claims he can cast Eldrich Blast twice on his turn. Once as an action, and a second time as a bonus action since it is a cantrip. Allowing him to shoot 4 beams for a d10 each (he's 5th level so 2 beams per cast). This seems vastly stronger than anyone else's max 2 attacks. After the session which ended early with many players angry this player ruined all encounters, there was much talk of re-rolling into all caster party. One wanting to do the same with a wizards Firebolt spell as a bonus every turn, others still browsing.  So, is it possible for a caster to cast multiple spells in 1 turn? From what I was quoted from the PHB, it's possible to cast any spell as an action, then cast a second spell; as long as the bonus action spell was a cantrip with a cast time of 1 action? So 99% of all cantrips? Please tell me this is wrong, because I feel that if anyone else does this our melee characters will never see a fight again before the casters nuke them down.
93745
For the sake of an example, assume I'm a level 1 Sorcerer or Wizard who's somehow had the misfortune of winding up with 1 CON. Maximum HP at level 1 is determined by the highest possible roll on your hit die plus your CON modifier. For me, that's \$6+(-5)=1\$. Horribly low, but technically survivable. I just have to not get hit.  The problem arises when I level up. For simplicity, let's say my group doesn't roll hit dice to determine how HP changes. We instead use the alternate option of adding the listed flat values from the class descriptions in the Player's Handbook (the average roll on your hit die, rounded up). Using this method, the formula for what's added to my maximum HP is: $$\left (\frac 6 2 +1 \right)+(-5) = 4-5 = -1$$  Uh oh. At level 2 my maximum HP is 0. If I somehow manage to keep gaining levels, the situation becomes even more dire; the reduction of one maximum HP stays constant, so as I level up the most health I'm allowed to have goes deeper and deeper into the negatives.  Obviously this is a pretty contrived example, but it could come up in the future. As of now, I'm only aware of two sources of ability damage in 5e, and they hit INT and STR. But if a future book adds a way for your CON to be lowered, it could be disastrous. When your CON modifier is modified by 1, your maximum HP is affected by 1 point for each of your levels. The way the math works out, this means that if you want to calculate a character's maximum HP, you can assume that they've had the same CON modifier since level one; the result is identical. If I'm a level 20 Sorcerer or Wizard and my CON is somehow reduced to 1, my maximum HP immediately becomes -18!  ...Is this really how it works? Or is there a rule saying (for example) that your maximum HP will always be at least one, preventing the issue?
27719
A player asked me if they could use their 17th-level Mystic Arcanum (Warlock class feature) to select the 6th-level spell "Mass Suggestion" cast at 9th level (to always make the suggestion last a year and a day).   I am unsure how to answer this (final verdict), as Mystic Arcanum specifically states:     At 11th level [...]. Choose one 6th level spell from the warlock spell list as this arcanum. [...] At higher levels, you gain more warlock spells of your choice that can be cast this way: [...] and one 9th-level spell at 17th level. (PHB p.108)   So my take on this is that they are very specific about which spells you are able to choose (spells that are on the warlock spell list, and there, they have to be n-th level).   Am I wrong? Is there any rules citations which support what the player asks?
120782
I'm relatively new to DnD in general and 5th edition is my first experience with Dungeons and Dragons.  I am confused with some spell mechanics. Spells usually state that they do damage, such as:  Burning Hands (Lv 1)  A creature takes 3d6 fire damage  Ray of Sickness (Lv 1)  On a hit, the target takes 2d8 poison damage   But some spells only dictate that the hit points are affected:  Sleep (Lv 1)  Roll 5d8; the total is how many hit points of creatures this spell can affect.  Color Spray (Lv 1)  Roll 6d10; the total is how many hit points of creatures this spell can effect. [sic]   In this case what would I do?  Do I do 5d8 damage if I cast sleep or 6d10 damage if I cast color spray? If so, why on earth would I use any other Level 1 spell as these two would be exponentially better than any other D&amp;D 5e level 1 spells?
56005
It is obvious that different wizards can cast spells with different power and/or effect (same for potions). But why?   Just some observations from my side - perhaps I'm wrong for some of them:  Spell casting seems to be like playing music or painting. More or less everyone can do it and the quality depends on some factors like:   knowledge - gained by studying experience - gained by practicing intelligence - innate and cannot be gained easily concentration at the moment (or ability to concentrate in general)   and last but not least   innate ability (talent) - you either have it or not   To me it looks like that the last one is determining everything. Some wizards like Dumbledore or Voldemort just "have it" and others will never be able to reach their power no matter how hard they try. Another example - Hermione is very intelligent and has read all the books but Harry beats her in defense against the dark arts nevertheless (and no - it's not Quidditch that helps him :) ).
101548
First time player in a group figuring out things as we all go.  I just hit level four as a Ranger, and I get to improve one ability score of my choice by 2, or I can increase two ability scores of my choice by 1.  My first thought was Strength, as I've been rocking a score of 11 with a mod of +0 so far. But I read that Rangers use (wisdom mod + 10) for their spell casting modifier. Currently my wisdom is 13, with a mod of +1. If I increase either STR or WIS, will the modifier increase as well? How and why?  A Monk in our party went from 9 CON to 11 during their ability score improvement, and by doing so their modifier went from −1 to 0.  We're all pretty new, so between eight people we're currently sharing one book, and all trying to locate our own copies for later campaigns. That's making it… inefficient for us to learn these things quickly.
26911
If there is a wizard that, by some means, has acquired proficiency in the use of shields, can said wizard use his shield in one hand and his arcane focus quarterstaff in the other and still cast somatic component spells?  Since the quarterstaff has been crafted to also be an arcane focus, and the Sage Advice Compendium states that you can provide the somatic components of spells with the same hand wielding the arcane focus, in this case an arcane focus quarterstaff, could that wizard still be able to perform somatic component spells while using a shield in the other?  I understand War Caster is the feat that allows you to cast somatic component spells even while using a shield and weapon or two weapons in each hand, but is this a simple way around those rules seeing as this "weapon" is your arcane focus? I would like to believe it is not, but I'm not fully fluent in the ways of spellcasting.
83106
In previous versions, spell casters were given bonuses to available spells based on their casting ability score. I don't remember exact stats but to make an example, A wizard would be able to memorize extra spells:  Int 14 = 1 extra lvl 1 Int 15 = 2 extra LVL 1 Int 16 = 2 extra lvl 1 and 1 extra lvl 2 Int 17 = 2 extra lvl 1, 2 extra lvl 2 and is required for casting lvl 8 spells Int 18 = 2 extra lvl 1, 2 extra lvl 2, 1 extra lvl 3, and is required for casting lvl 9 spells.  I can't seem to find mention of this bonus in D&amp;D 5th Edition. Does it apply to prepared spell limit, spell slots, or has it been obsoleted?  Note: I also can't seem to find mention of a prepared spell limit, or feats.
115947
I was thinking about creating a wizard character. Reviewing the spellcasting rules, I saw this:  Most spells that require attack rolls involve ranged attacks. Remember that you have disadvantage on a ranged attack roll if you are within 5 feet of a hostile creature that can see you and that isn't incapacitated (see chapter 9).  There are a lot of occasions that might arise that would make this a problem, or at least a bit of a hindrance. So as a D&amp;D player normally would when they wanted to break a rule without actually cheating, I went to a list of feats and found Crossbow Expert:  Thanks to extensive practice with the crossbow, you gain the following benefits: You ignore the loading quality of crossbows with which you are proficient. Being within 5 feet of a hostile creature doesn't impose disadvantage on your ranged attack rolls. When you use the Attack action and attack with a one handed weapon, you can use a bonus action to attack with a hand crossbow you are holding.  I may be (am) overthinking things, but does this apply to magic attacks, such as cantrips like Eldritch Blast or Fire Bolt? The literal meaning of the feat says that I can, but it could also imply by the title and also the effects of the feat that this only applies to crossbows, or any other ranged weapon, excluding magic. The strongest evidence that it might not affect ability with ranged magic attacks is:  Thanks to extensive practice with the crossbow  With a crossbow, not with magic.
56989
The rules on spellcasting contain the following section:   To target something [with a spell], you must have a clear path to it, so it can't be behind total cover. If you place an area of effect at a point that you can't see and an obstruction, such as a wall, is between you and that point, the point of origin comes into being on the near side of that obstruction.  This section is not really clear to me. Should this mean that only non-transparent objects are  a problem in targeting, or that you have to have line of sight and line of effect as well? Also, can you prevent a wizard from casting spells by blinding her?
32261
The "Spell Storing" ability of the Shield Guardian says:     To do so, the wearer must cast the spell on the guardian.  The spell has no effect but is stored within the guardian.   This seems to indicate you cannot cast, for instance, Fire Shield on the Guardian, because that has a range of Self.  This seems different than what is intended, as the wording for a ring of spell storing is:     This ring stores spells cast into it, holding them until the attuned   wearer uses them....Any creature can cast a spell of 1st through 5th   level into the ring by touching the ring as the spell is cast.  The spell has no effect, other than to be stored in the   ring.   The use of the word "into," which does not seem to indicate any range, versus the use of the word "on," which seems to mean the guardian is a target of the spell.    Which is the correct interpretation, grammatically, versus what is the RAI?
58514
So I'm a new DM and one of my PC's who's a 1st-level warlock wants to multi-class into cleric. So he would essentially be a warlock 1/cleric 1.  Since the Warlock only has one 1st-level spell slot at 1st level while clerics have two at 1st level, do they stack, or do you just have two 1st-level spell slots? How exactly does this work?  Also, how would the number of cantrips change?
78014
In D&amp;D 5, the saving throws for spells has the following formula:  The DC is set to 8 + prof bonus + magical stat bonus.  The target then makes a saving throw, adding their stat bonus and hoping to get above that DC.  Instead of having the defender roll the saving throw, we would like the attacker to roll the attack against the "defense" of the monster. (Mainly to make play by post run smoother)  Would this mean that the attacker just rolls d20+prof + magic stat bonus, and they try to get a number which is higher than 8+ monster def stat bonus, or is there a different formula which better maintains the math? (This math sounds wrong to me, so I assume there is a better formula)
79659
I'm making level 5 character, Rogue 3 (Arcane Trickster) Wiz 2 (Conjuration).  I can't find anything in the handbook explaining how (if?) the Arcane Trickster needs to prepare his spells in any way.  The way I read it, I would end up with my Wiz-3-worth of 'prepared spells', and then all of my Arcane Trickster spells would just be 'always prepared'. Is this correct?
60444
I am new to D&amp;D and I'm starting with the 5th edition. I have a question about how many hit points I have for a level. I am confused about the con modifier per level and if it is added to first level.  Let's say my con modifier is +3 and I decide to take 6 instead of rolling the d10 (as a Ranger).   Hit Points at 1st level: 10 + Constitution Modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution Modifier per ranger level after 1st.   At first level, my HP is 13. OK. That I understand. At the 2nd level is it 6 + 3 (con. modifier) equal to 9, then added to my first level's HP, for a total of 22? Or is it 6 + 3 (con modifier for first level) + 3 (con modifier for second level) equal to 12? Then is this added to the HP from first level?  If you could give me an example of, say, the first 4 levels of a ranger using the numbers I gave you (6 instead of d10 and +3 as a con modifier), that might make it easier to explain.
28906
I'm not entirely sure I understand what the PHB is telling me about spell attacks.  Say I'm a wizard who's casting Fire Bolt (I could also be a Cleric casting Inflict Wounds or what-have-you), the spell itself doesn't say anything about making an attack roll or the enemy making a saving throw.    So do I make an attack roll and then add in my INT mod + proficiency bonus?  Or does the target have to make a saving throw against a DC of 8+ my INT mod + proficiency bonus?  And, assuming I hit, do I add my INT mod + proficiency bonus to the damage?