In the descriptions of monster action options, what's the difference between “one target” and “one...
up vote
26
down vote
favorite
Something I have been wondering about since I started DM'ing: in the Monster Manual, most actions specify "one target", while some have "one creature".
Example with Ghouls & Ghasts: Bite specifies one creature, Claws specify one target.
What is the difference? Does it matter for regular play?
dnd-5e monsters targeting
edited 1 hour ago
V2Blast
19k252117
asked 17 hours ago
Thijs B.
133127
New contributor
Thijs B. is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
up vote
26
down vote
favorite
Something I have been wondering about since I started DM'ing: in the Monster Manual, most actions specify "one target", while some have "one creature".
Example with Ghouls & Ghasts: Bite specifies one creature, Claws specify one target.
What is the difference? Does it matter for regular play?
dnd-5e monsters targeting
edited 1 hour ago
V2Blast
19k252117
asked 17 hours ago
Thijs B.
133127
New contributor
Thijs B. is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
2
+1, Nice find. Welcome to the stack. We look forward to your next questions (and answers too!)
– Mindwin
13 hours ago
@Mindwin Thanks!
– Thijs B.
12 hours ago
add a comment |
up vote
26
down vote
favorite
up vote
26
down vote
favorite
Something I have been wondering about since I started DM'ing: in the Monster Manual, most actions specify "one target", while some have "one creature".
Example with Ghouls & Ghasts: Bite specifies one creature, Claws specify one target.
What is the difference? Does it matter for regular play?
dnd-5e monsters targeting
edited 1 hour ago
V2Blast
19k252117
asked 17 hours ago
Thijs B.
133127
New contributor
Thijs B. is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Something I have been wondering about since I started DM'ing: in the Monster Manual, most actions specify "one target", while some have "one creature".
Example with Ghouls & Ghasts: Bite specifies one creature, Claws specify one target.
What is the difference? Does it matter for regular play?
dnd-5e monsters targeting
dnd-5e monsters targeting
edited 1 hour ago
V2Blast
19k252117
asked 17 hours ago
Thijs B.
133127
New contributor
Thijs B. is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 1 hour ago
V2Blast
19k252117
asked 17 hours ago
Thijs B.
133127
New contributor
Thijs B. is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 1 hour ago
V2Blast
19k252117
edited 1 hour ago
V2Blast
19k252117
edited 1 hour ago
V2Blast
19k252117
19k252117
asked 17 hours ago
Thijs B.
133127
New contributor
Thijs B. is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 17 hours ago
Thijs B.
133127
asked 17 hours ago
Thijs B.
133127
133127
New contributor
Thijs B. is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Thijs B. is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Thijs B. is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
2
+1, Nice find. Welcome to the stack. We look forward to your next questions (and answers too!)
– Mindwin
13 hours ago
@Mindwin Thanks!
– Thijs B.
12 hours ago
add a comment |
2
+1, Nice find. Welcome to the stack. We look forward to your next questions (and answers too!)
– Mindwin
13 hours ago
@Mindwin Thanks!
– Thijs B.
12 hours ago
2
2
+1, Nice find. Welcome to the stack. We look forward to your next questions (and answers too!)
– Mindwin
13 hours ago
+1, Nice find. Welcome to the stack. We look forward to your next questions (and answers too!)
– Mindwin
13 hours ago
@Mindwin Thanks!
– Thijs B.
12 hours ago
@Mindwin Thanks!
– Thijs B.
12 hours ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
up vote
28
down vote
accepted
A target includes: creatures, objects, and locations.
The PHB p194 states:
Pick a target ...: a creature, an object or a location.
For spells, PHB p204 states:
A spell's description tells you whether the spell targets creatures, objects, or a point of origin...
The Ghoul can use its Bite Action to target only other creatures, e.g. PCs, NPCs, beasts and other monsters. It cannot use the Bite action to target an object, e.g. a door.
The Ghoul can use its Claws Action to target a creature or an object. For example, to do damage to a door.
answered 16 hours ago
Richard Smith
33628
New contributor
Richard Smith is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
12
The ghoul can, in a 10 wide by 10 tall long corridor, bite a 10x10 gelatinous cube whose corners are not reachable, but it cannot bite the door (unless it is a mimic... good for detecting mimics). Oh, 5e, what realism. Lolz. +1'd
– Mindwin
13 hours ago
3
@davidrice From the makers of "Magic the Lawyering..."
– Mindwin
10 hours ago
7
@Mindwin It can still probably bite the door (and a real treasure chest), it just can't do so as an attack in RAW... now I have the image of a random ghoul just curiously gnawing on everything around it to see if it should scratch it or bite it harder...
– MrSpudtastic
9 hours ago
1
Spells often have similar restrictions. Most can only target creatures while only a few can target objects. For example, fire bolt can target a creature or object while eldritch blast can only target creatures.
– Allan Mills
6 hours ago
add a comment |
Your Answer
StackExchange.ifUsing("editor", function () {
return StackExchange.using("mathjaxEditing", function () {
StackExchange.MarkdownEditor.creationCallbacks.add(function (editor, postfix) {
StackExchange.mathjaxEditing.prepareWmdForMathJax(editor, postfix, [["\$", "\$"]]);
});
});
}, "mathjax-editing");
StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "122"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});
function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});
}
});
Thijs B. is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2frpg.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f137504%2fin-the-descriptions-of-monster-action-options-whats-the-difference-between-on%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
28
down vote
accepted
A target includes: creatures, objects, and locations.
The PHB p194 states:
Pick a target ...: a creature, an object or a location.
For spells, PHB p204 states:
A spell's description tells you whether the spell targets creatures, objects, or a point of origin...
The Ghoul can use its Bite Action to target only other creatures, e.g. PCs, NPCs, beasts and other monsters. It cannot use the Bite action to target an object, e.g. a door.
The Ghoul can use its Claws Action to target a creature or an object. For example, to do damage to a door.
answered 16 hours ago
Richard Smith
33628
New contributor
Richard Smith is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
12
The ghoul can, in a 10 wide by 10 tall long corridor, bite a 10x10 gelatinous cube whose corners are not reachable, but it cannot bite the door (unless it is a mimic... good for detecting mimics). Oh, 5e, what realism. Lolz. +1'd
– Mindwin
13 hours ago
3
@davidrice From the makers of "Magic the Lawyering..."
– Mindwin
10 hours ago
7
@Mindwin It can still probably bite the door (and a real treasure chest), it just can't do so as an attack in RAW... now I have the image of a random ghoul just curiously gnawing on everything around it to see if it should scratch it or bite it harder...
– MrSpudtastic
9 hours ago
1
Spells often have similar restrictions. Most can only target creatures while only a few can target objects. For example, fire bolt can target a creature or object while eldritch blast can only target creatures.
– Allan Mills
6 hours ago
add a comment |
up vote
28
down vote
accepted
A target includes: creatures, objects, and locations.
The PHB p194 states:
Pick a target ...: a creature, an object or a location.
For spells, PHB p204 states:
A spell's description tells you whether the spell targets creatures, objects, or a point of origin...
The Ghoul can use its Bite Action to target only other creatures, e.g. PCs, NPCs, beasts and other monsters. It cannot use the Bite action to target an object, e.g. a door.
The Ghoul can use its Claws Action to target a creature or an object. For example, to do damage to a door.
answered 16 hours ago
Richard Smith
33628
New contributor
Richard Smith is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
12
The ghoul can, in a 10 wide by 10 tall long corridor, bite a 10x10 gelatinous cube whose corners are not reachable, but it cannot bite the door (unless it is a mimic... good for detecting mimics). Oh, 5e, what realism. Lolz. +1'd
– Mindwin
13 hours ago
3
@davidrice From the makers of "Magic the Lawyering..."
– Mindwin
10 hours ago
7
@Mindwin It can still probably bite the door (and a real treasure chest), it just can't do so as an attack in RAW... now I have the image of a random ghoul just curiously gnawing on everything around it to see if it should scratch it or bite it harder...
– MrSpudtastic
9 hours ago
1
Spells often have similar restrictions. Most can only target creatures while only a few can target objects. For example, fire bolt can target a creature or object while eldritch blast can only target creatures.
– Allan Mills
6 hours ago
add a comment |
up vote
28
down vote
accepted
up vote
28
down vote
accepted
A target includes: creatures, objects, and locations.
The PHB p194 states:
Pick a target ...: a creature, an object or a location.
For spells, PHB p204 states:
A spell's description tells you whether the spell targets creatures, objects, or a point of origin...
The Ghoul can use its Bite Action to target only other creatures, e.g. PCs, NPCs, beasts and other monsters. It cannot use the Bite action to target an object, e.g. a door.
The Ghoul can use its Claws Action to target a creature or an object. For example, to do damage to a door.
answered 16 hours ago
Richard Smith
33628
New contributor
Richard Smith is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
A target includes: creatures, objects, and locations.
The PHB p194 states:
Pick a target ...: a creature, an object or a location.
For spells, PHB p204 states:
A spell's description tells you whether the spell targets creatures, objects, or a point of origin...
The Ghoul can use its Bite Action to target only other creatures, e.g. PCs, NPCs, beasts and other monsters. It cannot use the Bite action to target an object, e.g. a door.
The Ghoul can use its Claws Action to target a creature or an object. For example, to do damage to a door.
answered 16 hours ago
Richard Smith
33628
New contributor
Richard Smith is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 16 hours ago
answered 16 hours ago
Richard Smith
33628
New contributor
Richard Smith is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 16 hours ago
Richard Smith
33628
answered 16 hours ago
Richard Smith
33628
33628
New contributor
Richard Smith is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Richard Smith is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Richard Smith is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
12
The ghoul can, in a 10 wide by 10 tall long corridor, bite a 10x10 gelatinous cube whose corners are not reachable, but it cannot bite the door (unless it is a mimic... good for detecting mimics). Oh, 5e, what realism. Lolz. +1'd
– Mindwin
13 hours ago
3
@davidrice From the makers of "Magic the Lawyering..."
– Mindwin
10 hours ago
7
@Mindwin It can still probably bite the door (and a real treasure chest), it just can't do so as an attack in RAW... now I have the image of a random ghoul just curiously gnawing on everything around it to see if it should scratch it or bite it harder...
– MrSpudtastic
9 hours ago
1
Spells often have similar restrictions. Most can only target creatures while only a few can target objects. For example, fire bolt can target a creature or object while eldritch blast can only target creatures.
– Allan Mills
6 hours ago
add a comment |
12
The ghoul can, in a 10 wide by 10 tall long corridor, bite a 10x10 gelatinous cube whose corners are not reachable, but it cannot bite the door (unless it is a mimic... good for detecting mimics). Oh, 5e, what realism. Lolz. +1'd
– Mindwin
13 hours ago
3
@davidrice From the makers of "Magic the Lawyering..."
– Mindwin
10 hours ago
7
@Mindwin It can still probably bite the door (and a real treasure chest), it just can't do so as an attack in RAW... now I have the image of a random ghoul just curiously gnawing on everything around it to see if it should scratch it or bite it harder...
– MrSpudtastic
9 hours ago
1
Spells often have similar restrictions. Most can only target creatures while only a few can target objects. For example, fire bolt can target a creature or object while eldritch blast can only target creatures.
– Allan Mills
6 hours ago
12
12
The ghoul can, in a 10 wide by 10 tall long corridor, bite a 10x10 gelatinous cube whose corners are not reachable, but it cannot bite the door (unless it is a mimic... good for detecting mimics). Oh, 5e, what realism. Lolz. +1'd
– Mindwin
13 hours ago
The ghoul can, in a 10 wide by 10 tall long corridor, bite a 10x10 gelatinous cube whose corners are not reachable, but it cannot bite the door (unless it is a mimic... good for detecting mimics). Oh, 5e, what realism. Lolz. +1'd
– Mindwin
13 hours ago
3
3
@davidrice From the makers of "Magic the Lawyering..."
– Mindwin
10 hours ago
@davidrice From the makers of "Magic the Lawyering..."
– Mindwin
10 hours ago
7
7
@Mindwin It can still probably bite the door (and a real treasure chest), it just can't do so as an attack in RAW... now I have the image of a random ghoul just curiously gnawing on everything around it to see if it should scratch it or bite it harder...
– MrSpudtastic
9 hours ago
@Mindwin It can still probably bite the door (and a real treasure chest), it just can't do so as an attack in RAW... now I have the image of a random ghoul just curiously gnawing on everything around it to see if it should scratch it or bite it harder...
– MrSpudtastic
9 hours ago
1
1
Spells often have similar restrictions. Most can only target creatures while only a few can target objects. For example, fire bolt can target a creature or object while eldritch blast can only target creatures.
– Allan Mills
6 hours ago
Spells often have similar restrictions. Most can only target creatures while only a few can target objects. For example, fire bolt can target a creature or object while eldritch blast can only target creatures.
– Allan Mills
6 hours ago
add a comment |
Thijs B. is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Thijs B. is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Thijs B. is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Thijs B. is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Thanks for contributing an answer to Role-playing Games Stack Exchange!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
Use MathJax to format equations. MathJax reference.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Some of your past answers have not been well-received, and you're in danger of being blocked from answering.
Please pay close attention to the following guidance:
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2frpg.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f137504%2fin-the-descriptions-of-monster-action-options-whats-the-difference-between-on%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
2
+1, Nice find. Welcome to the stack. We look forward to your next questions (and answers too!)
– Mindwin
13 hours ago
@Mindwin Thanks!
– Thijs B.
12 hours ago