@JeremyECrawford I have a question about Druid's Wild Shape, it says you "can't cast spells," but it also says you "retain any abilities given by your class/race" If I was a Gith could I still use their psionics (like mage hand) because the spells do not require components?

— skelo5611 (@skelo5611) January 26, 2019

When the D&D rules say you can’t do something, you can’t do it, unless the rules make an exception for you.

For example, Wild Shape says you can’t cast spells, full stop. That means you can’t cast spells. #DnD https://t.co/tN3AdiUwCL

— Jeremy Crawford (@JeremyECrawford) January 26, 2019

psionics are not magic and therefore not spells. Think mind flayer

— david miedaner (@drexel911) January 26, 2019

In D&D, if you use a feature that says you are casting a spell, you are casting the spell.

For example, when a mind flayer casts one of its innate spells, it is casting a spell. #DnD https://t.co/AqGAgmAuYZ

— Jeremy Crawford (@JeremyECrawford) January 26, 2019

In a case like the above when two mutually exclusive phrases take place in the same description, would it be correct to assume the one that appears first takes precedent if the two conflict? What are the mutually exclusive statements you have in mind?

— Jeremy Crawford (@JeremyECrawford) January 26, 2019

so if a mystic uses an ability of theirs, that wouldn't that be able to be countered with like a counterspell then? because it doesn't specifically state that it's a spell or innate spell yes?

— Josh Rob (@RobDogg5) January 26, 2019

If a magical feature in the game isn’t a spell, it’s immune to things that counter/dispel only spells. #DnD https://t.co/FjeBqbgV0X

— Jeremy Crawford (@JeremyECrawford) January 26, 2019

Well, Wild Shape saying “you retain any abilities given by your class or race.” I assumed that Spellcasting would be considered as falling under one such ability. In which case, I would think it saying “you can’t cast spells” would make them mutually exclusive, wouldn’t it? It’s true that Wild Shape lets you keep your class features, but it also suspends your ability to cast spells.

— Jeremy Crawford (@JeremyECrawford) January 26, 2019

The funny thing is, all of this is subject to change at the implementation level, since Mike’s approach-last he showed it off-suggested he was going for a spellcasting based approach, which WOULD make things spells. tl;dr, Mystic is UA and therefore not official game content. My statement was about the game, not the mystic.

Also, nothing in Happy Fun Hour is binding for what we’re doing in our books.

— Jeremy Crawford (@JeremyECrawford) January 26, 2019