Jeremy Crawford Sage Advice Interview & Answers June 15, 2023Zoltar <br /> hello and welcome back we have a special<br /> segment this is the last interview of<br /> the day before the live play session<br /> where we’re going to be actually getting<br /> to look under the crushed black velvet<br /> here but this is sage advice<br /> live this is the sage Jeremy Crawford so<br /> he is going to be answering your<br /> questions in chat so I’m going to be<br /> paying attention to chat and he is going<br /> to be pontificating on the greater<br /> qualities of the rule set of Dungeons &<br /> Dragons so this is very exciting so if<br /> you have wanted to get his attention and<br /> ask a question this is your chance so<br /> we’re gonna just jump right in do we<br /> have any questions from chat in the<br /> meantime you can give any kind of<br /> preamble that you want while I’m<br /> collecting here why first off I want to<br /> say I continue to think that this is the<br /> Wicked Witch of the West melted on this<br /> table and hoping maybe somehow we can<br /> reconstitute this rich poor witch yeah<br /> the sage advice live session we had this<br /> afternoon went really well here at the<br /> convention I got asked for an hour<br /> different D&D rules questions one of the<br /> things I opened with is something that<br /> people have heard me say many times<br /> before on Twitter is that one of the<br /> main rules of D&D is that the DM is the<br /> adjudicator of those rules rule 0 yes<br /> absolutely<br /> it’s something we talked about in the<br /> core books it’s something we reiterated<br /> in XANA thar’s guide to everything that<br /> at the end of the day the rules are just<br /> one of the tools available to the DM –<br /> with a group construct a D&D experience<br /> which you know in addition to rules<br /> include storytelling and sometimes can<br /> also include crafts if you know you’re<br /> if you’re doing it really deluxe<br /> miniatures yourself terrain that sort of<br /> thing so the rules they don’t run the<br /> game the DM does and I always like I<br /> always like to make sure that that’s<br /> clear for people because it’s also true<br /> that whatever I say even though I’m the<br /> lead rules designer of the game even<br /> what I say is really just a a one more<br /> tool for the<br /> to use that the the DM can take a look<br /> at what’s in the rulebook listen to what<br /> I have to say Wade those options and<br /> then decide how to use the rules in<br /> their game in a way that really is all<br /> about the fun of that particular group<br /> because no one knows better than a<br /> particular DM what a particular table of<br /> players enjoys because every table has a<br /> different tastes and this is true not<br /> only for home games but even for the<br /> type of one-off games we play at<br /> conventions like origins like yesterday<br /> i DM de game here and one of the things<br /> I often do when I’m DMing a group of<br /> strangers is I early on in the game do a<br /> kind of a lot of listening and watching<br /> people I see what makes them smile what<br /> makes them laugh play style exactly and<br /> then I recalibrate as a DM to make it so<br /> that I’m delivering as much as possible<br /> a play experience I think they’re going<br /> to enjoy so I as a DM even alter sort of<br /> my style a little bit table by table and<br /> it’s one of the things I love about D&D<br /> that I could run the same adventure five<br /> times for five different groups and not<br /> only based on their choices but also<br /> based on their stylistic preferences<br /> that adventure can end up being entirely<br /> different you probably could quote it<br /> word for word but the back cover of the<br /> Dungeon Master’s guide says I think<br /> inspire and entertain your players or<br /> yeah and inspiring and entertaining<br /> that’s a huge part of it and also at the<br /> same time getting inspiration as a DM<br /> from your players your players just<br /> their responses to things and also the<br /> ideas that they they share at the game<br /> table can help shape the direction that<br /> a DM takes the campaign in here alright<br /> we’ve got some questions coming in now<br /> so right hit me with let’s dive right in<br /> does the circle of druid art Lisi circle<br /> of Shepherd druids unicorn spirit totem<br /> affect the healing of delayed heal<br /> spells like healing spirit oh boy okay<br /> so we are we are having riding yeah we<br /> are alright so we’re gonna jump we’re<br /> jumping into XANA thar’s guide to<br /> everything and so I have my laptop here<br /> so that I can look up he’s making sure<br /> that he knows rules as written yeah<br /> it flies well because often what I tell<br /> people is even though we’re often<br /> referring to rules that I either wrote<br /> myself or that I refined you know<br /> sometimes I’ll get drafts from other<br /> members of our team and I refine them<br /> into their final form or I write them<br /> myself even when it’s something I’ve<br /> worked on for months sometimes years I<br /> still look it up because often I might<br /> have an old version in my head I might<br /> be mixing it up with something else I<br /> have worked on or something I am working<br /> on because also we’re always working in<br /> the future I’m working on books right<br /> now that we haven’t even announced yet<br /> and we just announced two books and I’m<br /> working on more books behind beyond that<br /> alright so we’re gonna hop to the druid<br /> and the question was if the Unicorn<br /> in that druid and my computer is of<br /> course now not be hey it always you know<br /> when you’re doing it live that’s yes oh<br /> yeah always happens the computer is<br /> gonna be like no I do not want to comply<br /> all right here we go the unicorn spirit<br /> so this unicorn spirit while you have it<br /> if you cast a spell using a spell slot<br /> that restores hitpoints to any creature<br /> inside or outside thus unicorns aura<br /> each creature of your choice in the aura<br /> also regains hitpoints equal to your<br /> druid level alright so what was the<br /> Queen the back half of the question aha<br /> does it affect delayed heal spells like<br /> healing spirit all right so this funny<br /> this sort of thing came up in the sage<br /> advice session I just had there really<br /> is very little answer for any question<br /> that be that includes the words spells<br /> like and the reason why I say that is D<br /> and E is an exceptions based game and<br /> each spell is designed to stand on its<br /> own to use a spell you need to know the<br /> general spell rules and what that spell<br /> says and that’s it there is the<br /> basically are not family of families of<br /> spells that sort of have interlocking<br /> effects so when we say delayed healing<br /> spells ly<br /> that whole category of delayed healing<br /> is is that is a non-existent category<br /> like so I I can’t answer a question<br /> about that because it’s a category that<br /> does not exist in the rules but I could<br /> answer a question about healing spirit<br /> okay so let’s now look at healing spirit<br /> we’re getting to see the process here<br /> two folks this is really really fast and<br /> again I’m glad it came up because<br /> sometimes people think oh if I<br /> understand how this one spell works<br /> that’s gonna affect how this other spell<br /> works no they don’t have like the<br /> darkness spell effects only the darkness<br /> spell cure wounds affects only the cure<br /> wound spell nothing in that spell the<br /> way it’s worded or how it functions has<br /> any effect whatsoever on any other spell<br /> in the game it in terms of how those<br /> other spells function alright so we’re<br /> gonna hop over to healing spirit which<br /> is also in Zenith ours guide this is a<br /> spell that druids and rangers got it’s<br /> the spirit that hangs out and people can<br /> hop into it and so a lot of buzz around<br /> this one yes yeah this is a spell that<br /> is loved by a lot of people some groups<br /> love it the way it’s written other<br /> groups their experience particularly<br /> when the spell is used outside of combat<br /> their experience has been that it is it<br /> is very potent potentially more potent<br /> than we intended but I say potentially<br /> because we’ve seen reports from many<br /> groups that they have not experienced<br /> the spell being in any way broken in<br /> there and the way their group uses it<br /> all right so healing spirit calls forth<br /> this nature spirit hangs out and then<br /> until the spell ends whenever you were a<br /> creature you can see moves into the<br /> spirit space for the first time on a<br /> Turner starts its turn there you can<br /> cause the spirit to restore 1d6 hip<br /> points all right so you’re in the spirit<br /> space you’re getting healed so the<br /> question is what if you’re also in that<br /> Unicorn space so now I’m going to pop<br /> back to the Unicorn<br /> all right here we are unicorn spirit<br /> so the way these two are worded healing<br /> spirit is indeed a spell that you cast<br /> using a spell slot assuming you did so<br /> you know this is this is as opposed to<br /> if you cast it from a scroll or a magic<br /> item because again the Unicorn spirit<br /> specifies you get its benefit only if<br /> you cast the spell using a spell slot so<br /> if you cast healing spirit and did so<br /> using a spell slot it can interact with<br /> the Unicorn spirit okay yeah you heard<br /> it here folks<br /> unicorn spirit and healing spirit can<br /> can work together alright and indeed<br /> they’re both druid options it works one<br /> of the things we were doing in zennith<br /> arts guide with some of these new<br /> options was giving some beefier healing<br /> options to druids because we know of<br /> course the the classic healer in D&D is<br /> the cleric but many people like to get<br /> healing into their game through other<br /> classes sometimes the bard sometimes the<br /> druid the paladin the ranger and so we<br /> looking at the options available to<br /> druids and rangers in particular in the<br /> players handbook we thought in tanta<br /> thirds guide we can we can beat them up<br /> a little bit alright this I think is a<br /> this is an interesting one it’s dealing<br /> with action economy from woods yeah<br /> three five one says does casting a spell<br /> from a magical item for example a SIL<br /> liar does this count as the use an<br /> object action or the casting a spell<br /> action and would the former allow the<br /> casting of a spell as a bonus action<br /> okay so when you use a magic item you<br /> are not using the cast a spell action or<br /> they use an object or an item action<br /> you’re actually using the using magic<br /> item action which is an action<br /> introduced in the Dungeon Master’s guide<br /> the dmg specifies that using a magic<br /> item is an exceptional thing all on its<br /> own<br /> so now the question though was let’s say<br /> you you’re using a magic item and by<br /> means of that magic item like an Astra<br /> meant of the barns you cast a spell<br /> right so then the question is how does<br /> that interact with the bonus action<br /> rules because as many of you know when<br /> you cast a bonus action spell on your<br /> term and this sometimes this confuses<br /> people because people might hear the<br /> word bonus action and think we mean that<br /> in just a general English terms of like<br /> it you know a something that is in some<br /> way an extra actions we’re only talking<br /> about spells that in their casting<br /> timeline say one bonus action so if you<br /> cast one of those special spells you<br /> can’t cast any other spells on your turn<br /> unless those that spelled the other<br /> spell you cast with your action is a<br /> contra right so I’m going to the<br /> specific wording if my computer will<br /> this is a great question by the way yes<br /> really really like this question and I<br /> think this can be very clarifying<br /> yeah because bonus the bonus action<br /> rules are definitely something ever<br /> since we launched the game that people<br /> have wondered about and so here we go<br /> here are the bonus action rules and we<br /> see that it says simply you can’t cast<br /> another spell during the same turn<br /> except for a cam trip with a casting<br /> time of one action all right I went to<br /> the specific wording because here’s the<br /> thing it nowhere makes mention of the<br /> cast a spell action it says you’re<br /> casting a spell I make this distinction<br /> and this confuses people sometimes<br /> because actions especially the canonical<br /> actions in the combat rules they all<br /> have proper names and you know that<br /> you’re using that action when you see<br /> that happen you see that proper name<br /> with the letters capitalized so there’s<br /> actually a number of things in the game<br /> that could involve casting a spell the<br /> cast a spell action is one of the ways<br /> that you can cast a spell but also there<br /> are magic items that will allow you to<br /> cast a spell there are also certain<br /> monster abilities that might involve the<br /> casting of a spell and those special<br /> actions and there are also some class<br /> features that that people have that cast<br /> that involve casting a spell but it only<br /> is that cast a spell action if you see<br /> cast a spell with capital letters same<br /> thing is true for the attack action<br /> you’re only taking the attack action if<br /> you see it specifically referred to as<br /> the attack action capital A if you’re<br /> just making there all sorts of things in<br /> the game that involve you making an<br /> attack it’s including there are some<br /> spells that involve you making an attack<br /> but those spells are not an instance of<br /> the attack action so let’s circle back<br /> around to the question the answer is the<br /> bonus action rule in the spell casting<br /> rules applies basically no matter how<br /> you’re casting a spell whether it’s by<br /> means of the cast a spell action you’re<br /> using a magic item or something else if<br /> you if you if you cast a bonus action<br /> spell this rule then suddenly is in<br /> force alright that uh that is very<br /> helpful to consider so even with the<br /> attack action like you’re talking about<br /> booming blade is part of an attack but<br /> not the attack action therefore extra<br /> attack I’m assuming would not apply<br /> since it’s not part of the attack action<br /> correct yeah booming blade you’re<br /> typically going to cast as a part of the<br /> cast a spell action and booming blade as<br /> you say includes within it an attack but<br /> the sort of door you walked through to<br /> get to that attack was the cast a spell<br /> action why not the attack action alright<br /> and again you always will know which<br /> action is going on when you see those<br /> capital letters and if you don’t see<br /> them you’re not taking that action like<br /> you only are taking the dash action for<br /> instance if you see dash with the<br /> capital D not every kid not everything<br /> in the game that might you know it<br /> exceptionally let you move extra<br /> distance that is not that is not<br /> necessarily an instance of the dash<br /> action we actually get this on D&D<br /> beyond a good bit where<br /> someone is saying that we should – we<br /> tooltip action types and so people will<br /> say hey here’s the word – or here is the<br /> word attack and we should be tool<br /> tipping that but we actually key off of<br /> whether it is that proper usage with the<br /> capitalization so right right sense<br /> alright this is another interesting<br /> question that I’m gonna open up just a<br /> little bit it’s specifically about<br /> errata for Morton Kamen’s telephones and<br /> you know when is that coming and they’re<br /> they’re pointing out a couple of things<br /> that look like they probably need to be<br /> fixed and so just a broader question<br /> about how does the errata and the you<br /> know edit cycle work once a book is<br /> published so we as soon as a book is out<br /> and we get copies of our books before<br /> they’re released out into the wild<br /> we are already start using them not only<br /> are we are we using them as reference<br /> for other work we’re doing but we are<br /> using them as DMS and players ourselves<br /> because all of us who work on the game<br /> are constantly playing it and so we will<br /> occasionally in our just own reference<br /> work and also our use of those books<br /> discover something that isn’t what it<br /> should be<br /> we’re also constantly listening to the<br /> community whether that’s on Twitter or<br /> reddit or on the Facebook group or<br /> elsewhere and we basically gather data<br /> and then we investigate sort of the<br /> different potential issues and see is<br /> this a real issue or not then once we’ve<br /> determined if there are real issues that<br /> need to be corrected I will prepare a<br /> list of Corrections that we then work<br /> into the next printing of the book where<br /> we have a large enough window of time to<br /> make changes have those changes make it<br /> into the published book and then at that<br /> point we release a rata one of the<br /> reasons why I have us wait to release<br /> the errata until the corrections appear<br /> in a print product is I don’t want there<br /> to be a situation where there’s kind of<br /> a phantom version of the game that is<br /> not actually represented by any of the<br /> books that represents the game I want<br /> you to be able to you know somewhere out<br /> there there is a book that actually has<br /> this rule that we say in the cerrado<br /> document is the the correction we do<br /> have a couple of things in Morden<br /> cannons that look like potential issues<br /> but right now the list is very short all<br /> right I’ve had several people touch on<br /> this topic and it’s not necessarily<br /> rules-based but I’m gonna go ahead and<br /> ask it because it looks like there’s a<br /> good bit of interest someone asked a<br /> little earlier about kind of a canine<br /> type race then we’re getting another<br /> question about are there plans for any<br /> other beast folk type in races like the<br /> Tabac see that maybe Mouse folk or<br /> rabbit right right yeah so we find there<br /> is pretty much an insatiable appetite<br /> for anthropomorphic species to play I<br /> like them I mean they’re they’re fun<br /> they’re relatable I think one reason why<br /> people often like animal folk of various<br /> types is we with many of these animals<br /> experience them in the real world and so<br /> we already have a sense of what their<br /> personalities might be like and so you<br /> know it’s easy to imagine making a<br /> person who has some of the<br /> characteristics of those of those<br /> animals so when it comes to new races<br /> whether it’s you know these animal folk<br /> or others we always look for just you<br /> know when is a sensible time in terms of<br /> the stories we’re telling to introduce<br /> such folk we also you know look ahead in<br /> our schedule to see do we have more sort<br /> of general interest and eBooks coming<br /> like Zanna thar’s guide or Morton Canaan<br /> stone the foes where it might make sense<br /> to introduce them so we’re always sort<br /> of keeping an eye on what might what<br /> what we might introduce in the future<br /> honestly we have chatted before of you<br /> know well what if we just had a kind of<br /> all-purpose animal folk race where you<br /> just you know please sub-races yeah the<br /> sub races or certain traits would allow<br /> you to build almost any type of<br /> anthropomorphic person visit interesting<br /> concept yeah the downside of that is<br /> that that could become very abstract<br /> without us giving<br /> a media for each animal type the way we<br /> were able to do with say the turtles in<br /> the total package where we not only gave<br /> you a playable version but we were able<br /> to delve a little bit into their culture<br /> we gave you a little adventure having to<br /> do with them I think there’s something<br /> to be said for both approaches but<br /> definitely I’ll just say we hear you<br /> many of us on staff like the animal folk<br /> all right I I could imagine them coming<br /> for years to come and I’m so already<br /> saying there’s a chance yes there is a<br /> chance and I just speaking of born<br /> Canaan’s Thoma foes we’re in the<br /> bestiary there are the gift the hippo<br /> folk from originally who appeared in<br /> spell jammer we already of course are<br /> hearing a lot of people saying yes<br /> absolutely all right we are just about<br /> out of time possibly the most important<br /> question that I’ve seen asked here how<br /> many licks to the center of the Tipsy<br /> top so I think I am I am usually like<br /> the owl who in the in those old ads for<br /> those who would maybe lick once twice<br /> and then bite there you go you heard it<br /> yes it’s it’s like once twice bite<br /> that’s how many licks it takes to get to<br /> the center we are out of time thank you<br /> Jeremy for joining us thank you for<br /> giving us a peek into the process there<br /> it is incredibly important obviously to<br /> go back to the rules anytime there are<br /> questions I know that you use rules has<br /> written quite a bit and then we’ve even<br /> talked before about you know the spirit<br /> of the rules sometimes and that thing<br /> that you started off with that rule<br /> number zero is a fundamental rule but<br /> thank you very much for joining us<br /> Share this:TweetWhatsAppTelegramEmail
