D&D 5E Conditions vs Arcane Ward

[Mage of Spellford]

Hey all,

Ran into this at the game tonite: Wizard (Abjurer) with Arcane Ward is struck by a creature that can paralyze (like a ghoul). The damage from the attack is absorbed by the ward. Does the wizard still have to make the saving throw or be affected.

Curious as to whether this is somewhere in the rules and what everyone's thoughts are.

MK

 

[DaveDash]

We run it that he only makes the save if he takes damage, not his ward. Same with concentration checks.

However things like Hold Person always bypass the ward.

 

[miniaturehoarder]

Extra effects are not negated by eliminating damage unless the offensive ability specifies that is the case.

 

[Mage of Spellford]

Thanks for the replies! I ruled the same as minaturehoarder:

Extra effects are not negated by eliminating damage unless the offensive ability specifies that is the case.

My reasoning was that a spell such as shield or mage-armor increases armour class and thus if the opponent misses because of these you don't take any damage because the strike is prevented, whereas the ward seems to soak up the damage inflicted it does not say it negates the actual hit.

Not well received at my table though

 

[Zaran]

Arcane Ward is an ablative barrier though. If it a ghoul hits it and doesn't do actual damage to the wizard than it doesn't break skin to paralyze with it's claws. Whether or not the rules account for this doesn't matter. It's a GM call. D&D isn't MtG.

 

[Coredump]

Does the badness happen on making a hit, or on dealing damage?

They are still hit, but do not take damage.

 

[Mage of Spellford]

Actually the PHB states that it absorbs the damage not deflects it. It even specifies that he ward has hit points equal to.. and what happens once the ward reaches 0 hit points. In my view the arcane ward is not a barrier, it is a strand of magic that absorbs damage (any type of damage) but that is all.

No concentration check is required because only if you take damage from an attack do you need to roll concentration checks.

Otherwise that is quite a powerful ability wouldn't it give the caster virtual immunity to any effect from melee until the ward is gone.

For example the aforementioned wizard has 20hp left to his arcane ward, he is struck by a Paladin using blinding smite. He takes 15hp damage from the attack (which the ward absorbs) does he or doesn't he have to make a saving throw or be blinded? Or better still he is invisible and is struck by the same paladin using branding smite and takes only 10 hp damage which the ward absorbs is he now visible or not?

He is attacked by another wizard with a chill touch cantrip same deal the 4 points of necrotic damage is absorbed by the ward can he regain hit points as normal?

Guiding bolt same deal 10 hp absorbed by ward does next attack have advantage or not?

Heat metal damage absorbed by ward, does target have to save or drop item?

Ray of Frost absorbed by ward, is the targets speed reduced?

Ray of sickness, does the target have to save vs poison?

Shocking grasp, electrical damage absorbed by ward, can or cannot the target take reactions?

Staggering smite...

You get the idea. It would be quite a powerful spell.

mk

 

[Staffan]

Mike Mearls answered a similar question on Twitter, regarding immunity and "riders" (in the context of ray of frost vs cold-immune creatures). His reply was: "yes - immunity applies only to damage"

In light of that: Arcane Ward should only protect against damage, not conditions.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

Hey all,

Ran into this at the game tonite: Wizard (Abjurer) with Arcane Ward is struck by a creature that can paralyze (like a ghoul). The damage from the attack is absorbed by the ward. Does the wizard still have to make the saving throw or be affected.

Curious as to whether this is somewhere in the rules and what everyone's thoughts are.

MK

For a number of reasons, my ruling w/rt ghoul poison and other injected poisons is that it has to make contact with the blood stream in order to affect you. So Arcane Ward would prevent it, and so would Heavy Armor Mastery that reduced damage to zero. This wouldn't apply to contact poisons though.

 

[Mage of Spellford]

Ah, but is it actually poison that the ghoul uses to paralyze? Or is it ghoul sweat or just a supernatural ability?

Hit points are supposed to be a measure of more than just physical damage, they are a combination of luck etc. Why can a character's well-being (based upon hit points) be circumvented by the effects of poison or disease? Magic conditions I can understand, but disease and poison just never quite gelled for me.

That is a good point though -- that's why I much prefer the way that they have designed the wight's life draining ability. It is right there in the mechanics -- the effects are based upon the amount of damage taken. If the ward prevents all necro-damage then the life draining has no appreciable effect. I like that -- no muss no fuss.