D&D (2024) Druid Primal Order wording

[Gorck]

I need a bit of rules clarification from the community. For the Druid's Primal Order ability, the 2nd sentence of the Magician option says, "In addition, your mystical connection to nature gives you a bonus to your Intelligence (Arcana or Nature) checks." Does this mean you have to choose between Arcana or Nature if you select that option, or does the bonus apply to both of those Intelligence-based skills?

 

[DEFCON 1]

I need a bit of rules clarification from the community. For the Druid's Primal Order ability, the 2nd sentence of the Magician option says, "In addition, your mystical connection to nature gives you a bonus to your Intelligence (Arcana or Nature) checks." Does this mean you have to choose between Arcana or Nature if you select that option, or does the bonus apply to both of those Intelligence-based skills?

I would say the latter. If you were meant to choose either one, I think they would have been more specific on having you make that choice. "Select the Arcana or Nature skill. Your connection to that skill you choose gives you a bonus to your INT checks" or something like that.

 

[Parmandur]

I need a bit of rules clarification from the community. For the Druid's Primal Order ability, the 2nd sentence of the Magician option says, "In addition, your mystical connection to nature gives you a bonus to your Intelligence (Arcana or Nature) checks." Does this mean you have to choose between Arcana or Nature if you select that option, or does the bonus apply to both of those Intelligence-based skills?

If it was a choice, they would have made that clear as they do woth options that offer that. This is clearly both, IMO.

 

[Gorck]

Oh good, that's how I was hoping they meant it. I was just tripped up by their use of "or" rather than "and," which is why I thought it might be a choice.

 

[abirdcall]

It is confusing in this instance but it is probably in their style guide to use 'or' when refusing to individual checks to differentiate from doing both checks at once.

In an imaginary world someone might ask if it only applies when you make both checks.

 

[MarkB]

For what it's worth, the DDB character builder adds it to both.

 

[pukunui]

It is confusing in this instance but it is probably in their style guide to use 'or' when refusing to individual checks to differentiate from doing both checks at once.

In an imaginary world someone might ask if it only applies when you make both checks.

This. It’s a grammatical style thing. Similar to how the barbarian rage feature specifies “Strength checks and Strength saves” (rather than “Strength checks and saves”).

 

[jmartkdr2]

Oh good, that's how I was hoping they meant it. I was just tripped up by their use of "or" rather than "and," which is why I thought it might be a choice.

I think this is because you can only apply proficiency from one skill at a time, so you can't add your Arcana and Nature proficiency to the same roll.

(This does mean that if you wanted to minimax for Arcana checks, don't play a single-class wizard)

 

[Ashrym]

(This does mean that if you wanted to minimax for Arcana checks, don't play a single-class wizard)

Wizards gain expertise and have high INT. They're fine.

"Recall lore about spells, magic items, and the planes of existence."

But there is no reason a thaumaturge or magician, both of whom study magic more, should not come close to the combination of expertise and high INT a wizard has. They're all supposed to be "educated" classes.

 

[jmartkdr2]

Wizards gain expertise and have high INT. They're fine.

"Recall lore about spells, magic items, and the planes of existence."

But there is no reason a thaumaturge or magician, both of whom study magic more, should not come close to the combination of expertise and high INT a wizard has. They're all supposed to be "educated" classes.

My point was: a multiclass wizard/cleric gets the best number. Which makes some sense, it’s just somewhat unexpected.