this post was submitted on 27 Sep 2024

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(dnd 5e) Prove me wrong, RAW (sh.itjust.works)

submitted 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) by iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works to c/rpgmemes@ttrpg.network

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Disclaimer: this is purposefully obtuse.

Other effects in the game which explicitly state they kill you:

Shadows, succubi, massive damage, death saving throws, beholder death ray (notably not even their disintegration ray kills you), power word kill, vampires, mind flayers, night hags, drow inquisitors.

Clearly, if they intended for disintegration to kill you, they'd have said so. Since specific overrides general, and there is no general rule that disintegrated creatures are dead, I rest my case. QED.

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[–] seaQueue@lemmy.world 64 points 2 months ago (1 children)

OP you appear to be committed to (not) dying on this hill and I applaud you

[–] iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works 41 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I like it RAW and wriggling!

[–] kalpol@lemmy.world 10 points 2 months ago

What's sneezing precious

[–] NakariLexfortaine@lemm.ee 64 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Ain't nothin' in the RAW that states a sentient pile of dust can't play basketball.

[–] FinalRemix@lemmy.world 25 points 2 months ago

All new straight-to-DVD film, "Air coughing fit"

[–] TheMightyCanuck@sh.itjust.works 16 points 2 months ago

Dustbud ®

[–] Kolanaki@yiffit.net 42 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (2 children)

My sister played a campaign as a sentient ham sandwich. She would love this.

Edit:

Lmao 🤣

[–] iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works 10 points 2 months ago

Haha awesome, glad she enjoyed it!

[–] Avatar_of_Self@lemmy.world 8 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (2 children)

I've never played DND so I don't know if this is something you could pull off or anything but I'd probably be like

"I snort the fine pile of dust" and then, I don't know, there's some latent personality or intention there, so now we have to alternate playing my character between turns/minutes or something. It'd probably make for some great RP moments, especially if each personality couldn't remember very well what the other was doing previously. Maybe the class and abilities change with each person, which makes arming up appropriately interesting or a pain depending on how we handle it I suppose.

[–] Kolanaki@yiffit.net 9 points 2 months ago

That would definitely fit right in at our table. Half the group is trying to break the game with their build, and the other half is trying to one-up the first half.

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[–] timgrant@ttrpg.network 27 points 2 months ago (2 children)

You're not dead when you're petrified, either, which can lead to some pretty interesting exploits, rules-as-written.

Petrified creatures count as creatures, not objects, so rules-as-written you can determine if a statue is a petrified creature by trying to target it with a spell that requires a creature for a target.

With the cantrip Poison Spray, you can check for petrified creatures without using spell slots or risking damaging the creature, since it would be immune to poison while petrified.

[–] Cephalotrocity@biglemmowski.win 12 points 2 months ago (3 children)

I hate DMing for players smarter than me 🤬🤗

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[–] Cephalotrocity@biglemmowski.win 26 points 2 months ago (4 children)

A disintegrated creature and everything it is wearing and carrying, except magic items, are reduced to a pile of fine gray dust. The creature can be restored to life only by means of a true resurrection or a wish spell.

Why would you need to be "restored to life" if you weren't dead?

[–] iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works 27 points 2 months ago (28 children)

Because you could later die. So a creature that has been disintegrated, and then later dies, can only be brought back by those means.

[–] ahdok@ttrpg.network 10 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (24 children)

If this was the intent of the rules, it would be expressed in explicit, unambiguous language. They don't write contingency rules for possible future events that haven't happened this way, and if you interpret rules documents this way, then everything becomes an argument.

The implication of "the creature can only be restored to life by (x)..." is present tense. It applies to the current state of the game following the events described. The language "unattended objects catch fire" in fireball doesn't mean "unattended objects in the area of a fireball will catch fire if someone sets fire to them." it means they catch fire.

Language in rules doesn't ambiguously cater to a potential future state of the game that may not occur. It is describing the current state of the game, like the rules do in all other situations.

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[–] match@pawb.social 21 points 2 months ago (1 children)

that's a lich that travels with his phylactery

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[–] MimicJar@lemmy.world 18 points 2 months ago (4 children)

The spell specifies you turn into gray dust. Unfortunately gray dust has no listed stat block.

Luckily it is mentioned in "Tales from the Yawning Portal", "The floor of this room is covered with a layer of fine gray dust and ash, three inches deep."

Based on the rest of the description you are restricted to the room in which you turned to dust and the only action you may take is casting " Minor Illusion", with the added restriction of all illusions must be humanoid.

[–] iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works 9 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Nothing about the Disintegration spell says that your stats change. Compare to spells that do, such as Polymorph, or True Polymorph which even covers changing a creature into an object.

[–] MimicJar@lemmy.world 16 points 2 months ago

I'm not changing your stats, you still have a 14 wisdom.

You are however definitely turned into gray dust and I'm applying the rules as written about gray dust. The gray dust is restricted to the current room and can only form the shapes of various humanoids.

[–] frezik@midwest.social 8 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (2 children)

That's probably the path I'd take as a DM if I had a player insisting on rules lawyering like OP. OK, you get to "play" as a pile of dust. Have fun sitting there until random wind currents blow you around.

[–] iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works 25 points 2 months ago (4 children)

Crappy party mates you have if they won't even scoop you up into a bag and carry you around.

[–] match@pawb.social 23 points 2 months ago (2 children)

buddy let's start a campaign together you can be the pocket sand and i will be dale gribble

[–] iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works 9 points 2 months ago

Hachacha!

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[–] Sumocat@lemmy.world 16 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I see no flaw in this argument. Instead of dying, the character exists like the guy from “One” by Metallica, desperately waiting for a stiff breeze to end his existence.

[–] edgemaster72@lemmy.world 14 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Dust pan, imprisoning me, all I can be, a pile of fine dust

I cannot live, I cannot die, turned into dust, scattered across the floor

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[–] goferking0@lemmy.sdf.org 16 points 2 months ago (5 children)

Get the feeling it would be difficult to have a dust based strength character though. Hard to hold weapons/make attacks with them as dust.

Maybe wizard?

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[–] RampantParanoia2365@lemmy.world 12 points 2 months ago (1 children)

*"Jesse, what the fuck are you talking about?"

Jesus, get the quote right.

[–] Comment105@lemm.ee 14 points 2 months ago

That's not even in the scene.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GX-m7UsCp3I

Here's what Walter actually says:

How are you doing?

...mumbling...

How are you doing?

You did the only thing that you could, I hope you understand that.

Any thoughts on what our next move might be?

Our next move. Our next move. Given the fact that at the first opportunity, Gus will kill us.

No, no, we bought ourselves some time, yes, but... The question is how much. He will be looking for another chemist.

Are you sure you're...

What do you mean?

What page is that?

[–] savvywolf@pawb.social 10 points 2 months ago

AI GM be like: "Yep. Seems legit."

[–] JayDee@lemmy.ml 10 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (3 children)

Probably should go join the Thousand ~~Suns~~ Sons. They might set you up with some nice power armor.

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[–] logos@sh.itjust.works 9 points 2 months ago

This is the real meaning of the exception that proves the rule.

[–] ShaggySnacks@lemmy.myserv.one 9 points 2 months ago (3 children)

All that we are is dust in the wind.

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