How can a frightened creature affected by the Fear spell attack the spellcaster normally?












4












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Someone said he read somewhere on this site, that if the creature can't run away (dash safely) then there is no effect and they can then move up and lash out at the caster as they would normally.



Yet the rules clearly state that under the Frightened condition:





  • A frightened creature has disadvantage on ability checks and attack rolls while the source of its fear is within line of sight.

  • The creature can't willingly move closer to the source of its fear.




So, am I correct in assuming that even if they can't run away, they cannot move toward the caster, and if they happen to somehow be in a position to actually attack the caster, it is only with Disadvantage?










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  • 1




    $begingroup$
    related: Can a creature that is frightened of you still try to attack you?
    $endgroup$
    – G. Moylan
    7 hours ago






  • 2




    $begingroup$
    Was it this question? Or was it maybe this question?
    $endgroup$
    – SevenSidedDie
    7 hours ago
















4












$begingroup$


Someone said he read somewhere on this site, that if the creature can't run away (dash safely) then there is no effect and they can then move up and lash out at the caster as they would normally.



Yet the rules clearly state that under the Frightened condition:





  • A frightened creature has disadvantage on ability checks and attack rolls while the source of its fear is within line of sight.

  • The creature can't willingly move closer to the source of its fear.




So, am I correct in assuming that even if they can't run away, they cannot move toward the caster, and if they happen to somehow be in a position to actually attack the caster, it is only with Disadvantage?










share|improve this question











$endgroup$








  • 1




    $begingroup$
    related: Can a creature that is frightened of you still try to attack you?
    $endgroup$
    – G. Moylan
    7 hours ago






  • 2




    $begingroup$
    Was it this question? Or was it maybe this question?
    $endgroup$
    – SevenSidedDie
    7 hours ago














4












4








4





$begingroup$


Someone said he read somewhere on this site, that if the creature can't run away (dash safely) then there is no effect and they can then move up and lash out at the caster as they would normally.



Yet the rules clearly state that under the Frightened condition:





  • A frightened creature has disadvantage on ability checks and attack rolls while the source of its fear is within line of sight.

  • The creature can't willingly move closer to the source of its fear.




So, am I correct in assuming that even if they can't run away, they cannot move toward the caster, and if they happen to somehow be in a position to actually attack the caster, it is only with Disadvantage?










share|improve this question











$endgroup$




Someone said he read somewhere on this site, that if the creature can't run away (dash safely) then there is no effect and they can then move up and lash out at the caster as they would normally.



Yet the rules clearly state that under the Frightened condition:





  • A frightened creature has disadvantage on ability checks and attack rolls while the source of its fear is within line of sight.

  • The creature can't willingly move closer to the source of its fear.




So, am I correct in assuming that even if they can't run away, they cannot move toward the caster, and if they happen to somehow be in a position to actually attack the caster, it is only with Disadvantage?







dnd-5e spells fear






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edited 11 mins ago









V2Blast

22.5k369142




22.5k369142










asked 8 hours ago









Bart VanceBart Vance

212




212








  • 1




    $begingroup$
    related: Can a creature that is frightened of you still try to attack you?
    $endgroup$
    – G. Moylan
    7 hours ago






  • 2




    $begingroup$
    Was it this question? Or was it maybe this question?
    $endgroup$
    – SevenSidedDie
    7 hours ago














  • 1




    $begingroup$
    related: Can a creature that is frightened of you still try to attack you?
    $endgroup$
    – G. Moylan
    7 hours ago






  • 2




    $begingroup$
    Was it this question? Or was it maybe this question?
    $endgroup$
    – SevenSidedDie
    7 hours ago








1




1




$begingroup$
related: Can a creature that is frightened of you still try to attack you?
$endgroup$
– G. Moylan
7 hours ago




$begingroup$
related: Can a creature that is frightened of you still try to attack you?
$endgroup$
– G. Moylan
7 hours ago




2




2




$begingroup$
Was it this question? Or was it maybe this question?
$endgroup$
– SevenSidedDie
7 hours ago




$begingroup$
Was it this question? Or was it maybe this question?
$endgroup$
– SevenSidedDie
7 hours ago










2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes


















9












$begingroup$

I believe there are two effects that are being confused here: the frightened condition, and the Fear spell.



The frightened condition, as you quoted, specifically prohibits moving towards the source of the fear. It does not matter where the frightened creature is and whether or not it is blocked by anything else, it cannot move towards the source of its fear.



The Fear spell requires that




While frightened by this spell, a creature must take the Dash action and move away from you by the safest available route on each of its turns, unless there is nowhere to move.




If there is nowhere to move, the creature who has been targeted by Fear may attack, but it cannot move closer to the enemy, as it is also subject to the frightened condition.



When they attack, in either case, it will be with disadvantage, unless they are under some effect that will allow them to gain advantage, in which case they will cancel out and the frightened creature will attack as normal.






share|improve this answer









$endgroup$













  • $begingroup$
    You might want to cite this sageadvice article sageadvice.eu/2018/09/19/… to further support that "if a creature has nowhere to move, it can take actions normally"
    $endgroup$
    – Vylix
    57 mins ago



















0












$begingroup$

If some other aspect of combat would have granted the frightened creature advantage, the advantage and disadvantage would cancel each other out, and the creature could attack normally. Examples might include the creature being invisible (or unseen by the target) or benefiting from the help action, or the target being prone.






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$endgroup$









  • 3




    $begingroup$
    This only kind of answers half the question.
    $endgroup$
    – Purple Monkey
    7 hours ago











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2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes








2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes









active

oldest

votes






active

oldest

votes









9












$begingroup$

I believe there are two effects that are being confused here: the frightened condition, and the Fear spell.



The frightened condition, as you quoted, specifically prohibits moving towards the source of the fear. It does not matter where the frightened creature is and whether or not it is blocked by anything else, it cannot move towards the source of its fear.



The Fear spell requires that




While frightened by this spell, a creature must take the Dash action and move away from you by the safest available route on each of its turns, unless there is nowhere to move.




If there is nowhere to move, the creature who has been targeted by Fear may attack, but it cannot move closer to the enemy, as it is also subject to the frightened condition.



When they attack, in either case, it will be with disadvantage, unless they are under some effect that will allow them to gain advantage, in which case they will cancel out and the frightened creature will attack as normal.






share|improve this answer









$endgroup$













  • $begingroup$
    You might want to cite this sageadvice article sageadvice.eu/2018/09/19/… to further support that "if a creature has nowhere to move, it can take actions normally"
    $endgroup$
    – Vylix
    57 mins ago
















9












$begingroup$

I believe there are two effects that are being confused here: the frightened condition, and the Fear spell.



The frightened condition, as you quoted, specifically prohibits moving towards the source of the fear. It does not matter where the frightened creature is and whether or not it is blocked by anything else, it cannot move towards the source of its fear.



The Fear spell requires that




While frightened by this spell, a creature must take the Dash action and move away from you by the safest available route on each of its turns, unless there is nowhere to move.




If there is nowhere to move, the creature who has been targeted by Fear may attack, but it cannot move closer to the enemy, as it is also subject to the frightened condition.



When they attack, in either case, it will be with disadvantage, unless they are under some effect that will allow them to gain advantage, in which case they will cancel out and the frightened creature will attack as normal.






share|improve this answer









$endgroup$













  • $begingroup$
    You might want to cite this sageadvice article sageadvice.eu/2018/09/19/… to further support that "if a creature has nowhere to move, it can take actions normally"
    $endgroup$
    – Vylix
    57 mins ago














9












9








9





$begingroup$

I believe there are two effects that are being confused here: the frightened condition, and the Fear spell.



The frightened condition, as you quoted, specifically prohibits moving towards the source of the fear. It does not matter where the frightened creature is and whether or not it is blocked by anything else, it cannot move towards the source of its fear.



The Fear spell requires that




While frightened by this spell, a creature must take the Dash action and move away from you by the safest available route on each of its turns, unless there is nowhere to move.




If there is nowhere to move, the creature who has been targeted by Fear may attack, but it cannot move closer to the enemy, as it is also subject to the frightened condition.



When they attack, in either case, it will be with disadvantage, unless they are under some effect that will allow them to gain advantage, in which case they will cancel out and the frightened creature will attack as normal.






share|improve this answer









$endgroup$



I believe there are two effects that are being confused here: the frightened condition, and the Fear spell.



The frightened condition, as you quoted, specifically prohibits moving towards the source of the fear. It does not matter where the frightened creature is and whether or not it is blocked by anything else, it cannot move towards the source of its fear.



The Fear spell requires that




While frightened by this spell, a creature must take the Dash action and move away from you by the safest available route on each of its turns, unless there is nowhere to move.




If there is nowhere to move, the creature who has been targeted by Fear may attack, but it cannot move closer to the enemy, as it is also subject to the frightened condition.



When they attack, in either case, it will be with disadvantage, unless they are under some effect that will allow them to gain advantage, in which case they will cancel out and the frightened creature will attack as normal.







share|improve this answer












share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer










answered 7 hours ago









L.S. CooperL.S. Cooper

4,6801435




4,6801435












  • $begingroup$
    You might want to cite this sageadvice article sageadvice.eu/2018/09/19/… to further support that "if a creature has nowhere to move, it can take actions normally"
    $endgroup$
    – Vylix
    57 mins ago


















  • $begingroup$
    You might want to cite this sageadvice article sageadvice.eu/2018/09/19/… to further support that "if a creature has nowhere to move, it can take actions normally"
    $endgroup$
    – Vylix
    57 mins ago
















$begingroup$
You might want to cite this sageadvice article sageadvice.eu/2018/09/19/… to further support that "if a creature has nowhere to move, it can take actions normally"
$endgroup$
– Vylix
57 mins ago




$begingroup$
You might want to cite this sageadvice article sageadvice.eu/2018/09/19/… to further support that "if a creature has nowhere to move, it can take actions normally"
$endgroup$
– Vylix
57 mins ago













0












$begingroup$

If some other aspect of combat would have granted the frightened creature advantage, the advantage and disadvantage would cancel each other out, and the creature could attack normally. Examples might include the creature being invisible (or unseen by the target) or benefiting from the help action, or the target being prone.






share|improve this answer









$endgroup$









  • 3




    $begingroup$
    This only kind of answers half the question.
    $endgroup$
    – Purple Monkey
    7 hours ago
















0












$begingroup$

If some other aspect of combat would have granted the frightened creature advantage, the advantage and disadvantage would cancel each other out, and the creature could attack normally. Examples might include the creature being invisible (or unseen by the target) or benefiting from the help action, or the target being prone.






share|improve this answer









$endgroup$









  • 3




    $begingroup$
    This only kind of answers half the question.
    $endgroup$
    – Purple Monkey
    7 hours ago














0












0








0





$begingroup$

If some other aspect of combat would have granted the frightened creature advantage, the advantage and disadvantage would cancel each other out, and the creature could attack normally. Examples might include the creature being invisible (or unseen by the target) or benefiting from the help action, or the target being prone.






share|improve this answer









$endgroup$



If some other aspect of combat would have granted the frightened creature advantage, the advantage and disadvantage would cancel each other out, and the creature could attack normally. Examples might include the creature being invisible (or unseen by the target) or benefiting from the help action, or the target being prone.







share|improve this answer












share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer










answered 7 hours ago









DavoDavo

7631520




7631520








  • 3




    $begingroup$
    This only kind of answers half the question.
    $endgroup$
    – Purple Monkey
    7 hours ago














  • 3




    $begingroup$
    This only kind of answers half the question.
    $endgroup$
    – Purple Monkey
    7 hours ago








3




3




$begingroup$
This only kind of answers half the question.
$endgroup$
– Purple Monkey
7 hours ago




$begingroup$
This only kind of answers half the question.
$endgroup$
– Purple Monkey
7 hours ago


















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