epithet
July 30th, 2015, 03:41
So... the Sage Advice (https://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/sageadvice_july2015) column last week turned my idea of the Arcane Ward upside down.
Is an abjurer’s Arcane Ward healed only when the ward has 0 hit points? The ward regains hit points whenever the abjurer casts an abjuration spell of 1st level or higher, not just when the ward has 0 hit points.
Does casting alarm as a ritual heal Arcane Ward? Any abjuration spell of 1st level or higher cast by an abjurer can restore hit points to his or her Arcane Ward. As is normal for healing, the ward can’t regain more hit points than its hit point maximum: twice the wizard’s level + the wizard’s Intelligence modifier.
How does Arcane Ward interact with temporary hit points and damage resistance that an abjurer might have? An Arcane Ward is not an extension of the wizard who creates it. It is a magical effect with its own hit points. Any temporary hit points, immunities, or resistances that the wizard has don’t apply to the ward. The ward takes damage first. Any leftover damage is taken by the wizard and goes through the following game elements in order: (1) any relevant damage immunity, (2) any relevant damage resistance, (3) any temporary hit points, and (4) real hit points.
Before, I was tracking the Ward as temporary hit points. It seems to me now that it can't be tracked that way, even if you don't have actual temp HP to compete for the field. The Ward doesn't get the Wizard's resistances or immunities, so it seems that really the best way to keep track of it is to create an NPC with the Ward's hit points and the Wizard's saving throws. Target the Ward instead of the Wizard, then apply any spill-over damage to the Wizard (which will now show up in the chat window, since the last update.) Whenever the Wizard casts an Abjuration spell, he can click an effect to heal the Ward for the appropriate amount.
What a pain in the ***.
Is anyone doing this in a better, easier way?
Is an abjurer’s Arcane Ward healed only when the ward has 0 hit points? The ward regains hit points whenever the abjurer casts an abjuration spell of 1st level or higher, not just when the ward has 0 hit points.
Does casting alarm as a ritual heal Arcane Ward? Any abjuration spell of 1st level or higher cast by an abjurer can restore hit points to his or her Arcane Ward. As is normal for healing, the ward can’t regain more hit points than its hit point maximum: twice the wizard’s level + the wizard’s Intelligence modifier.
How does Arcane Ward interact with temporary hit points and damage resistance that an abjurer might have? An Arcane Ward is not an extension of the wizard who creates it. It is a magical effect with its own hit points. Any temporary hit points, immunities, or resistances that the wizard has don’t apply to the ward. The ward takes damage first. Any leftover damage is taken by the wizard and goes through the following game elements in order: (1) any relevant damage immunity, (2) any relevant damage resistance, (3) any temporary hit points, and (4) real hit points.
Before, I was tracking the Ward as temporary hit points. It seems to me now that it can't be tracked that way, even if you don't have actual temp HP to compete for the field. The Ward doesn't get the Wizard's resistances or immunities, so it seems that really the best way to keep track of it is to create an NPC with the Ward's hit points and the Wizard's saving throws. Target the Ward instead of the Wizard, then apply any spill-over damage to the Wizard (which will now show up in the chat window, since the last update.) Whenever the Wizard casts an Abjuration spell, he can click an effect to heal the Ward for the appropriate amount.
What a pain in the ***.
Is anyone doing this in a better, easier way?