In the descriptions of monster action options, what's the difference between “one target” and “one...











up vote
26
down vote

favorite












Something I have been wondering about since I started DM'ing: in the Monster Manual, most actions specify "one target", while some have "one creature".



Example with Ghouls & Ghasts: Bite specifies one creature, Claws specify one target.



What is the difference? Does it matter for regular play?










share|improve this question









New contributor




Thijs B. is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
















  • 2




    +1, Nice find. Welcome to the stack. We look forward to your next questions (and answers too!)
    – Mindwin
    14 hours ago












  • @Mindwin Thanks!
    – Thijs B.
    13 hours ago















up vote
26
down vote

favorite












Something I have been wondering about since I started DM'ing: in the Monster Manual, most actions specify "one target", while some have "one creature".



Example with Ghouls & Ghasts: Bite specifies one creature, Claws specify one target.



What is the difference? Does it matter for regular play?










share|improve this question









New contributor




Thijs B. is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
















  • 2




    +1, Nice find. Welcome to the stack. We look forward to your next questions (and answers too!)
    – Mindwin
    14 hours ago












  • @Mindwin Thanks!
    – Thijs B.
    13 hours ago













up vote
26
down vote

favorite









up vote
26
down vote

favorite











Something I have been wondering about since I started DM'ing: in the Monster Manual, most actions specify "one target", while some have "one creature".



Example with Ghouls & Ghasts: Bite specifies one creature, Claws specify one target.



What is the difference? Does it matter for regular play?










share|improve this question









New contributor




Thijs B. is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











Something I have been wondering about since I started DM'ing: in the Monster Manual, most actions specify "one target", while some have "one creature".



Example with Ghouls & Ghasts: Bite specifies one creature, Claws specify one target.



What is the difference? Does it matter for regular play?







dnd-5e monsters targeting






share|improve this question









New contributor




Thijs B. is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











share|improve this question









New contributor




Thijs B. is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.









share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited 2 hours ago









V2Blast

19k252117




19k252117






New contributor




Thijs B. is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.









asked 18 hours ago









Thijs B.

133127




133127




New contributor




Thijs B. is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.





New contributor





Thijs B. is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.






Thijs B. is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.








  • 2




    +1, Nice find. Welcome to the stack. We look forward to your next questions (and answers too!)
    – Mindwin
    14 hours ago












  • @Mindwin Thanks!
    – Thijs B.
    13 hours ago














  • 2




    +1, Nice find. Welcome to the stack. We look forward to your next questions (and answers too!)
    – Mindwin
    14 hours ago












  • @Mindwin Thanks!
    – Thijs B.
    13 hours ago








2




2




+1, Nice find. Welcome to the stack. We look forward to your next questions (and answers too!)
– Mindwin
14 hours ago






+1, Nice find. Welcome to the stack. We look forward to your next questions (and answers too!)
– Mindwin
14 hours ago














@Mindwin Thanks!
– Thijs B.
13 hours ago




@Mindwin Thanks!
– Thijs B.
13 hours ago










1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes

















up vote
28
down vote



accepted










A target includes: creatures, objects, and locations.



The PHB p194 states:




Pick a target ...: a creature, an object or a location.




For spells, PHB p204 states:




A spell's description tells you whether the spell targets creatures, objects, or a point of origin...




The Ghoul can use its Bite Action to target only other creatures, e.g. PCs, NPCs, beasts and other monsters. It cannot use the Bite action to target an object, e.g. a door.



The Ghoul can use its Claws Action to target a creature or an object. For example, to do damage to a door.






share|improve this answer










New contributor




Richard Smith is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.














  • 12




    The ghoul can, in a 10 wide by 10 tall long corridor, bite a 10x10 gelatinous cube whose corners are not reachable, but it cannot bite the door (unless it is a mimic... good for detecting mimics). Oh, 5e, what realism. Lolz. +1'd
    – Mindwin
    14 hours ago








  • 3




    @davidrice From the makers of "Magic the Lawyering..."
    – Mindwin
    10 hours ago






  • 7




    @Mindwin It can still probably bite the door (and a real treasure chest), it just can't do so as an attack in RAW... now I have the image of a random ghoul just curiously gnawing on everything around it to see if it should scratch it or bite it harder...
    – MrSpudtastic
    10 hours ago






  • 1




    Spells often have similar restrictions. Most can only target creatures while only a few can target objects. For example, fire bolt can target a creature or object while eldritch blast can only target creatures.
    – Allan Mills
    7 hours ago











Your Answer





StackExchange.ifUsing("editor", function () {
return StackExchange.using("mathjaxEditing", function () {
StackExchange.MarkdownEditor.creationCallbacks.add(function (editor, postfix) {
StackExchange.mathjaxEditing.prepareWmdForMathJax(editor, postfix, [["\$", "\$"]]);
});
});
}, "mathjax-editing");

StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "122"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);

StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});

function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});


}
});






Thijs B. is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.










draft saved

draft discarded


















StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2frpg.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f137504%2fin-the-descriptions-of-monster-action-options-whats-the-difference-between-on%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);

Post as a guest















Required, but never shown

























1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes








1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes









active

oldest

votes






active

oldest

votes








up vote
28
down vote



accepted










A target includes: creatures, objects, and locations.



The PHB p194 states:




Pick a target ...: a creature, an object or a location.




For spells, PHB p204 states:




A spell's description tells you whether the spell targets creatures, objects, or a point of origin...




The Ghoul can use its Bite Action to target only other creatures, e.g. PCs, NPCs, beasts and other monsters. It cannot use the Bite action to target an object, e.g. a door.



The Ghoul can use its Claws Action to target a creature or an object. For example, to do damage to a door.






share|improve this answer










New contributor




Richard Smith is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.














  • 12




    The ghoul can, in a 10 wide by 10 tall long corridor, bite a 10x10 gelatinous cube whose corners are not reachable, but it cannot bite the door (unless it is a mimic... good for detecting mimics). Oh, 5e, what realism. Lolz. +1'd
    – Mindwin
    14 hours ago








  • 3




    @davidrice From the makers of "Magic the Lawyering..."
    – Mindwin
    10 hours ago






  • 7




    @Mindwin It can still probably bite the door (and a real treasure chest), it just can't do so as an attack in RAW... now I have the image of a random ghoul just curiously gnawing on everything around it to see if it should scratch it or bite it harder...
    – MrSpudtastic
    10 hours ago






  • 1




    Spells often have similar restrictions. Most can only target creatures while only a few can target objects. For example, fire bolt can target a creature or object while eldritch blast can only target creatures.
    – Allan Mills
    7 hours ago















up vote
28
down vote



accepted










A target includes: creatures, objects, and locations.



The PHB p194 states:




Pick a target ...: a creature, an object or a location.




For spells, PHB p204 states:




A spell's description tells you whether the spell targets creatures, objects, or a point of origin...




The Ghoul can use its Bite Action to target only other creatures, e.g. PCs, NPCs, beasts and other monsters. It cannot use the Bite action to target an object, e.g. a door.



The Ghoul can use its Claws Action to target a creature or an object. For example, to do damage to a door.






share|improve this answer










New contributor




Richard Smith is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.














  • 12




    The ghoul can, in a 10 wide by 10 tall long corridor, bite a 10x10 gelatinous cube whose corners are not reachable, but it cannot bite the door (unless it is a mimic... good for detecting mimics). Oh, 5e, what realism. Lolz. +1'd
    – Mindwin
    14 hours ago








  • 3




    @davidrice From the makers of "Magic the Lawyering..."
    – Mindwin
    10 hours ago






  • 7




    @Mindwin It can still probably bite the door (and a real treasure chest), it just can't do so as an attack in RAW... now I have the image of a random ghoul just curiously gnawing on everything around it to see if it should scratch it or bite it harder...
    – MrSpudtastic
    10 hours ago






  • 1




    Spells often have similar restrictions. Most can only target creatures while only a few can target objects. For example, fire bolt can target a creature or object while eldritch blast can only target creatures.
    – Allan Mills
    7 hours ago













up vote
28
down vote



accepted







up vote
28
down vote



accepted






A target includes: creatures, objects, and locations.



The PHB p194 states:




Pick a target ...: a creature, an object or a location.




For spells, PHB p204 states:




A spell's description tells you whether the spell targets creatures, objects, or a point of origin...




The Ghoul can use its Bite Action to target only other creatures, e.g. PCs, NPCs, beasts and other monsters. It cannot use the Bite action to target an object, e.g. a door.



The Ghoul can use its Claws Action to target a creature or an object. For example, to do damage to a door.






share|improve this answer










New contributor




Richard Smith is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.









A target includes: creatures, objects, and locations.



The PHB p194 states:




Pick a target ...: a creature, an object or a location.




For spells, PHB p204 states:




A spell's description tells you whether the spell targets creatures, objects, or a point of origin...




The Ghoul can use its Bite Action to target only other creatures, e.g. PCs, NPCs, beasts and other monsters. It cannot use the Bite action to target an object, e.g. a door.



The Ghoul can use its Claws Action to target a creature or an object. For example, to do damage to a door.







share|improve this answer










New contributor




Richard Smith is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.









share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer








edited 17 hours ago





















New contributor




Richard Smith is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.









answered 17 hours ago









Richard Smith

33628




33628




New contributor




Richard Smith is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.





New contributor





Richard Smith is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.






Richard Smith is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.








  • 12




    The ghoul can, in a 10 wide by 10 tall long corridor, bite a 10x10 gelatinous cube whose corners are not reachable, but it cannot bite the door (unless it is a mimic... good for detecting mimics). Oh, 5e, what realism. Lolz. +1'd
    – Mindwin
    14 hours ago








  • 3




    @davidrice From the makers of "Magic the Lawyering..."
    – Mindwin
    10 hours ago






  • 7




    @Mindwin It can still probably bite the door (and a real treasure chest), it just can't do so as an attack in RAW... now I have the image of a random ghoul just curiously gnawing on everything around it to see if it should scratch it or bite it harder...
    – MrSpudtastic
    10 hours ago






  • 1




    Spells often have similar restrictions. Most can only target creatures while only a few can target objects. For example, fire bolt can target a creature or object while eldritch blast can only target creatures.
    – Allan Mills
    7 hours ago














  • 12




    The ghoul can, in a 10 wide by 10 tall long corridor, bite a 10x10 gelatinous cube whose corners are not reachable, but it cannot bite the door (unless it is a mimic... good for detecting mimics). Oh, 5e, what realism. Lolz. +1'd
    – Mindwin
    14 hours ago








  • 3




    @davidrice From the makers of "Magic the Lawyering..."
    – Mindwin
    10 hours ago






  • 7




    @Mindwin It can still probably bite the door (and a real treasure chest), it just can't do so as an attack in RAW... now I have the image of a random ghoul just curiously gnawing on everything around it to see if it should scratch it or bite it harder...
    – MrSpudtastic
    10 hours ago






  • 1




    Spells often have similar restrictions. Most can only target creatures while only a few can target objects. For example, fire bolt can target a creature or object while eldritch blast can only target creatures.
    – Allan Mills
    7 hours ago








12




12




The ghoul can, in a 10 wide by 10 tall long corridor, bite a 10x10 gelatinous cube whose corners are not reachable, but it cannot bite the door (unless it is a mimic... good for detecting mimics). Oh, 5e, what realism. Lolz. +1'd
– Mindwin
14 hours ago






The ghoul can, in a 10 wide by 10 tall long corridor, bite a 10x10 gelatinous cube whose corners are not reachable, but it cannot bite the door (unless it is a mimic... good for detecting mimics). Oh, 5e, what realism. Lolz. +1'd
– Mindwin
14 hours ago






3




3




@davidrice From the makers of "Magic the Lawyering..."
– Mindwin
10 hours ago




@davidrice From the makers of "Magic the Lawyering..."
– Mindwin
10 hours ago




7




7




@Mindwin It can still probably bite the door (and a real treasure chest), it just can't do so as an attack in RAW... now I have the image of a random ghoul just curiously gnawing on everything around it to see if it should scratch it or bite it harder...
– MrSpudtastic
10 hours ago




@Mindwin It can still probably bite the door (and a real treasure chest), it just can't do so as an attack in RAW... now I have the image of a random ghoul just curiously gnawing on everything around it to see if it should scratch it or bite it harder...
– MrSpudtastic
10 hours ago




1




1




Spells often have similar restrictions. Most can only target creatures while only a few can target objects. For example, fire bolt can target a creature or object while eldritch blast can only target creatures.
– Allan Mills
7 hours ago




Spells often have similar restrictions. Most can only target creatures while only a few can target objects. For example, fire bolt can target a creature or object while eldritch blast can only target creatures.
– Allan Mills
7 hours ago










Thijs B. is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.










draft saved

draft discarded


















Thijs B. is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.













Thijs B. is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.












Thijs B. is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
















Thanks for contributing an answer to Role-playing Games Stack Exchange!


  • Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!

But avoid



  • Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.

  • Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.


Use MathJax to format equations. MathJax reference.


To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.





Some of your past answers have not been well-received, and you're in danger of being blocked from answering.


Please pay close attention to the following guidance:


  • Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!

But avoid



  • Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.

  • Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.


To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.




draft saved


draft discarded














StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2frpg.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f137504%2fin-the-descriptions-of-monster-action-options-whats-the-difference-between-on%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);

Post as a guest















Required, but never shown





















































Required, but never shown














Required, but never shown












Required, but never shown







Required, but never shown

































Required, but never shown














Required, but never shown












Required, but never shown







Required, but never shown







Popular posts from this blog

A CLEAN and SIMPLE way to add appendices to Table of Contents and bookmarks

Calculate evaluation metrics using cross_val_predict sklearn

Insert data from modal to MySQL (multiple modal on website)