Does Crossbow Expert Feat apply to bows? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 NineSouls Aug 19, 2015 21:46:54	This has proably came up already but I couldn't find it on the boards. Does the second benifit of Crossbow Expert apply to attack made with Bows? The second benifit say "Being with 5 feet of a hostile creature doesn't impose a disadvantage on your ranged attack rolls."
#2 Cyber-Dave Aug 19, 2015 21:54:45	By the strict RAW, yes.
#3 DeathMutantLives Aug 19, 2015 22:01:14	The 2nd benefit of the Crossbow Expert feat is not only good bows but for (ranged attack) SPELLS!
(Reply to #2) Macv12	Cyber-Dave wrote:
#5 Noctaem Aug 20, 2015 7:21:17	Macv12 wrote:
(Reply to #5) NineSouls	Thanks for the info. What is RAW and RAI? Where can I find them?
#7 Macv12 Aug 22, 2015 5:01:59	RAW stands for "rules as written." It's literally just what's on the page. RAI is "rules as intended." Sometimes the literal wording of a rule allows something that wasn't intended. For example, you might expect that since the feat is called "crossbow expert," all of its features only apply to crossbows, even though read literally, one of them applies to all ranged attacks. It has been clarified though that the rule is written permissively on purpose; the RAI is that it applies to all ranged attacks.
#8 Mad_Jack Aug 22, 2015 9:12:23	The two terms, RAW and RAI, developed over the years because the game designers, being game designers and not folks with language degrees, often come up with written rules that don't actually mean what they thought they did, or didn't state it clearly enough. Sometimes a brief, concise explanation simply can't cover every eventuality or circumstance. Sometimes even if it's obvious to us what the rules are supposed to do, that's not what they actually say. Incidentally, this is also the origin of therm "rules lawyer", in both it's positive and negative connotations.
#9 Slagger_the_Chuul Aug 22, 2015 11:37:54	Here's what the Sage Advice Compendium has to say about the three terms RAW, RAI, and RAF. When I answer rules questions, I often come at them from one to three different perspectives. RAW. “Rules as written”—that’s what RAW stands for. When I dwell on the RAW interpretation of a rule, I’m studying what the text says in context, without regard to the designers’ intent. The text is forced to stand on its own. Whenever I consider a rule, I start with this perspective; it’s important for me to see what you see, not what I wished we’d published or thought we published. RAI. Some of you are especially interested in knowing the intent behind a rule. That’s where RAI comes in: “rules as intended.” This approach is all about what the designers meant when they wrote something. In a perfect world, RAW and RAI align perfectly, but sometimes the words on the page don’t succeed at communicating the designers’ intent. Or perhaps the words succeed with one group of players but fail with another. When I write about the RAI interpretation of a rule, I’ll be pulling back the curtain and letting you know what the D&D team meant when we wrote a certain rule. RAF. Regardless of what’s on the page or what the designers intended, D&D is meant to be fun, and the DM is the ringmaster at each game table. The best DMs shape the game on the fly to bring the most delight to his or her players. Such DMs aim for RAF, “rules as fun.” We expect DMs to depart from the rules when running a particular campaign or when seeking the greatest happiness for a certain group of players. Sometimes my rules answers will include advice on achieving the RAF interpretation of a rule for your group. I recommend a healthy mix of RAW, RAI, and RAF!
#10 Omnilicious Sep 02, 2015 11:53:39	It officially applies to all ranged attacks including spells. This ONLY affects those abilities which require a roll to hit (a ranged attack). This means ranged spells and abilities that use a save are not affected by an attacker being in melee within 5 feet.

Post/Author/DateTime

Post

NineSouls

Aug 19, 2015 21:46:54

This has proably came up already but I couldn't find it on the boards.

Does the second benifit of Crossbow Expert apply to attack made with Bows?

The second benifit say "Being with 5 feet of a hostile creature doesn't impose a disadvantage on your ranged attack rolls."

Cyber-Dave

Aug 19, 2015 21:54:45

By the strict RAW, yes.

DeathMutantLives

Aug 19, 2015 22:01:14

The 2nd benefit of the Crossbow Expert feat is not only good bows but for (ranged attack) SPELLS!

(Reply to #2)

Macv12

Cyber-Dave wrote:

Noctaem

Aug 20, 2015 7:21:17

Macv12 wrote:

(Reply to #5)

NineSouls

Thanks for the info. What is RAW and RAI? Where can I find them?

Macv12

Aug 22, 2015 5:01:59

RAW stands for "rules as written." It's literally just what's on the page.

RAI is "rules as intended." Sometimes the literal wording of a rule allows something that wasn't intended. For example, you might expect that since the feat is called "crossbow expert," all of its features only apply to crossbows, even though read literally, one of them applies to all ranged attacks. It has been clarified though that the rule is written permissively on purpose; the RAI is that it applies to all ranged attacks.

Mad_Jack

Aug 22, 2015 9:12:23

The two terms, RAW and RAI, developed over the years because the game designers, being game designers and not folks with language degrees, often come up with written rules that don't actually mean what they thought they did, or didn't state it clearly enough. Sometimes a brief, concise explanation simply can't cover every eventuality or circumstance. Sometimes even if it's obvious to us what the rules are supposed to do, that's not what they actually say.

Incidentally, this is also the origin of therm "rules lawyer", in both it's positive and negative connotations.

Slagger_the_Chuul

Aug 22, 2015 11:37:54

Here's what the Sage Advice Compendium has to say about the three terms RAW, RAI, and RAF.

When I answer rules questions, I often come at them from one to three different perspectives.

RAW. “Rules as written”—that’s what RAW stands for. When I dwell on the RAW interpretation of a rule, I’m studying what the text says in context, without regard to the designers’ intent. The text is forced to stand on its own.
Whenever I consider a rule, I start with this perspective; it’s important for me to see what you see, not what I wished we’d published or thought we published.

RAI. Some of you are especially interested in knowing the intent behind a rule. That’s where RAI comes in: “rules as intended.” This approach is all about what the designers meant when they wrote something. In a perfect world, RAW and RAI align perfectly, but sometimes the words on the page don’t succeed at communicating the designers’ intent. Or perhaps the words succeed with one group of players but fail with another.
When I write about the RAI interpretation of a rule, I’ll be pulling back the curtain and letting you know what the D&D team meant when we wrote a certain rule.

RAF. Regardless of what’s on the page or what the designers intended, D&D is meant to be fun, and the DM is the ringmaster at each game table. The best DMs shape the game on the fly to bring the most delight to his or her players. Such DMs aim for RAF, “rules as fun.”
We expect DMs to depart from the rules when running a particular campaign or when seeking the greatest happiness for a certain group of players. Sometimes my rules answers will include advice on achieving the RAF interpretation of a rule for your group.

I recommend a healthy mix of RAW, RAI, and RAF!

#10

Omnilicious

Sep 02, 2015 11:53:39

It officially applies to all ranged attacks including spells. This ONLY affects those abilities which require a roll to hit (a ranged attack). This means ranged spells and abilities that use a save are not affected by an attacker being in melee within 5 feet.