Question,
I know that prestidigitation can put out a torch or lamp. Can the spell be used to put out a torch or lamp that is being carried by another person?
The relevant rules are:
Prestidigitation, Basic Rules, page 99
My ruling is:
Sure. While some spells specifically say that an object that is being "worn or carried" by another creature cannot be affected by the spell, prestidigitation has no such requirement with regard to lighting or snuffing out a candle or torch.
But you or your DM may make a different ruling based on this or other criteria.
There is precedent set in the book that if a spell cannot affect worn or carried objects, it says so.
That means prestidigitation putting out a torch held by somebody else is no problem.
iserith wrote:
Archon007 wrote:
I agree. I'd let it happen.
Prestidgitation only has a 10' range and it requires an action.
As Aaron said, spells tend to be clear on their intent regarding not effecting hostile targets.
It doesn't do any direct damage.
But most of all, it's *cool*! 
And the sorta creative stuff I'm proud of my players comming up with.
AaronOfBarbaria wrote:
Coredump00 wrote:
The way I look at this situation is simple.......It doesn't say unattended candle/torch/campfire. As such, it is well within the power of prestidigitation to snuff out a carried candle or torch - especially in light of the reasons the other posters have said.
AaronOfBarbaria wrote:
Coredump00 wrote:
DungeonKrusher wrote:
Yunru wrote:
Coredump00 wrote:
Coredump00 wrote:
I think it works. Costs your action to put the lights out. Opponent can use his action to turn them back on. No net gain.
Let's suppose I am sneaky and manage to hide tiny candles in the hem of another person's robe. Can I then ignite them (and shortly thereafter the robe) automatically? What constitutes a torch or a candle? A particularly fat person with a stick in his tush might be kinda candle-like...
Undrhil wrote:
AaronOfBarbaria wrote:
You have answered my question/query, and come up with some interesting conversation. Thanks!
Since this forum is all about somantics, let's break Prestidigitation, shall we? A spell like Presti, which is nice and flexible and ambiguous, has a ton of rather powerful applications when using the logic "No no = yes."
"You can instantaneously light or snuff out a candle, a torch, or a small campfire."
My enemy has a torch is his bag. I can see the head of it sticking out. I'll light it on fire. How much damage is a 3rd degree burn? Also, he should roll INT to see if he ever learned stop/drop/roll. I doubt it.
"You instantly clean or soil an object no larger than 1 cubic foot."
I'll soil that wizard's spell scroll or spell book so he cannot use it... ever.
I'll soil the invisible guy's boots so he leaves a nice, easy to follow trail. I don't have to SEE him after all, I just hve to have a clear line of effect.
"You make a color, a small mark, or a symbol appear on an object or surface for 1 hour."
I think I'll make the color black appear on the surface of my opponent's eyes, so he can no longer see. What, it doesn't say a non-living surface!
"You chill, warm, or flavor up to 1 cubic foot of nonliving material for 1 hour."
I'd make vial of water that tastes like a potion of healing, and sell it for a tidy profit. After all, "Potions are the exception; a little taste is enough to tell the taster what the potion does." (DM basic p. 58)
"You create a nonmagical trinket or an illusory image that can fit in your hand and that lasts until the end of your next turn."
I love this one.
I'll create a copy of the king's signet ring, to give me unfettered access anywhere that such authority is relevant.
Create some valuable piece of jewelery and use it to buy something. True, you have to make your way out of the story in roughly 10-20 seconds, but that's a LOT longer than you might think it is.
I'll create a ring with a diamond in it that's worth 100 gp, and next round use that diamond as my component to cast StoneSkin.
I'll create a Poisoner's ring. (http://the39clues.s3.amazonaws.com/images/articles/335/wc_115_poison-ring.jpg). Only MY ring will have the pointy end go inward, and I'll create it on HIS hand. Roll for poison damage B!
Miriam Webster gives me a bit more flexibility by naming a trinket as a "piece of equipment" (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trinket). If that's the case, then I'll create...
A birthday candle... made out of dynamite. I'd either throw it on my next turn, or drop it and run away after creating it.
Create a key or appropriate thief tool to open just about any door.
AndyDay wrote:
AndyDay wrote:
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AaronOfBarbaria wrote:
So I have a question that I need some impartial weighing in on from others. The reason I need impartial help is because the playing causing me to reach out for other's interpretations can be very trying at times (trying to be polite in case he reads the forums) and I can't tell if the reason I'm going to tell him "no this won't have the affect you want" is because I can't stand his thinking that everything he does should be successful.
At present the characters are engaged with Yeti Howlers. The PC in question is a Wizard and with information from the party's druid's successful lore check, he knows that the people in the mountains protect themselves by laying out amounts of rotting meat to keep Yeti's away. So the Wizard uses prestidigitation to make himself smell like rotted meat and steps out of cover towards the Yetis. I think he's an idiot and that he can't use the spell to make himself smell sooooo bad like rotted meat that the Yetis would flee. I think that some may keep their distance and lodge boulders at him. He thinks that the smell should last until he dispels it and it should make the Yetis flee from the encounter. Personally, as a DM I hate this spell and its at will use, but that really isn't the issue. I love to give xp to players who think outside the box but I don't want a spell like this, a cantrip, to be thought of by my players as something that should end an encounter with Level 7 monsters.
Thanks for any responses. Save my sanity. I have so much more I could rant about but I don't want to toss this player out as all the players are good friends and no one wants bad blood, just balance.
PHB, page 267 Prestidigitation: "You create an instantaneous, harmless sensory effect, such as a shower of sparks, a puff of wind, faint musical notes, or an odd odor." (emphasis is mine)
This is the only reference to the spell causing an odor. The effect is instantaneous, not lasting.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that when the spell mentions trinkets, it's referring to the trinket table in the PHB Equipment section.
Undrhil wrote:
Genisys wrote:
FarBeyondC wrote:
The yetis stay back from the stinky what-is-it. They throw things (rocks, branches) at it from a short distance, rather than get up close to smack it with a paw.
BRJN wrote:
AndyDay wrote: