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Does the wording of the Wrathful Smite spell imply that there are other living beings that aren't considered “creatures”?

Is there anything that is simultaneously a creature and an object?What is the definition of “creature” and is it used consistently?Do creatures summoned by the Conjure Animals or Conjure Woodland Beings spells act on the round they are summoned?Does Green-Flame Blade damage the caster if no other targets are available?Is there a spell or effect that will summon a living humanoid to you?Will the illusion of a creature, of a given type, trigger a spell contingent upon the creature type?Are there creatures that are resistant/immune to falling damage?Is there any other effect that induces sleep other than the Sleep spell?Are there any issues with creating creatures that can make multi-target melee attacks?Are there any balance-breaking consequences of house-ruling that the Spider Climb spell can be upcast to affect additional creatures?

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6

$begingroup$

I've been playing D&D 5e for about a year, and as I've understood, every living being falls under the "creature" category: humanoids, beasts, monstrosities, monsters, constructs, undead, celestials, fiends, etc.

However, the Paladin spell Wrathful Smite reads as follows:

Additionally, if the target is a creature, it must make a Wisdom saving throw
or be frightened of you until the spell ends

This made me question the meaning of "creature".

Does it imply that there are other living beings, aside from "creatures"?

dnd-5e spells targeting

share|improve this question

edited 41 mins ago

V2Blast♦

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asked 16 hours ago

Mikkel ToftMikkel Toft

3633 bronze badges

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

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @StackLloyd I'm not sure this is a duplicate, since this question seems to be about confusion around the wrathful smite description specifically, rather than the "creature" thing that the other question explores.
  $endgroup$
  – NathanS
  16 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Welcome to the stack! Please take the tour to learn more about how we operate and glad to have you around! FYI, you don't need to signal edits (the edit history takes care of that.) It's better to just fully edit your question to include newly relevant information but keep the question as a narrative whole.
  $endgroup$
  – NautArch
  16 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  I'm not sure we can answer the first part of your last question (that's designer intent, which we hold as off-topic), but we could potentially answer the second. I've deleted the first part, but you can always roll back that edit.
  $endgroup$
  – NautArch
  14 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  If your real question is "are there things which are neither creatures nor objects?" I would change the title of your question to reflect this
  $endgroup$
  – Medix2
  13 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

6

$begingroup$

I've been playing D&D 5e for about a year, and as I've understood, every living being falls under the "creature" category: humanoids, beasts, monstrosities, monsters, constructs, undead, celestials, fiends, etc.

However, the Paladin spell Wrathful Smite reads as follows:

Additionally, if the target is a creature, it must make a Wisdom saving throw
or be frightened of you until the spell ends

This made me question the meaning of "creature".

Does it imply that there are other living beings, aside from "creatures"?

dnd-5e spells targeting

share|improve this question

edited 41 mins ago

V2Blast♦

34.2k55 gold badges123123 silver badges214214 bronze badges

asked 16 hours ago

Mikkel ToftMikkel Toft

3633 bronze badges

New contributor

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

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @StackLloyd I'm not sure this is a duplicate, since this question seems to be about confusion around the wrathful smite description specifically, rather than the "creature" thing that the other question explores.
  $endgroup$
  – NathanS
  16 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Welcome to the stack! Please take the tour to learn more about how we operate and glad to have you around! FYI, you don't need to signal edits (the edit history takes care of that.) It's better to just fully edit your question to include newly relevant information but keep the question as a narrative whole.
  $endgroup$
  – NautArch
  16 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  I'm not sure we can answer the first part of your last question (that's designer intent, which we hold as off-topic), but we could potentially answer the second. I've deleted the first part, but you can always roll back that edit.
  $endgroup$
  – NautArch
  14 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  If your real question is "are there things which are neither creatures nor objects?" I would change the title of your question to reflect this
  $endgroup$
  – Medix2
  13 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

$begingroup$

I've been playing D&D 5e for about a year, and as I've understood, every living being falls under the "creature" category: humanoids, beasts, monstrosities, monsters, constructs, undead, celestials, fiends, etc.

However, the Paladin spell Wrathful Smite reads as follows:

Additionally, if the target is a creature, it must make a Wisdom saving throw
or be frightened of you until the spell ends

This made me question the meaning of "creature".

Does it imply that there are other living beings, aside from "creatures"?

dnd-5e spells targeting

share|improve this question

edited 41 mins ago

V2Blast♦

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asked 16 hours ago

Mikkel ToftMikkel Toft

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Check out our Code of Conduct.

$endgroup$

share|improve this question

edited 41 mins ago

V2Blast♦

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asked 16 hours ago

Mikkel ToftMikkel Toft

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share|improve this question

edited 41 mins ago

V2Blast♦

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Mikkel ToftMikkel Toft

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edited 41 mins ago

V2Blast♦

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edited 41 mins ago

V2Blast♦

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asked 16 hours ago

Mikkel ToftMikkel Toft

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asked 16 hours ago

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2 Answers
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10

$begingroup$

The term "creature" does not include objects.

In other words, if you use Wrathful Smite to break down a door, the door does not need to make a wisdom saving throw.

share|improve this answer

answered 16 hours ago

AceCalhoonAceCalhoon

39.4k1010 gold badges129129 silver badges191191 bronze badges

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  3
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @NautArch OP's edit suggests otherwise, that it was in fact confusion around the wrathful smite description. The question should perhaps be cleaned up to better reflect the OP's "true" query...
  $endgroup$
  – NathanS
  16 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @NathanS After the clarification, this answer doesn't really address the OP's concerns.
  $endgroup$
  – StackLloyd
  16 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  You may want to mention this question: "Is there anything that is simultaneously a creature and an object?"
  $endgroup$
  – Medix2
  23 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

9

$begingroup$

The effects of the wrathful smite spell can apply to anything, including objects; the phrase in question makes it so that only creatures make the Wisdom saving throw

Most of the smite spells (all but thunderous smite and wrathful smite) begin with the following:

The next time you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack...

The wrathful smite spell, however, states:

The next time you hit with a melee weapon attack during this spell's duration, your attack deals an extra 1d6 psychic damage. Additionally, if the target is a creature, it must make a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you until the spell ends...

Most smite spells only have effects against creatures, however, the effects of wrathful smite are not restricted in this way so they can apply to anything you hit, including objects.

The additional 1d6 psychic damage applies no matter what you hit; however, the wording in question is there so that the Wisdom saving throw is only made if the target is a creature.

---

Of note, there are things which are neither creatures nor objects and they are explicitly called out as such. The only one I know of is the Shepherd Druid's Spirit Totem which states:

The spirit creates an aura in a 30-foot radius around that point. It counts as neither a creature nor an object, though it has the spectral appearance of the creature it represents.

Whether this being counts as "living" would be up to a GM (though I don't know any game-effect where it would matter). However, you can't actually hit the spirit totem, it has no stats. If you could then it would take the additional 1d6 psychic damage but it would not make the Wisdom saving throw as it is not a creature.

---

The fact that there are extremely few things which are neither creature nor object is supported by the rules constant use of the phrase "creatures and objects" such as in the see invisibility spell which states:

For the duration, you see invisible creatures and objects as if they were visible

This (and many other instances of this phrase throughout the rules) help show that unless stated otherwise something must be either a creature or an object (or both, potentially, see this question for that discussion: "Is there anything that is simultaneously a creature and an object?")

share|improve this answer

edited 13 hours ago

answered 14 hours ago

Medix2Medix2

10.6k22 gold badges3636 silver badges104104 bronze badges

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  I think you fell into the same trap as AceCalhoon. WIth the most recent edit, OP seems to understand Objects are separate. They're asking if there are other non-objects that would be removed from this effect as "not creatures". I think.
  $endgroup$
  – NautArch
  14 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @NautArch I'm not sure what you mean, the phrase is there to explain that only a creature makes the saving throw. I honestly don't understand how this implies the existence of non-creature living beings
  $endgroup$
  – Medix2
  14 hours ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  And with OP's final question, they're asking if it is simply object v. creature dichotomy, or if there is something else that qualifies as not-object, but not-creature.
  $endgroup$
  – NautArch
  14 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @NautArch Added that in now
  $endgroup$
  – Medix2
  14 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

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10

$begingroup$

The term "creature" does not include objects.

In other words, if you use Wrathful Smite to break down a door, the door does not need to make a wisdom saving throw.

share|improve this answer

answered 16 hours ago

AceCalhoonAceCalhoon

39.4k1010 gold badges129129 silver badges191191 bronze badges

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  3
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @NautArch OP's edit suggests otherwise, that it was in fact confusion around the wrathful smite description. The question should perhaps be cleaned up to better reflect the OP's "true" query...
  $endgroup$
  – NathanS
  16 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @NathanS After the clarification, this answer doesn't really address the OP's concerns.
  $endgroup$
  – StackLloyd
  16 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  You may want to mention this question: "Is there anything that is simultaneously a creature and an object?"
  $endgroup$
  – Medix2
  23 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

10

$begingroup$

The term "creature" does not include objects.

In other words, if you use Wrathful Smite to break down a door, the door does not need to make a wisdom saving throw.

share|improve this answer

answered 16 hours ago

AceCalhoonAceCalhoon

39.4k1010 gold badges129129 silver badges191191 bronze badges

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  3
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @NautArch OP's edit suggests otherwise, that it was in fact confusion around the wrathful smite description. The question should perhaps be cleaned up to better reflect the OP's "true" query...
  $endgroup$
  – NathanS
  16 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @NathanS After the clarification, this answer doesn't really address the OP's concerns.
  $endgroup$
  – StackLloyd
  16 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  You may want to mention this question: "Is there anything that is simultaneously a creature and an object?"
  $endgroup$
  – Medix2
  23 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

$begingroup$

The term "creature" does not include objects.

In other words, if you use Wrathful Smite to break down a door, the door does not need to make a wisdom saving throw.

share|improve this answer

answered 16 hours ago

AceCalhoonAceCalhoon

39.4k1010 gold badges129129 silver badges191191 bronze badges

$endgroup$

share|improve this answer

answered 16 hours ago

AceCalhoonAceCalhoon

39.4k1010 gold badges129129 silver badges191191 bronze badges

answered 16 hours ago

AceCalhoonAceCalhoon

39.4k1010 gold badges129129 silver badges191191 bronze badges

answered 16 hours ago

AceCalhoonAceCalhoon

39.4k1010 gold badges129129 silver badges191191 bronze badges

9

$begingroup$

The effects of the wrathful smite spell can apply to anything, including objects; the phrase in question makes it so that only creatures make the Wisdom saving throw

Most of the smite spells (all but thunderous smite and wrathful smite) begin with the following:

The next time you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack...

The wrathful smite spell, however, states:

The next time you hit with a melee weapon attack during this spell's duration, your attack deals an extra 1d6 psychic damage. Additionally, if the target is a creature, it must make a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you until the spell ends...

Most smite spells only have effects against creatures, however, the effects of wrathful smite are not restricted in this way so they can apply to anything you hit, including objects.

The additional 1d6 psychic damage applies no matter what you hit; however, the wording in question is there so that the Wisdom saving throw is only made if the target is a creature.

---

Of note, there are things which are neither creatures nor objects and they are explicitly called out as such. The only one I know of is the Shepherd Druid's Spirit Totem which states:

The spirit creates an aura in a 30-foot radius around that point. It counts as neither a creature nor an object, though it has the spectral appearance of the creature it represents.

Whether this being counts as "living" would be up to a GM (though I don't know any game-effect where it would matter). However, you can't actually hit the spirit totem, it has no stats. If you could then it would take the additional 1d6 psychic damage but it would not make the Wisdom saving throw as it is not a creature.

---

The fact that there are extremely few things which are neither creature nor object is supported by the rules constant use of the phrase "creatures and objects" such as in the see invisibility spell which states:

For the duration, you see invisible creatures and objects as if they were visible

This (and many other instances of this phrase throughout the rules) help show that unless stated otherwise something must be either a creature or an object (or both, potentially, see this question for that discussion: "Is there anything that is simultaneously a creature and an object?")

share|improve this answer

edited 13 hours ago

answered 14 hours ago

Medix2Medix2

10.6k22 gold badges3636 silver badges104104 bronze badges

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  I think you fell into the same trap as AceCalhoon. WIth the most recent edit, OP seems to understand Objects are separate. They're asking if there are other non-objects that would be removed from this effect as "not creatures". I think.
  $endgroup$
  – NautArch
  14 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @NautArch I'm not sure what you mean, the phrase is there to explain that only a creature makes the saving throw. I honestly don't understand how this implies the existence of non-creature living beings
  $endgroup$
  – Medix2
  14 hours ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  And with OP's final question, they're asking if it is simply object v. creature dichotomy, or if there is something else that qualifies as not-object, but not-creature.
  $endgroup$
  – NautArch
  14 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @NautArch Added that in now
  $endgroup$
  – Medix2
  14 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

9

$begingroup$

The effects of the wrathful smite spell can apply to anything, including objects; the phrase in question makes it so that only creatures make the Wisdom saving throw

Most of the smite spells (all but thunderous smite and wrathful smite) begin with the following:

The next time you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack...

The wrathful smite spell, however, states:

The next time you hit with a melee weapon attack during this spell's duration, your attack deals an extra 1d6 psychic damage. Additionally, if the target is a creature, it must make a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you until the spell ends...

Most smite spells only have effects against creatures, however, the effects of wrathful smite are not restricted in this way so they can apply to anything you hit, including objects.

The additional 1d6 psychic damage applies no matter what you hit; however, the wording in question is there so that the Wisdom saving throw is only made if the target is a creature.

---

Of note, there are things which are neither creatures nor objects and they are explicitly called out as such. The only one I know of is the Shepherd Druid's Spirit Totem which states:

The spirit creates an aura in a 30-foot radius around that point. It counts as neither a creature nor an object, though it has the spectral appearance of the creature it represents.

Whether this being counts as "living" would be up to a GM (though I don't know any game-effect where it would matter). However, you can't actually hit the spirit totem, it has no stats. If you could then it would take the additional 1d6 psychic damage but it would not make the Wisdom saving throw as it is not a creature.

---

The fact that there are extremely few things which are neither creature nor object is supported by the rules constant use of the phrase "creatures and objects" such as in the see invisibility spell which states:

For the duration, you see invisible creatures and objects as if they were visible

This (and many other instances of this phrase throughout the rules) help show that unless stated otherwise something must be either a creature or an object (or both, potentially, see this question for that discussion: "Is there anything that is simultaneously a creature and an object?")

share|improve this answer

edited 13 hours ago

answered 14 hours ago

Medix2Medix2

10.6k22 gold badges3636 silver badges104104 bronze badges

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  I think you fell into the same trap as AceCalhoon. WIth the most recent edit, OP seems to understand Objects are separate. They're asking if there are other non-objects that would be removed from this effect as "not creatures". I think.
  $endgroup$
  – NautArch
  14 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @NautArch I'm not sure what you mean, the phrase is there to explain that only a creature makes the saving throw. I honestly don't understand how this implies the existence of non-creature living beings
  $endgroup$
  – Medix2
  14 hours ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  And with OP's final question, they're asking if it is simply object v. creature dichotomy, or if there is something else that qualifies as not-object, but not-creature.
  $endgroup$
  – NautArch
  14 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @NautArch Added that in now
  $endgroup$
  – Medix2
  14 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

$begingroup$

The effects of the wrathful smite spell can apply to anything, including objects; the phrase in question makes it so that only creatures make the Wisdom saving throw

Most of the smite spells (all but thunderous smite and wrathful smite) begin with the following:

The next time you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack...

The wrathful smite spell, however, states:

The next time you hit with a melee weapon attack during this spell's duration, your attack deals an extra 1d6 psychic damage. Additionally, if the target is a creature, it must make a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you until the spell ends...

Most smite spells only have effects against creatures, however, the effects of wrathful smite are not restricted in this way so they can apply to anything you hit, including objects.

The additional 1d6 psychic damage applies no matter what you hit; however, the wording in question is there so that the Wisdom saving throw is only made if the target is a creature.

---

Of note, there are things which are neither creatures nor objects and they are explicitly called out as such. The only one I know of is the Shepherd Druid's Spirit Totem which states:

The spirit creates an aura in a 30-foot radius around that point. It counts as neither a creature nor an object, though it has the spectral appearance of the creature it represents.

Whether this being counts as "living" would be up to a GM (though I don't know any game-effect where it would matter). However, you can't actually hit the spirit totem, it has no stats. If you could then it would take the additional 1d6 psychic damage but it would not make the Wisdom saving throw as it is not a creature.

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The fact that there are extremely few things which are neither creature nor object is supported by the rules constant use of the phrase "creatures and objects" such as in the see invisibility spell which states:

For the duration, you see invisible creatures and objects as if they were visible

This (and many other instances of this phrase throughout the rules) help show that unless stated otherwise something must be either a creature or an object (or both, potentially, see this question for that discussion: "Is there anything that is simultaneously a creature and an object?")

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edited 13 hours ago

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share|improve this answer

edited 13 hours ago

answered 14 hours ago

Medix2Medix2

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answered 14 hours ago

Medix2Medix2

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answered 14 hours ago

Medix2Medix2

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