[RPG] Is it possible to attack enemies through a scrying sensor

dnd-5espellstargetingvision-and-light

The Scrying spell allows players to look at distant targets. Are there abilities or spells that allow players or characters to launch attacks against a target they are scrying?

While I am aware that characters could teleport in, I'm more concerned about zero-risk attacks from super far away.

This question was spurred by the UA sorcerer ability, Hound of Ill Omen. Recently, one of my players cast Scrying on an commoner NPC from a great distance, and then used her Hound of Ill Omen feature on the NPC. The text of the feature reads,

As a bonus action, you can spend 3 sorcery points to summon a hound of ill omen to target one creature you can see. The hound uses a dire wolf’s statistics …

Because the character could see the NPC, I couldn't find a good reason to disallow this, and the NPC was torn to pieces.

I'm not sure if this is just a quirk of the UA wording, or if there is a precedent for this kind of attack.

Just to be clear, my question is not whether Hound of Ill Omen works this way. My question is whether other abilities/spells/etc. also work this way.

Best Answer

I would say no to the spell you are quoting (which states "summon a hound of ill omen to target one creature you can see.) as this seems to go against the PHB section on "targets" for spells. Nearly all spell types or effects it must target something (odd exceptions such as teleport and sending etc) and the PHB section on spell targeting says: (emphasis mine).

To target something, you must have a clear path to it, so it can’t be behind total cover. If you place an area of effect at a point that you can’t see and an obstruction, such as a wall, is between you and that point, the point of origin comes into being on the near side of that obstruction.

since it is highly likely that scrying wouldn't have a clear path to the target (possible if you are on a flat plane with EXTREME line of site but generally speaking)

The scrying spell only notes that you can see and hear as if you were there, it does not say you have a clear path to the target (speaking as a rules-as-written) or can act as if you were there.

Other spells depend. I would say no to long range "sight" spells such as meteor swarm as they would break the need for a clear path to the sighted target. Sending would be irrelevant as you need the same criteria for scrying anyway. Teleport would also be iffy - simply seeing somewhere does not make the location "known to you" as such. I suppose that is a DM call on what they consider "known to you" (I wouldn't consider a "common" room as "known to you", but if there were identifying parts that made it "known to you" such as a window looking onto a recognised item or location then OK you draw where you want to go and teleport into that stone wall).

An episode of the WotC podcast also clears targeting up: You always need a clear path to target a creature with a spell. You don't necessarily need to be able to see them (i.e. heavy fog wont impede) but the travel path of the spell must be clear. The spell originates from the caster so the travel path from the caster to the target must have a clear travel path. Full cover stops travel path (including glass).