[RPG] What does the Wand of Wonder mean when it says “as if you had cast” vs. “you cast”

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One of the possible effects of the wand of wonder magic item is (emphasis mine):

You enlarge the target as if you had cast enlarge/reduce. If the target can't be affected by the spell, or if you didn't target a creature, you become the target.

There are multiple possible effects for the wand of wonder that use a similar wording. There are also many possible effects for the wand that say instead that "you cast [spell]".

Mechanically, what are the differences between the two wordings (if any)? What exact aspects of the spellcasting process/effects are different between the two?

Best Answer

Description vs Mechanics

There is a difference between the phrase

as if you had cast

and

you cast [spell name]

The former is using an existing mechanic as a description for an effect, while the latter is stating you are using that mechanic itself with all of the spellcasting requirements detailed in Chapter 11 of the PHB (unless it bypasses those, but that's specific over general.)

If WoTC had meant for them to be equivalent, they'd have used identical language. By utilizing them differently in different places, there is an effective difference.

When as if you had cast is used, it is providing the effects without requiring any of the casting rules. Simply by saying as if you are purposefully differentiating from you did.

Note also that there is no opportunity for the creature to save against this. It simply states that:

You enlarge the target...

No save also suggests that this is outside the normal spellcasting mechanics. It's just something that happens and for ease of use it works like an existing mechanic.

The mechanical differences

Because both of these are spell effects but originate differently, there are different mechanics to apply to them.

You Cast

In this case, you are casting the spell. You will need to follow all of the general spellcasting rules of Chapter 11 (components, concentration, targeting, etc.) unless the specific description of the item you are using overrides them. Because you are casting, this also becomes subject to a potential counterspell.

As if

In this case, there is still a spell effect, but it's outside of the general spellcasting rules. You will still follow the description in terms of duration, but this isn't a normal cast spell. Because you haven't actually cast the spell, there are also no concentration mechanics if applicable. The effect is just ongoing for the duration because you haven't actually cast the spell. If you didn't cast it, you don't need to concentrate on it. Think of this like someone casting a buff on you. It's an effect provided by a third party source that you don't have control over.

However, it is still a magical spell effect and would be affected by other abilities and things that would normally work. There is still a reference to the spell and that it works as if you cast it, but you didn't cast it and it's just a spell effect created by something external. This also means that the effect is not available for counterspell, as there is no actual casting. But it is still a spell effect (because the description is referencing that spell), so you could use dispel magic or some other spell/ability that interacts with spell effects or magical effects.