Does the Absorb Elements spell combine with a sorcerer's Distant Spell metamagic option?












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According to the answers to the question "Is a melee spell attack also a melee attack?", a melee spell attack is a melee attack. Meaning that if I were to cast absorb elements after being hit by a fire bolt, I can add 1d6 fire damage to my next shocking grasp.



As a sorcerer, could I combine this with the Distant Spell Metamagic option?



Using a sorcery point allows me to give a touch-range spell a range of 30 feet instead. Is shocking grasp now a melee spell attack with a range of 30 feet, and therefore eligible for the extra damage granted by absorb elements?










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    16












    $begingroup$


    According to the answers to the question "Is a melee spell attack also a melee attack?", a melee spell attack is a melee attack. Meaning that if I were to cast absorb elements after being hit by a fire bolt, I can add 1d6 fire damage to my next shocking grasp.



    As a sorcerer, could I combine this with the Distant Spell Metamagic option?



    Using a sorcery point allows me to give a touch-range spell a range of 30 feet instead. Is shocking grasp now a melee spell attack with a range of 30 feet, and therefore eligible for the extra damage granted by absorb elements?










    share|improve this question











    $endgroup$















      16












      16








      16





      $begingroup$


      According to the answers to the question "Is a melee spell attack also a melee attack?", a melee spell attack is a melee attack. Meaning that if I were to cast absorb elements after being hit by a fire bolt, I can add 1d6 fire damage to my next shocking grasp.



      As a sorcerer, could I combine this with the Distant Spell Metamagic option?



      Using a sorcery point allows me to give a touch-range spell a range of 30 feet instead. Is shocking grasp now a melee spell attack with a range of 30 feet, and therefore eligible for the extra damage granted by absorb elements?










      share|improve this question











      $endgroup$




      According to the answers to the question "Is a melee spell attack also a melee attack?", a melee spell attack is a melee attack. Meaning that if I were to cast absorb elements after being hit by a fire bolt, I can add 1d6 fire damage to my next shocking grasp.



      As a sorcerer, could I combine this with the Distant Spell Metamagic option?



      Using a sorcery point allows me to give a touch-range spell a range of 30 feet instead. Is shocking grasp now a melee spell attack with a range of 30 feet, and therefore eligible for the extra damage granted by absorb elements?







      dnd-5e spells class-feature attack metamagic






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      edited Jan 5 at 0:27









      V2Blast

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      24.6k383155










      asked Jan 4 at 10:33









      BradenA8BradenA8

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          2 Answers
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          24












          $begingroup$

          Yes, because the spell is still a melee spell



          Looking at Sage Advice (see quote below) the Distant Spell Metamagic just adds a range of 30ft as you've said, but the spell is still considered a melee spell, thus a melee attack so you can add the 1d6 fire damage to it.




          Ironforged
          @JeremyECrawford If you use distant spell on a touch spell like shocking grasp, is it still considered a melee spell attack? I know steel wind strike is a spell that melee spell attack with a range of 30ft, are distant touch spells like that?



          Jeremy Crawford Distant Spell changes range. It doesn't change anything else about a spell. #DnD







          share|improve this answer











          $endgroup$





















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            $begingroup$

            Yes.



            From the PHB (emphasis mine) :




            Most creatures have a 5-foot reach and can thus attack targets within 5 feet of them when making a melee attack. Certain creatures (typically those larger than Medium) have melee attacks with a greater reach than 5 feet, as noted in their descriptions.




            The distance doesn't seem to matter, as long as you have the reach, you can make a melee attack. Distant spell gives you the reach, Shocking Grasp makes you do a melee attack, thus the effect triggers.






            share|improve this answer









            $endgroup$









            • 1




              $begingroup$
              Another example is Bigby's Hand (dnd-spells.com/spell/bigbys-hand): you magically control an object that can make a Melee Spell Attack on your behalf. It might make sense to think of Distant Spell as applying Touch spells through a magic object that touches the target, maybe instead of the spell going out through your fingers and becoming a melee attack with huge reach.
              $endgroup$
              – Peter Cordes
              Jan 4 at 22:15













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            2 Answers
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            2 Answers
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            24












            $begingroup$

            Yes, because the spell is still a melee spell



            Looking at Sage Advice (see quote below) the Distant Spell Metamagic just adds a range of 30ft as you've said, but the spell is still considered a melee spell, thus a melee attack so you can add the 1d6 fire damage to it.




            Ironforged
            @JeremyECrawford If you use distant spell on a touch spell like shocking grasp, is it still considered a melee spell attack? I know steel wind strike is a spell that melee spell attack with a range of 30ft, are distant touch spells like that?



            Jeremy Crawford Distant Spell changes range. It doesn't change anything else about a spell. #DnD







            share|improve this answer











            $endgroup$


















              24












              $begingroup$

              Yes, because the spell is still a melee spell



              Looking at Sage Advice (see quote below) the Distant Spell Metamagic just adds a range of 30ft as you've said, but the spell is still considered a melee spell, thus a melee attack so you can add the 1d6 fire damage to it.




              Ironforged
              @JeremyECrawford If you use distant spell on a touch spell like shocking grasp, is it still considered a melee spell attack? I know steel wind strike is a spell that melee spell attack with a range of 30ft, are distant touch spells like that?



              Jeremy Crawford Distant Spell changes range. It doesn't change anything else about a spell. #DnD







              share|improve this answer











              $endgroup$
















                24












                24








                24





                $begingroup$

                Yes, because the spell is still a melee spell



                Looking at Sage Advice (see quote below) the Distant Spell Metamagic just adds a range of 30ft as you've said, but the spell is still considered a melee spell, thus a melee attack so you can add the 1d6 fire damage to it.




                Ironforged
                @JeremyECrawford If you use distant spell on a touch spell like shocking grasp, is it still considered a melee spell attack? I know steel wind strike is a spell that melee spell attack with a range of 30ft, are distant touch spells like that?



                Jeremy Crawford Distant Spell changes range. It doesn't change anything else about a spell. #DnD







                share|improve this answer











                $endgroup$



                Yes, because the spell is still a melee spell



                Looking at Sage Advice (see quote below) the Distant Spell Metamagic just adds a range of 30ft as you've said, but the spell is still considered a melee spell, thus a melee attack so you can add the 1d6 fire damage to it.




                Ironforged
                @JeremyECrawford If you use distant spell on a touch spell like shocking grasp, is it still considered a melee spell attack? I know steel wind strike is a spell that melee spell attack with a range of 30ft, are distant touch spells like that?



                Jeremy Crawford Distant Spell changes range. It doesn't change anything else about a spell. #DnD








                share|improve this answer














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                edited Jan 4 at 12:31









                Sdjz

                13.3k462107




                13.3k462107










                answered Jan 4 at 11:05









                bigchickcannibalisticbigchickcannibalistic

                52210




                52210

























                    15












                    $begingroup$

                    Yes.



                    From the PHB (emphasis mine) :




                    Most creatures have a 5-foot reach and can thus attack targets within 5 feet of them when making a melee attack. Certain creatures (typically those larger than Medium) have melee attacks with a greater reach than 5 feet, as noted in their descriptions.




                    The distance doesn't seem to matter, as long as you have the reach, you can make a melee attack. Distant spell gives you the reach, Shocking Grasp makes you do a melee attack, thus the effect triggers.






                    share|improve this answer









                    $endgroup$









                    • 1




                      $begingroup$
                      Another example is Bigby's Hand (dnd-spells.com/spell/bigbys-hand): you magically control an object that can make a Melee Spell Attack on your behalf. It might make sense to think of Distant Spell as applying Touch spells through a magic object that touches the target, maybe instead of the spell going out through your fingers and becoming a melee attack with huge reach.
                      $endgroup$
                      – Peter Cordes
                      Jan 4 at 22:15


















                    15












                    $begingroup$

                    Yes.



                    From the PHB (emphasis mine) :




                    Most creatures have a 5-foot reach and can thus attack targets within 5 feet of them when making a melee attack. Certain creatures (typically those larger than Medium) have melee attacks with a greater reach than 5 feet, as noted in their descriptions.




                    The distance doesn't seem to matter, as long as you have the reach, you can make a melee attack. Distant spell gives you the reach, Shocking Grasp makes you do a melee attack, thus the effect triggers.






                    share|improve this answer









                    $endgroup$









                    • 1




                      $begingroup$
                      Another example is Bigby's Hand (dnd-spells.com/spell/bigbys-hand): you magically control an object that can make a Melee Spell Attack on your behalf. It might make sense to think of Distant Spell as applying Touch spells through a magic object that touches the target, maybe instead of the spell going out through your fingers and becoming a melee attack with huge reach.
                      $endgroup$
                      – Peter Cordes
                      Jan 4 at 22:15
















                    15












                    15








                    15





                    $begingroup$

                    Yes.



                    From the PHB (emphasis mine) :




                    Most creatures have a 5-foot reach and can thus attack targets within 5 feet of them when making a melee attack. Certain creatures (typically those larger than Medium) have melee attacks with a greater reach than 5 feet, as noted in their descriptions.




                    The distance doesn't seem to matter, as long as you have the reach, you can make a melee attack. Distant spell gives you the reach, Shocking Grasp makes you do a melee attack, thus the effect triggers.






                    share|improve this answer









                    $endgroup$



                    Yes.



                    From the PHB (emphasis mine) :




                    Most creatures have a 5-foot reach and can thus attack targets within 5 feet of them when making a melee attack. Certain creatures (typically those larger than Medium) have melee attacks with a greater reach than 5 feet, as noted in their descriptions.




                    The distance doesn't seem to matter, as long as you have the reach, you can make a melee attack. Distant spell gives you the reach, Shocking Grasp makes you do a melee attack, thus the effect triggers.







                    share|improve this answer












                    share|improve this answer



                    share|improve this answer










                    answered Jan 4 at 11:02









                    gus3000gus3000

                    1534




                    1534








                    • 1




                      $begingroup$
                      Another example is Bigby's Hand (dnd-spells.com/spell/bigbys-hand): you magically control an object that can make a Melee Spell Attack on your behalf. It might make sense to think of Distant Spell as applying Touch spells through a magic object that touches the target, maybe instead of the spell going out through your fingers and becoming a melee attack with huge reach.
                      $endgroup$
                      – Peter Cordes
                      Jan 4 at 22:15
















                    • 1




                      $begingroup$
                      Another example is Bigby's Hand (dnd-spells.com/spell/bigbys-hand): you magically control an object that can make a Melee Spell Attack on your behalf. It might make sense to think of Distant Spell as applying Touch spells through a magic object that touches the target, maybe instead of the spell going out through your fingers and becoming a melee attack with huge reach.
                      $endgroup$
                      – Peter Cordes
                      Jan 4 at 22:15










                    1




                    1




                    $begingroup$
                    Another example is Bigby's Hand (dnd-spells.com/spell/bigbys-hand): you magically control an object that can make a Melee Spell Attack on your behalf. It might make sense to think of Distant Spell as applying Touch spells through a magic object that touches the target, maybe instead of the spell going out through your fingers and becoming a melee attack with huge reach.
                    $endgroup$
                    – Peter Cordes
                    Jan 4 at 22:15






                    $begingroup$
                    Another example is Bigby's Hand (dnd-spells.com/spell/bigbys-hand): you magically control an object that can make a Melee Spell Attack on your behalf. It might make sense to think of Distant Spell as applying Touch spells through a magic object that touches the target, maybe instead of the spell going out through your fingers and becoming a melee attack with huge reach.
                    $endgroup$
                    – Peter Cordes
                    Jan 4 at 22:15




















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