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Stemming from another question: Does an invisible enemy within 5 feet of you still impose disadvantage on ranged attacks? there is a niche scenario described where this could be applicable (potentially with others niche cases elsewhere)

Scenario: I'm a Ranger, wanting to shoot at a target 30 feet away that is in plain view without cover. Normal attack roll.

Little did I know as the Ranger, there was an invisible observer during this whole battle, a wizard keen to learn how we fight as a team, who's sole task throughout this fight was to remain invisible, hidden, unmoving, to silently observe the combat for use of this knowledge later.

Without knowing it, my Ranger just so happened to back up next to this invisible wizard (within 5 feet) before I made my attack against a target 30 feet out. Is this creature next to me considered Hostile, which the DM would then tell me to roll with disadvantage?

Summary:

  • Making a ranged attack against a far off target
  • I'm unknowingly within 5 feet of a creature that makes no attempt to interact with nor interrupt me (specifically trying to avoid doing so) during my attack.

Is this creature hostile to me? (And by extension, Should I be at a disadvantage for this attack?)

Should it be a consideration that suddenly rolling this attack at disadvantage will reveal the fact that an invisible creature is near me when I otherwise had no idea?

The ruling on disadvantage for ranged attacks are as follows: The pertinent Ranged attacking in close combat rules (PHB 195):

Aiming a ranged attack is more difficult when a foe is next to you. When you make a ranged attack with a weapon, a spell, or some other means, you have disadvantage on the attack roll if you are within 5 feet of a hostile creature who can see you and who isn’t incapacitated.

This rule would seem to suggest that if the creature is not actively hostile nor making any attempt to distract me, the fact that they are within 5 feet doesn't really matter.

Is this the only example of an enemy being non-hostile? Or is this creature considered hostile just by sitting there, while specifically doing nothing else.

Another example:

Would a Green Hag, who is raising a human boy, caring for them and keeping them safe as they grow up be considered a hostile to the boy (who considers it his mother) if it was later found out that they only protected the boy so they can charm and control him later?

Thomas Markov
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Danger Lake
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  • Related: https://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/65491/what-is-the-definition-of-hostile – Willem Renzema Apr 27 '22 at 20:43
  • I'm confused as to what you are asking. If it is simply whether an adjacent, invisible creature is considered hostile, then I think your question is a duplicate – Exempt-Medic Apr 27 '22 at 20:57
  • That doesn't answer my question as a creature that is simply invisible and adjacent does not equate hostile in order to satisfy the requirement to impose disadvantage. Hostile in the context of social interaction (attitude) as a noble who is dismissive and jealous of the party for gaining the attention of the king is quite different than the difference between slashing at someone with a weapon and standing motionless with no intention to interact at all. – Danger Lake Apr 27 '22 at 21:07
  • I'm not convinced this is a duplicate, but I'd still close it for needing focus. The OP is asking two very separate questions: 1) If a creature is unaware of an enemy, do they still impose disadvantage on ranged attacks, and 2) what is hostile (which is answered in the other question). So if the OP dropped, say, the whole second half of their post, and just focused on unseen, adjacent enemies, then I would vote to reopen. Or at least look to see if their is a duplicate of that question. – MivaScott Apr 27 '22 at 21:15
  • @Exempt-Medic As described by the title. Is it ever possible for an enemy to not be considered "hostile." I've added another example of such a situation. – Danger Lake Apr 27 '22 at 21:15
  • @MicaScott 1) That is not the question I'm asking. Is this creature considered an enemy? Is this creature considered hostile? Is there a difference? That is the question being asked. 2) What is hostile in the context of social interaction has been answered, not in the context of combat. The PHB and the DMG examples given show intent to cause the player problems. This creature is intent on not interacting negatively with the party what-so-ever.

    I've given 2 different scenarios to illustrate the point of when an enemy might not be considered hostile, which this question is asking.

     – Danger Lake Apr 27 '22 at 21:20
  • One of the answers to the post says "An invisible enemy [is] Hostile. Always hostile. It says it in the name: An enemy." I'm not sure how that doesn't answer your question. The question itself asks "Does a covert spy in the party count as hostile? Does an invisible enemy stalking the party count as hostile? Does it count as nonhostile, i.e. would it get the benefit of the aura if it were near the party? What steps can I take as a GM to determine their hostility?" I do not see how that is related to social interactions nor how it doesn't cover your own questions here – Exempt-Medic Apr 27 '22 at 21:38
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    and immediately below, the same answer states: "If you're talking more about being invisible, then an invisible creature not engaging in a hostile act would be neutral." which would describe both of my scenarios. (as well as the roleplay remarks after, as this creature is intending NOT to impede the party) Additionally, these answers do not have rule book references, which I'm hoping someone would supply. – Danger Lake Apr 27 '22 at 21:51
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    @DangerLake Then it sounds like a bounty would work better here. As far as I can tell, your question asks the same thing as that question; whether the answers are satisfactory or complete doesn't matter – Exempt-Medic Apr 27 '22 at 21:55
  • Or Possibly that the answer to this is reliant on the answer to other questions. I asked this specifically because most answers to these questions showed an assumption that Enemy = Hostile which the rule books do not appear to support, while I'm asking about scenarios Specifically to show that there is a difference between enemy and hostile, which these previous answers do not attempt to answer. – Danger Lake Apr 27 '22 at 22:01

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