-4

A lot of things are implicit in the rules, for example that you cannot walk through a wall, even when there is no rule explicitly forbidding that. Common sense is to be used for how things would interact.

There is also this helpful tweet by Jeremy Crawford to support this in discussions with rules lawyers that ask for proof where the rules say so:

In D&D, everyday things — walls, gravity, bread, laughter — work the way we expect them to, except for when the rules say otherwise.

For example, D&D has magical effects that pass through walls, for walls are assumed to be impenetrable, unless you damage the wall itself. #DnD

However, Crawford's tweets are not official any more. I'm looking for something better. Is there any official rules text that supports this premise?

Nobody the Hobgoblin
  • 112,387
  • 14
  • 326
  • 684
  • 3
    Is there some specific problem you're having that needs this information? You've asked generic questions in the past and have had more specific scenarios behind them when I've asked. I am not sure what the need is to find a rules basis for "you cannot walk through a solid wall." Please clarify for us what's going on here that you're asking about this. – doppelgreener Jun 26 '22 at 11:41
  • 3
    I have answered several questions referring to said tweet (which I think is the right thing), but that tweet is not official rules. I would like to know if there is any official rules support for the notion, that I just have not been able to find. – Nobody the Hobgoblin Jun 26 '22 at 11:43
  • 2
    What other option could there possibly be, that leads to a playable game rather than a Humpty-Dumpty-esque breakdown in communication? – Novak Jun 26 '22 at 15:42
  • 1
    @Novak, yes I fully agree. But there is a reason that JC had to make that tweet. And in disuscssions with people who need such a tweet, it would be much nicer to have a quote from the actual rules. I just unfortunately have not been able to find a good one. Neither have the replies so far, unfortunately. – Nobody the Hobgoblin Jun 26 '22 at 15:45
  • 3
    People who need that tweet are unlikely to be convinced by that tweet. How do they know what he means by "everyday things?" He could mean something completely different than what they're thinking. Is a spoon an everyday thing? He doesn't say so! It's not on his list! How could they know? – Novak Jun 26 '22 at 15:51
  • 2
    @Novak, You have a point there :). I may be way to optimistic how much it would help. – Nobody the Hobgoblin Jun 26 '22 at 15:53
  • 3
    Pro tip, just don’t play with people who argue with the DM about the description of the environment. – Thomas Markov Jun 26 '22 at 17:40
  • 2
    This question, in a game where illusion magic is a real thing, makes no sense to me. The reason that JC had to make that tweet is that some people cannot grasp the use of conversational language in an RPG. – KorvinStarmast Jun 26 '22 at 18:04

1 Answers1

7

Page 6 of the PHB

The DM describes the environment

If the DM states that there’s a wall then, absent of further detail, the players will interpret that as being a wall with all the properties that a wall has.

If the DM wants to describe an environment with walls you can walk through they are free to do so. But then, it isn’t really a wall, is it?

Dale M
  • 210,673
  • 42
  • 528
  • 889
  • 4
    And if the player misinterprets what a wall is and tries something stupid, the DM will promptly reinterpret it for them. – Thomas Markov Jun 26 '22 at 12:08