Can goodberries be administered like potions?

[ThatGuyDM]

My DM was merciful and ruled that they could be force-fed to the unconscious, but is there anything that supports that, RAW or RAI? The focus spell itself seems to say that the only possible way to use them is for the healed to use their own interact action.

[Ascalaphus]

RAW, no, there isn't really anything written.

But the game doesn't really expect you to abase yourself at the altar of RAW to begin with. It's meant to be played as reasonable friends having fun together.

So, RAI, it's not farfetched to allow it. As a general principle, things are consistent. Most consumables can be administered as an Interact action either by the user or by a donor; why not goodberries? As long as someone is paying the action, it's not really an issue.

In general, I think it's good to read any statement like "you can do X" as "X could be done that way (doesn't say it couldn't be done in a different way either)".

[breithauptclan]

Yeah, there is nothing that says you can (like Potions do). But there is also nothing that says you can't.

I don't see any good reason to forbid it.

[Gisher]

breithauptclan wrote:

Yeah, there is nothing that says you can (like Potions do). But there is also nothing that says you can't.

I don't see any good reason to forbid it.

Agreed, I can't find any rule allowing you to skip the interact action, but from a role-playing perspective I don't see any significant difference between feeding someone mashed berries and pouring liquid down their throats.

Side note: One thing I love about the Herbalist archetype is the ability to create healing elixirs in poultice form. Being able to just slap a healing 'patch' onto an unconscious ally is nice.