How to place a spell area on a grid?

Wolfix

First Post

• Dec 11, 2004

• #1

I'm looking to find out how to place a 10-ft.-radius spherical emanation (Globe of Invulnerability) on a grid. The spell description states that it is centered on the caster, but I'm not sure how that works on the grid.

I can see a couple of options:
1) Caster chooses an adjacent grid intersection to place the center, like:
OXXO
XCXX
XXXX
OXXO
2) Really centered on caster, method 1:
OXXXO
XXXXX
XXCXX
XXXXX
OXXXO
3) Really centered on caster, method 2:
XXXXX
XXXXX
XXCXX
XXXXX
XXXXX
4) ?

(X = spell area, O = unaffected area, C = caster)

So what is the correct (according to the rules) way?

 

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Thanee

First Post

• Dec 11, 2004

• #2

Well, no idea. The "always targeting a grid intersection" makes little sense here. I'd use 2).

Bye
Thanee

 

Lord Pendragon

First Post

• Dec 11, 2004

• #3

I've always played it as #2. But I seem to remember reading somewhere on these boards that there's a rule somewhere, that all spells target grid intersections in 3.5, RAW...

 

Jeff Wilder

First Post

• Dec 11, 2004

• #4

So far as I know, all areas of effects are centered on grid intersections. (There are seeming exceptions, like a spell that makes the caster's body radiate fire, burning characters within 5 feet, or whatever, but these aren't really area of effect spells.)

The caster chooses which corner of his square is the center of the area.

 

Marimmar@Home

First Post

• Dec 11, 2004

• #5

As wilder_jw said, just choose a corner of your character's square and you're done.

~Marimmar

 

0-hr

Starship Cartographer

• Dec 11, 2004

• #6

That's the way I'd do it as well.

There's also the option of letting the caster choose the square and then randomly determining which corner to use - but that works better for distance spells (like fireball).

 

Jdvn1

Hanging in there. Better than the alternative.

• Dec 11, 2004

• #7

I'd do it as per the grid in the back of the DMG, describing 10-foot reach. Which would be option 3.

Does anyone else have a rules reference?

 

Marimmar@Home

First Post

• Dec 11, 2004

• #8

SRD said:

Area: Some spells affect an area. [...] The point of origin of a spell is always a grid intersection.

Click to expand...

This, in combination with the spell area examples is why I think it is handled this way.

As per DMG:

Code:

     XX
XX  XXXX
XX  XXXX
     XX

5'   10'

~Marimmar

 

S

Staffan

Legend

• Dec 11, 2004

• #9

I would have it cover something like this:

Code:

  X
 XXX
XXCXX
 XXX
  X

I wouldn't use the normal grid intersection stuff since the spell moves with the caster. Had the spell been immobile, like prismatic sphere, I would have had the caster center it on an intersection, but not when it moves with him.

 

Thanee

First Post

• Dec 11, 2004

• #10

They really should have based all areas on the center of a square or even a whole square not a stupid grid intersection.

Bye
Thanee