30' apart

[GorTeX]

I cast a Haste spell, which has "Targets: One creature/level, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart ", and I wish to target 2 creatures. These two are standing directly across from one another with 5 empty squares between them. Are these creatures 30' or 35' apart?

 

[MarkB]

30. Measure the distance from the centre of each critter's space.

 

[frankthedm]

30. Measure the distance from the centre of each critter's space.

That is not actually how it is done IIRC. You'll get the same result though.

Area: Some spells affect an area. Sometimes a spell description specifies a specially defined area, but usually an area falls into one of the categories defined below.

Regardless of the shape of the area, you select the point where the spell originates, but otherwise you don’t control which creatures or objects the spell affects. The point of origin of a spell is always a grid intersection. When determining whether a given creature is within the area of a spell, count out the distance from the point of origin in squares just as you do when moving a character or when determining the range for a ranged attack. The only difference is that instead of counting from the center of one square to the center of the next, you count from intersection to intersection. You can count diagonally across a square, but remember that every second diagonal counts as 2 squares of distance. If the far edge of a square is within the spell’s area, anything within that square is within the spell’s area. If the spell’s area only touches the near edge of a square, however, anything within that square is unaffected by the spell.

 

[GorTeX]

That is not actually how it is done IIRC. You'll get the same result though.

Area: Some spells affect an area. Sometimes a spell description specifies a specially defined area, but usually an area falls into one of the categories defined below.

Regardless of the shape of the area, you select the point where the spell originates, but otherwise you don’t control which creatures or objects the spell affects. The point of origin of a spell is always a grid intersection. When determining whether a given creature is within the area of a spell, count out the distance from the point of origin in squares just as you do when moving a character or when determining the range for a ranged attack. The only difference is that instead of counting from the center of one square to the center of the next, you count from intersection to intersection. You can count diagonally across a square, but remember that every second diagonal counts as 2 squares of distance. If the far edge of a square is within the spell’s area, anything within that square is within the spell’s area. If the spell’s area only touches the near edge of a square, however, anything within that square is unaffected by the spell.

1) it's not an area effect spell. It's a targeted spell
2) even if it was, the Creature to the left would not be affected due to the line you underlined...the far edge of his square is not within the area.
3) Neither targeted creature in the scenario is the caster of the spell.

 

[MarkB]

Good point, Frank. However, does a spell like Haste, which affects Targets: One creature/level, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart, follow the same rules as those for area-effect spells?

 

[Particle_Man]

If the person on the left wanted to move into the square of the person on the right, he would have to move 30' (and succeed with a bullrush or something, but let's leave that aside for now), so I would say they are 30' apart.

 

[Krafen]

If the person on the left wanted to move into the square of the person on the right, he would have to move 30' (and succeed with a bullrush or something, but let's leave that aside for now), so I would say they are 30' apart.

This is how I look at it as well.

 

[Nellisir]

I'd say they're 35' feet apart, but I could be wrong.

If they were only separated by one 5' square, would they be 5' or 10' apart?

 

[Particle_Man]

I'd say they're 35' feet apart, but I could be wrong.

If they were only separated by one 5' square, would they be 5' or 10' apart?

5' apart if they are adjacent, 10' apart if you mean Dude A, empty 5' square, Dude B.

 

[Mistwell]

They are 30' apart. Otherwise, under the alternative interpretation, characters right next to each other would still be 5' apart...even if they are 0' apart.