Close Blast Question

[Sheltem]

Recently our wizard wanted to cast burning hands. Nothing unusual, but we had an argument on the actual area affected. Our DM ruled that the origin square could only be the corner square or the one in the middle of the blast as shown on the pic in the PHB. But the blast description only says the origin square has to be adjacent to the affected area which to some of us means the OS could be anywhere along the edge of the blast.
Well our DM has spoken but i'd like to know how you handle this in your groups?

 

[DracoSuave]

The origin square is any square within your area. For PCs, that means the square they occupy. The blast must be adjacent to the origin square, but any part of the blast may be the part adjacent.

Do note, with Burning Hands, a close blast 5, there is no way to be adjacent to it without being adjacent to the middle of one of the sides or one of the corners. But that's irrelevant. Dragons have blast 10s and aren't restricted to the middle or corners.

 

[Doctor Proctor]

Do note, with Burning Hands, a close blast 5, there is no way to be adjacent to it without being adjacent to the middle of one of the sides or one of the corners. But that's irrelevant. Dragons have blast 10s and aren't restricted to the middle or corners.

Yeah, there's actually nothing in the rules themselves that state you have to be in corner or the middle. The only reason why this happens in the picture is because it's a blast 3, and those are the positions that they chose. Saying this was the only way to do it would be like saying that the only the examples of flanking in the pictures on p285 of the PHB are valid. Note that, in those pictures, you don't ever see two enemies flanking from top to bottom, or side to side. So, going strictly by the pictures, you can only flank from the corners, even on gargantuan creatures.

 

[DracoSuave]

No I was saying with a blast 3 or 5 it's -mathematicly impossible- not to have the origin adjacent to either a corner or the middle.

But some monsters can use blast 10s and such and they're certainly not restricted like that.

 

[Starglim]

The origin square can be anywhere along the edge of the blast. Maybe think of it as using a cone at a 30 or 60 degree angle in 3.5.

 

[Sheltem]

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[GorTeX]

The origin square can be anywhere along the edge of the blast. Maybe think of it as using a cone at a 30 or 60 degree angle in 3.5.

no, the origin square is always a square within your space. For a Medium or small Creature, this will always be their single square. For a Large Creature, it could be any one of the 4 squares they occupy.

At least one square of the blast must be adjacent to the origin square (it can be diagonally adjacent).

 

[deleteme123456]

It's a common misconception that close blast has an origin next to you, but if you read carefully you find the origin is still your square and that at least one square of the blast must be at least diagonally adjacent to the origin square. This can really come into play when you talk about cover from blast effects.

 

[Rafe]

This can really come into play when you talk about cover from blast effects.

How do you mean? Do you mean having cover from a corner of a wall or other obstacle?

 

[GorTeX]

yes, as you determine cover for area effects based on their origin square.