Diagonal area of spells

[Li Shenron]

When we use minis and a battlemat, we do not use the grid. I measure distances, and when a pc casts a spell with a cube as an area, I have them put a + at the center of that area, indicating both the center and the orientation of that area.

So, no problem for me.

Exactly. I also avoid using the grid, and I have no problem either.

 

[FrogReaver]

Apples and oranges. Hitting a specific target with an arrow is a HECK of a lot different than hitting a specific point with a grenade such that you can tell that target X is exactly this far away and target Y is exactly that far away from the point where you are throwing a grenade.

And, yes, I was referring to the 4e rules (and 3e as well) where you couldn't realign the grid. As was explained earlier, you counted from a central point, so, you actually couldn't make diagonal squares.



Now, if you could throw a ball the size of the 3 point line, at an exact point in a group of people so that you could deliberately hit some people and not others, then you'd have a point. Given that in basketball, you are throwing at a clearly defined point (complete with square on the backboard to help aiming and lines on the floor to aid as well), I'm not sure that it's really a viable comparison to throwing a grenade in a group of people so specifically.

I see the problem... you view fireball as a grenade instead of a precision guided missile

(Because it's magic...)

 

[Oofta]

Now, if you could throw a ball the size of the 3 point line, at an exact point in a group of people so that you could deliberately hit some people and not others, then you'd have a point. Given that in basketball, you are throwing at a clearly defined point (complete with square on the backboard to help aiming and lines on the floor to aid as well), I'm not sure that it's really a viable comparison to throwing a grenade in a group of people so specifically.

Meh. Magic. Besides, we're assuming people are occupying roughly a 5 foot square. Another analogy would be people that throw a small inflated pigskin several dozen feet to someone running and dodging opponents.

I guess you could have people make an intelligence check now and then, but when you also have people sending multiple arrows past the swinging swords and battling combatants to hit a specific target that may be the size and speed of a hyperactive squirrel there has to be some suspension of disbelief.

Run your game any way you want, of course.

 

[Hussar]

Meh. Magic. /snip

Yup, this is the part that just flies straight up my nose. Because, when you shoot into that crowd, you suffer attack penalties and you STILL need to successfully strike.

But I can pick a point 150 feet away from me, with no markers, no points of aiming, that is exactly 25 feet away from point A and 20 feet away from point B without any check, while running and dodging attacks.

Because Maaaaaaagic. Blarg.

 

[cmad1977]

Grievous wounds heal with the touch of a hand!
Magic: Blaaarg.

 

[cmad1977]

I guess regarding the OP:
The PHB says a Cube area of effect spells point of origin is anywhere on the face of the cube. Is the corner of the cube part of its face? I’d probably rule no... but my geometry is rusty so...

 

[Harzel]

I guess regarding the OP:
The PHB says a Cube area of effect spells point of origin is anywhere on the face of the cube. Is the corner of the cube part of its face? I’d probably rule no... but my geometry is rusty so...

To the extent that one considers Wikipedia a reliable technical reference (in this case, I think I would), we have the following:

In elementary geometry, a face is a polygon on the boundary of a polyhedron^.

The interior of the polygon is sometimes called its body.

From the latter it is a reasonable inference that a polygon includes its edges (else there would be no need to distinguish its "interior"). From the former, a face of a polyhedron is a polygon; therefore the face includes its edges, and, hence, the vertices of the polyhedron.

So, yes, the corner of a cube is part of the three faces that intersect there.

EDIT: On further reading, there is a definition of "face" under which the vertices and edges are themselves considered faces. Go figure.

 

[Satyrn]

Yup, this is the part that just flies straight up my nose. Because, when you shoot into that crowd, you suffer attack penalties and you STILL need to successfully strike.

But I can pick a point 150 feet away from me, with no markers, no points of aiming, that is exactly 25 feet away from point A and 20 feet away from point B without any check, while running and dodging attacks.

Because Maaaaaaagic. Blarg.

I picture it this way: While casting the spell, the wizard can see a shadowy outline of the spell's area and move it about before triggering the actual effect. Sort of like a laser guided rocket (if they work like TV tells me) - or like how Hyperion's mortars work in Borderlands 2.

 

[Tony Vargas]

I picture it this way: While casting the spell, the wizard can see a shadowy outline of the spell's area and move it about before triggering the actual effect. Sort of like a laser guided rocket (if they work like TV tells me) - or like how Hyperion's mortars work in Borderlands 2.

So 5e should be like a video game?

::ducks::

I guess regarding the OP:
The PHB says a Cube area of effect spells point of origin is anywhere on the face of the cube. Is the corner of the cube part of its face? I’d probably rule no... but my geometry is rusty so...

You could choose a point a foot (or inches?) from an edge or corner and it'd be on a face.
But, it doesn't matter, you could still quite easily orient it 'diagonally' to the 'grid' (if you're using one), even if the origin is nearer the center of the face of the cube (but, obviously, at ground level!).

 

[Satyrn]

So 5e should be like a video game?

::ducks::

Yes. Although I'm saying it's already like a video game.

I've also statted up skags and varkids, and some other monstrous Pandoran beast I can't recall, and a cavernous stretch of my megadungeon is a dead ringer for the Highlands.

Oh, and the crossbows. You should see the crossbows. EXPLOSIONS!