Evard's Black Tentacles

[Quasqueton]

In our game, the PC archer wanted to shoot through a field of EBT. I ruled that they gave total cover to those on the other side, thinking of how the web spell worked.

I think my interpretation is reasonable, but EBT doesn't explicitly say they give cover (as the web spell does). Is it like a field of kelp, or is it just a half-dozen tentacles in the center of the field reaching out to control the AoE? The spell does say that movement through the area is at half speed, so that makes me think the area is thick and tight enough to be filled with the things.

This spell conjures a field of rubbery black tentacles, each 10 feet long. These waving members seem to spring forth from the earth, floor, or whatever surface is underfoot—including water. They grasp and entwine around creatures that enter the area, holding them fast and crushing them with great strength.

Every creature within the area of the spell must make a grapple check, opposed by the grapple check of the tentacles. Treat the tentacles attacking a particular target as a Large creature with a base attack bonus equal to your caster level and a Strength score of 19. Thus, its grapple check modifier is equal to your caster level +8. The tentacles are immune to all types of damage.

Once the tentacles grapple an opponent, they may make a grapple check each round on your turn to deal 1d6+4 points of bludgeoning damage. The tentacles continue to crush the opponent until the spell ends or the opponent escapes.

Any creature that enters the area of the spell is immediately attacked by the tentacles. Even creatures who aren’t grappling with the tentacles may move through the area at only half normal speed.

What would you say?

Quasqueton

 

[3d6]

I don't think it provides cover. I think the reason creatures move at half speed is because the tentacles "grasp and entwine [...] creatures that enter the area" and "any creature that enters the area [...] is immediately attacked by the tentacles".

I think allowing evard's black tentacles to provide total cover to creatures on the other side makes the spell too strong. It would function something like a somewhat more aggressive version of wall of thorns, which is a higher-level spell.

 

[shilsen]

Why not just have it grant cover rather than total cover?

 

[Abraxas]

I tend to rule on the side of - "if it doesn't say it in the spell description, the spell doesn't provide it" - so no cover.

 

[3d6]

I wouldn't go to far with that maxim--wall of force doesn't say it provides cover, for example.

 

[Abraxas]

I wouldn't go to far with that maxim--wall of force doesn't say it provides cover, for example.

I did say "tend to" and cover is covered by the rules on page 150 - 151 ,and pretty rigidly defined, so it doesn't have to say it in the spell description.

Concealment is a bit more wonky - but as was pointed out Wall of Fire does still say opaque sheet of flame so the example with it is no longer useful.

 

[shilsen]

I did say "tend to" and cover is covered by the rules on page 150 - 151 ,and pretty rigidly defined, so it doesn't have to say it in the spell description.

Concealment is a bit more wonky, take the spell Wall of Fire for example - I'm fairly certain that way back when (2E) the spell description used to say that it created an opaque wall of fire, now it says a shimmering curtain of fire - but it doesn't say you can or can not see through it - I rule you can see through it and it doesn't provide concealment.

The Wall of Fire description has "Effect: Opaque sheet of flame...." That's pretty conclusive.

 

[Abraxas]

Well cool - I didn't notice it there - so it does provide concealment - I withdraw it as an example. (Wall of Fire has been cast exactly one time in a campaign since I have been DMing 3.X and the bad guys ran away as soon as it went up - so it really didn't affect the encounter - of course now, I will have to have my bad guys use it cause it really is an effective screen versus that pesky war mage and her orbs of force Bwahahahaha - you learn a new trick all the time)

 

[godawful]

field of rubbery 10 foot tentacles that creatures can either be grappled by or only move half speed through...
yes. i would say they provide cover. at least 50 percent.

p.s. I hate this spell. nothing slows an encounter better than EBT being cast. giant squid and octopus tentacles are the material component for this spell. make both creatures extremely rare

 

[Thanee]

Cover makes sense, these tentacles are pretty large.

Bye
Thanee