On being self centered - Spells that is

[Greenfield]

There are a number of spells in D&D 3.5 that designate that they are centered around the spell caster. Some of them have durations.

So my character casts Control Weather, which says it is a "2-mile radius circle, centered on you, see text". There's nothing in the text that addresses this though.

Still, my character casts it, then leaves. Does the weather effect follow, or remain where cast?

Now Antimagic Field specifically says that it's centered on you and moves with you. What about Control Weather?

Are there any other spells with a similar trait you care to mention?

 

[BlackSeed_Vash]

Unfortunately, unless a spell explicitly states that it's area of effect if moveable, like Antimagic Field does, the spell area is static. Without having access to a 3.0 PH I can't compare the spells, but I strongly suspect something changed between the editions and incorrect text was left behind, much like the improper price per page is listed in Boccob's Blessed Book.

 

[Gantros]

You're right, the rules for this are ambiguous. Other spells in the SRD besides Control Weather that have "centered on you" in their area of effect but don't specify if they move with the caster (and are not instantaneous or burst effects) include Crown of Glory, Locate Object, and Repel Vermin. It seems pretty obvious that Crown of Glory and Locate Object are meant to move with the caster even if it's not spelled out, but the others are more open to interpretation.

The description of Control Weather says that after the spell is cast, an additional 10 minutes are required before the effects manifest. This would get pretty complicated to adjudicate if the effect moved with the caster, so for simplicity I'd assume it emanates from a fixed point where it was originally cast.

Repel Vermin seems to work more like Antilife Shell or Antiplant Shell. However, since those other spells include specific rules regarding using them offensively (which is only an issue because the effects are mobile) and Repel Vermin does not, I'd say its effect is fixed once cast as well.

Or if you're feeling more generous, you could just rule that the caster gets to decide if these effects are mobile or not since it's not explicitly stated either way.

 

[Rabulias]

I think the "see text" note in the Area field (as well as the Duration) is to point the reader to the last paragraph of the description that says the duration is doubled and the area is a 3-mile radius when cast by a druid.

 

[Tinker]

Note that the RAW in the PHB is:

"If a spell affects an area, as silence does, then the spell stays with that area for its duration. Creatures become subject to the spell when they enter the area and are no longer subject to it when they leave."​

Note also that the description of silence says

"The spell can be cast on a point in space, but the effect is stationary unless cast on a mobile object. The spell can be centred on a creature, and the effect then radiates from the creature and moves as it moves."​

So I interpret that to mean that any area effect defined as being centred on a creature or object (including 'you') moves with the creature or object. Spells that start out centred on the caster and don't move should be described as having an area of effect but range 0, or could state in their description that they are unmoving, which would over-ride the general rule.

Of course, ranges and areas are often quite badly described in the RAW (for instance all the self-centred spells described as having both an area of radius x and a range of x), so if you want to interpret this some other way you might as well.

 

[Lwaxy]

The idea behind control weather is that the zone spreads out around you but then stays where it is but yeah, it is not clear. When in doubt, houserule it to your liking.

 

[Tinker]

Can anyone point me to a rule I've missed that says that in general areas of effect stay in place even if centred on the caster?

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[Lwaxy]

Area effects default to stationary. If they are mobile, it is in the description. In many cases it is not so clear, this has been an ongoing discussion for many spells.

 

[Tinker]

Mm, but where does it say that?

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[Teemu]

Any spell that's an emanation is simple:

An emanation spell functions like a burst spell, except that the effect continues to radiate from the point of origin for the duration of the spell.

If the point of origin is the caster, then the emanation continues to emanate from the caster's position for the duration of the spell. Ie., emanations centered on the caster move with the caster.

Control Weather is not an emanation, thus the simplest way to rule it is to declare it stationary.