D&D 5E Wall of Force Reality Check (as used by DM not players)

[Oofta]

Except for, say, Clairvoyance, which despite having a range of 1 mile also explicitly says that you can cast it "behind a door".

There's an exception to every rule, including this one.

 

[jaelis]

I think that some of the mind flayer abilities also explicitly work without line of effect. But I'm AFB.

Detect thoughts, for instance, would work fine through a WoF.

 

[MNblockhead]

Here is one more conundrum when talking about an EB's WoF.

An old, ancient EB could not cast a WoF sphere that completely encloses it because while it is only 10' in diameter, which fits within the WoF's max sphere diameter, that is only the EB's size on the material plane. Now, 5th edition doesn't mention this, so not RAW, but in past editions most of the EB's mass was located on the ethereal plane. Since the WoF also goes into the ethereal plan, the EB cannot cast WoF as a sphere. There must be an opening.

Maybe in 5th edition that part of the lore is different and the EB's form is fully in the material plan. But I like how this gives another tactical consideration that an informed party can plan for. It also makes sense why an EB would was a separate physical protective enclosure

 

[dave2008]

You cannot target something that has total cover. If you try to place the point of origin at a location that is behind total cover, the point of origin becomes the near side of the total cover. A Wall of Force provides total cover. You can't target things inside it. If you try to place a Fire Elemental on the other side of a WoF it appears on your side.

However, a WoF does not provide total cover or any cover at all. It is noted as being invisible.

EDIT: Just read the links to JC tweats on WoF. I am wrong, the WoF does provide total cover. I wish they had made that explicit. I guess if I thought about the rules for cover and obscured vision more it would have made sense, but it would have been really easy to add a line about cover in the text.

I actually re-read all of the "Wall" entries and none of them mention cover. I definite think a Wall of Fire could use some clarification as well, since I generally assume you can target objects through a wall of fire.

 

[jaelis]

I agree that wall of fire provides no cover; you can move through it. Wall of stone and wall of ice would

Wall of thorns seems debateable, but I'd say it provides cover since it blocks line of sight and the thorns are solid objects.

 

[Greenstone.Walker]

I think the rules for cover and line of sight need some work.

For example, replace "wall of force" with something else that allows vision - a piece of glass.

Can you summon an elemental on the other side of a glass window? Can you cast create bonfire on the other side of the glass window? Can you target someone with a bow if they are behind a glass window?

I worry that if you answer "no" to these, then a simple pane of glass provides immunity to a lot of spells. Worried about magic missile or charm? Just ride in the Popemobile. Or a gelatinous cube.

Worried about arrows? Sit behind a metal wall with invisibility cast on it. The archer can't target you or the wall.

 

[MNblockhead]

I think the rules for cover and line of sight need some work.

For example, replace "wall of force" with something else that allows vision - a piece of glass.

Can you summon an elemental on the other side of a glass window? Can you cast create bonfire on the other side of the glass window? Can you target someone with a bow if they are behind a glass window?

I worry that if you answer "no" to these, then a simple pane of glass provides immunity to a lot of spells. Worried about magic missile or charm? Just ride in the Popemobile. Or a gelatinous cube.

Worried about arrows? Sit behind a metal wall with invisibility cast on it. The archer can't target you or the wall.

EXACTLY! No casting spell through glass windows! Ugh.

 

[jaelis]

I think the rules for cover and line of sight need some work.

For example, replace "wall of force" with something else that allows vision - a piece of glass.

Can you summon an elemental on the other side of a glass window? Can you cast create bonfire on the other side of the glass window? Can you target someone with a bow if they are behind a glass window?

No, you can't target someone behind a window with a bow. But you can aim at them, and you'll hit the window and break it. I think it would be asking a lot to expect to then hit the creature as well.

For a spell, if it can the effect will go off on your side of the window. Many spells would break the glass, and many of those (ie fireball) would then be free to expand through the opening and affect the creature. So you aren't getting immunity.

I worry that if you answer "no" to these, then a simple pane of glass provides immunity to a lot of spells. Worried about magic missile or charm? Just ride in the Popemobile. Or a gelatinous cube.

Magic missile can't target objects, so glass would protect you. Charm person would not break the glass so you're also protected. Until someone throws a rock and breaks your glass.

A gelatinous cube would protect you but could be targeted itself.

Worried about arrows? Sit behind a metal wall with invisibility cast on it. The archer can't target you or the wall.

The archer could target the wall, but probably not to much effect. Why would you not expect this setup to protect you from arrows? There's a reason the pope uses the popemobile, after all.

The basic rule is simple: spells are indeed like arrows. If you can't shoot an arrow at someone, you (typically) can't target them with a spell. That way there's only one type of cover to worry about.

 

[Greenstone.Walker]

EXACTLY! No casting spell through glass windows! Ugh.

I've just thought of something else:

No casting spells while wearing spectacles!

 

[jaelis]

I've just thought of something else:

No casting spells while wearing spectacles!

What?!

Are you imagining the rule is that if you are looking at something through glass then you can't target it with a spell? That is not the case.

The rule is that if an obstacle blocks your path to something, then you can't target it. I guess if you think that spells come out of your eyes then you could worry about spectacles, but I don't see any reason to believe that is the default assumption in the game.