D&D 5E Cloudkill when you play it RAW

[iserith]

I don't see anything in the spell description that implies in the slightest that the movement is set in a single direction. And what is written clearly lists that it moves away from the caster at the start of your turn, not away from the point of casting.

Agreed on the reading.

As a matter of fact, if I cast the spell and a DM surprised me with the ruling that it moves away from the point of casting as opposed to me, I would argue with them.

While I would personally not choose to argue with the DM, I'm all for players pointing out to me where I have something wrong as DM if it actually matters to the outcome of the situation or to their pending decisions. I don't have every spell detail memorized. If I as DM get something minor wrong that has no appreciable impact on the current situation though, man, I prefer such niggling details be saved for a break. Whether or not this reading of cloudkill qualifies as important or unimportant depends on the situation in my view.

 

[coolAlias]

If a wizard is really willing to expend enough effort to maneuver around a chaotic battlefield in such a way that having their cloudkill move 10 ft in one direction versus another actually makes a difference, then hats off to them for their amazing tactical acumen.

I'll just imagine it as a fart that always moves away from the caster, sort of like a reverse 'smoke follows beauty' kind of thing.

 

[Mistwell]

I guess I can imagine a light breeze is blowing from you towards it, which continues as you move. That, or maybe some vaporous ghastly arms creepy away from you connecting to the cloud, which move with you and push it lightly away from you no matter where you are.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

It's magic it's part of the spell that it moves away from you so you can maneuver it around.

 

[MarkB]

It could be an unconscious control based upon innate antipathy.

"You must have studied, and in studying you learned that Man is mortal, so you would have put the poison as far from you as possible."

 

[Ashrym]

I'm going to say it makes sense that it continues to move away from the caster as the caster moves. Specifically because the caster must maintain concentration to maintain the cloud in the first place.

If the spell was instaneous with a cloud that dissipated on it's own over time I would rule the direction is fixed at casting.

Because I can try to rationalize anything.

Edit: what I really want to know is if the caster moves to the center of the cloud and lays down facing up will the cloud rise 10' then drop back down to the lowpoint? Or does the lowpoint take precedence forcing a stationary cloud at that point?

 

[coolAlias]

Edit: what I really want to know is if the caster moves to the center of the cloud and lays down facing up will the cloud rise 10' then drop back down to the lowpoint? Or does the lowpoint take precedence forcing a stationary cloud at that point?

Or what if the caster moves to a different plane of existence? Which direction is 'away' now?

I've never considered whether a caster could maintain concentration on an effect in a different plane... my instinct would be to say no, but then again, why not? I could see ruling yes if they were in the Ethereal plane, especially if they were still within the general proximity, so to speak, e.g. via blink.

 

[Hawk Diesel]

What if in the OP's Scenario, he instead cast the spell centered on himself. Does the cloud the open up in the middle then spread out in a donut shape around the caster?

 

[Ashrym]

What if in the OP's Scenario, he instead cast the spell centered on himself. Does the cloud the open up in the middle then spread out in a donut shape around the caster?

Away from the caster implies the direction he or she is facing. I would just say "pick a direction" and that's the direction it goes.

As for the other plane, there are examples of magic that breaks if the caster and effect are on different planes of existence. That can be interpreted in two ways.

1) It implies magic cannot cross planes likes that or'
2) Those examples are specific and RAW the concentration continues. (unless I missed something)

 

[Hawk Diesel]

Away from the caster implies the direction he or she is facing. I would just say "pick a direction" and that's the direction it goes.

I wouldn't say so. If A wizard casts the spell, and then turns around, it still would move away from them despite not moving away from the direction they are facing. "Move away" doesn't imply any facing rules. It there was a spell that pushed all creatures within 5ft of you 10ft away, they wouldn't all move in the direction you are facing, especially if one of those creatures is behind you as it would require the creature to go through you. Since a cloud of gas is not a single unit or cohesive whole, I don't think there is any issue with it spreading out in a donut shape. Especially since we know that gas can and does act this way. Additionally, if the caster is willing to take that initial damage from the spell and risk losing concentration (if not a conjurer), I would say the player earned it.