D&D 5E SPIRIT GUARDIANS range clarification

[therealskeletron]

So...trying to find a clear clarification on the range of SPIRIT GUARDIANS is a nightmare.
There are SO many conflicting ideas on this.

My understanding of the rules as written is that the AOE is a 5x5 SQUARE:
-15ft radius centered on self.
- only squares AT LEAST half covered in that range are effected.

My DM thinks it might be bigger (1st time DM), but I can see that becoming OP REEEEEALLY quick, especially given that it halves enemy movement speed.
I'm clear on all the other rules regarding this spell i.e when damage occurs, enemy movement speed

My Cleric is hitting L5 really soon and I want to get this right so I don't make his job super hard by completely blowing up encounters....nor do I want to look like a cheap god to the other players.

Thoughts?

 

[cbwjm]

My understanding of the rules, or at least how I run it, is that it is a little larger. It's 15 foot radius, centered on you, which would mean that it extends out 3 squares all around you. Whether you keep that simple by making it extend 3 squares on a diagonal I think would be up to each group (I think 5e, like 4e, doesn't bother with Euclidean distance so it would be 3 squares on a diagonal). That means the square would be 7x7 squares with you in the centre square.

 

[Lyxen]

It's a 15 foot radius, hence a 30 foot diameter sphere, this is what the standard 5e rules tell you unambiguously.

After that, if you are using the optional grid rules, it also depends on whether you are using the diagonal counting option or not.

• If you are not, it is 7 squares by 7 squares centered on you.
• If you are, it is a circular approximation 7 squares in diameter centered on you

But I hate grids, I don't use them, so what do I know...

 

[therealskeletron]

My understanding of the rules, or at least how I run it, is that it is a little larger. It's 15 foot radius, centered on you, which would mean that it extends out 3 squares all around you. Whether you keep that simple by making it extend 3 squares on a diagonal I think would be up to each group (I think 5e, like 4e, doesn't bother with Euclidean distance so it would be 3 squares on a diagonal). That means the square would be 7x7 squares with you in the centre square.

And it works ok? Doesn't feel OP?

 

[therealskeletron]

It's a 15 foot radius, hence a 30 foot diameter sphere, this is what the standard 5e rules tell you unambiguously.

After that, if you are using the optional grid rules, it also depends on whether you are using the diagonal counting option or not.

• If you are not, it is 7 squares by 7 squares centered on you.
• If you are, it is a circular approximation 7 squares in diameter centered on you

But I hate grids, I don't use them, so what do I know...

And it works ok? Doesn't feel OP?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

And it works ok? Doesn't feel OP?

It's strong, but, as a concentration spell, it makes the cleric a high priority target.

 

[Lyxen]

It's strong, but, as a concentration spell, it makes the cleric a high priority target.

100% agreement there, it's a powerful spell, and intelligent adversaries will target you first, hoping to make you lose concentration.

 

[cbwjm]

And it works ok? Doesn't feel OP?

Yeah, works fine. It's a good combo for the cleric, but not crazy OP.

 

[Swarmkeeper]

If we're using a VTT, we draw a circle with a radius of 3 squares. Squares at least half covered are affected. The former is based on the Areas of Effect rules on PHB pg 204. The latter is a DM ruling as I can't seem to find anything that specifies how much of a square needs to be covered for the AOE to occur in that square - half seems to be reasonable enough.

If we're using Theatre of the Mind, we don't worry about the exact measurements, the DM simply let's the caster know: "you can hit X number of baddies with that spell OR you can hit X+Y number of baddies with that spell but you're also going to hit [ally]". Evokers excepted, of course. Sly Flourish has some decent guidance on what X should be.

EDIT: Xanathar’s reveals we were on the right track ( thanks @Nefermandias !)

 

[NaturalZero]

The real issue is how you run AOEs and blocking terrain. I always assumed walls and floor blocked it since it's an AOE but folks in one of my groups were linking tweets where a dev was saying that it goes through barriers.