D&D (2024) Should poison spray be a cone?

[Charlaquin]

Heh, that seems ok.

I do Mind Theater (or 4e-ish Grid for complex scenes). So I dont really come across "partial squares".

Do you consider a partial square to be equivalent to a full effect?

The rules do. Again, according to the DMG, if at least half a square is covered by an AoE, it’s considered to be affected.

 

[Yaarel]

The rules do. Again, according to the DMG, if at least half a square is covered by an AoE, it’s considered to be affected.

What do you think? Can I use this principle to say?

A 5-foot cube Minor Image can produce a 6-foot tall standing Human − because the cube is hovering 2½ feet in the air, thus affecting two cubes, effectively 1 square that is 2 squares tall.

 

[aco175]

I never did like the 5ft wide lightning bolt taking up 10ft wide since it can be cast half in each square. I can see bursts taking up 4 squares otherwise it would just be one target.

 

[Charlaquin]

What do you think? Can I use this principle to say?

A 5-foot cube Minor Image can produce a 6-foot tall standing Human − because the cube is hovering 2½ feet in the air, thus affecting two cubes, effectively 1 square that is 2 squares tall.

I never did like the 5ft wide lightning bolt taking up 10ft wide since it can be cast half in each square. I can see bursts taking up 4 squares otherwise it would just be one target.

Alright, I double checked the relevant text, it’s on DMG page 251, and it actually says “if an area of effect is circular and covers at least half a square, it affects that square.” So, I was wrong, and this lightning bolt trick doesn’t work either.

 

[ninjayeti]

The rules do. Again, according to the DMG, if at least half a square is covered by an AoE, it’s considered to be affected.

That rule only applies if it is a circular area of effect. DMG p. 251. Areas of effect need to have their origin at an intersection of squares preventing you from covering partial squares with a cube AoE.

 

[Horwath]

Yes,

Acid splash is now 5ft AoE at 60ft that can in theory hit 4 targets,
having a 15ft cone should be more or less the same, you have to get really close to use it, plus much more chance of friendly fire with a 15ft cone than a 5ft radius sphere, it's just 8 squares

 

[Maxperson]

Line, cone, spray, or origami duck, the shape isn't as important as it not being a necromancy spell. Poison =/= necromancy in any sense of the word.

 

[Yaarel]

Regarding the 4e-ish simplification. Beyond a 10-foot radius, a "circle" is the same thing as a square except missing its corner squares.

For Mind Theater the grid rarely comes up. But for occasions when a sphere on a grid does happen, it is simple to count the squares from the center, except for any last diagonal. It works well enough most of the time. I created a diagram to see what it looks like.

Good enough. The grid sphere is simple, and it doesnt come up too often.

 

[Yaarel]

Line, cone, spray, or origami duck, the shape isn't as important as it not being a necromancy spell. Poison =/= necromancy in any sense of the word.

Poison feels Primal or alchemical - not at all Necromantic.

Maybe the association is leaning into the Roman traditions linking "witch" and "poisoner"?

Possibly, diseases can be Necrotic and Necromantic, but I wouldnt use Poison to characterize a disease either, even tho both would be an "illness".

 

[Charlaquin]

Yes,

Acid splash is now 5ft AoE at 60ft that can in theory hit 4 targets,
having a 15ft cone should be more or less the same, you have to get really close to use it, plus much more chance of friendly fire with a 15ft cone than a 5ft radius sphere, it's just 8 squares

15 ft cone is 6 squares.