Antimagic Field Questions

[Markn]

Does Antimagic Field (either from a spell or spell like ability) interfere with line of effect or is it just solid barriers that stop line of effect?

Last session, I had a beholder fight the PCs from a distance and he was using his antimagic cone from his central eye. Now the PCs were just outside his cone reach (or could take a single move and get out of the range). Are the PCs able to cast a spell whose point of origin is on the other side of tbe Antimagic field such as Flamestrike or does it block the magic. We were pretty sure that it worked and that was how I ruled it but I would just like to be sure.

In addition, if someone shot a magical arrow at a beholder (again they are outside the range but must go through the cone to hit the beholder) would it lose it bonuses? Technically, the bow bestowed the magic on the arrow and I ruled that the pluses to hit still worked since the shot originated outside the cone but the pluses to damage were negated from the cone. This seemed to be the fairest way I could think of but is that the correct way for it to be done?

Thanks.

 

[winterwolf]

I would say that a ray or missile effect that had to pass through it would not function. The spell description itself states that summoned creatures wink out of existence when in the spell, so any physical effect of a spell that had to pass through the cone would wink out.
I would say that effects that did not originate inside the cone and have no physical effects passing through the cone (say, a charm monster spell cast from afar) could pass through as long as it does not affect anyone in the cone (or even, at the GM's option, the original point of the cone e.g. the beholder).
Edit: I would say that the area of the flamestrike within the cone is nullified, and the spell cannot have more of itself in the cone of antimagic than out. E.G., the cone cannot have the center of the spell in it.

 

[winterwolf]

Lol and I forgot...if the arrows are still in the cone when they hit, I would say the bonus is null and void. However, I would think it fair that a magic bow could conceivably still grant the bonus to hit (as it adds to accuracy, maybe?). The arrows, I would assume, just add more "punching power" with their enchantment, which is negated by the field. If the arrows leave the cone to hit a creature on the other side of the cone (but not the originator of the cone) then I would think they would regain their bonuses.

 

[Markn]

No other comments?!?! Should this thread die a horrible death then?

 

[winterwolf]

Validation!
The SRD states about antimagic (under special qualities) that, "Spell areas that include both an antimagic area and a normal area, but are not centered in the antimagic area, still function in the normal area. If the spell’s center is in the antimagic area, then the spell is suppressed."
Also, the antimagic field description in the PHB states that, "while a magic sword does not function magically within the area, it is still a sword (and a masterwork sword at that)" and that, "An antimagic field suppresses any spell or magical effect used within, brought into, or cast into the area, but does not dispel it. Time spent within an antimagic field counts against the suppressed spell’s duration," which means that the sword would still be magical once it leaves the field (as would arrows, I assume).

 

[Thanee]

I think the AMF would block line of effect completely, though I'm not sure about that.

I would have done the same with the arrows, if they hit the beholder in the front border of its space.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Markn]

I think the AMF would block line of effect completely, though I'm not sure about that.

I would have done the same with the arrows, if they hit the beholder in the front border of its space.

Bye
Thanee

That was my original position but my players were pretty adamant about it not blocking line of effect (not that my players really understand the line of effect thing anyways )

After debating it and reading on it (after the debate) I get the feeling it doesn't, and Winterwolf supplied a pretty solid argument that it doesn't. This leads me to wonder - is line of effect only blocked by an actual barrier? If YES, the AMF would not block line of effect. If NO, then it conceivably could. I dunno. I'd still like to hear some other opinions (not that I am discounting yours Winterwolf ), I just want to hear some other lines of reasonings, perhaps even Hyp could grace us with his presence...

 

[azhrei_fje]

Just an aside: why did the beholder not use the AMF eye ray and then take a 5' step forward so that it was inside the area of effect? Seems like something even a stupid creature would do, assuming it knew what its eye ray actually does!

 

[shilsen]

I think the AMF would block line of effect completely, though I'm not sure about that.

I would have done the same with the arrows, if they hit the beholder in the front border of its space.

Bye
Thanee

That's essentially the way I see it too.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I think the AMF would block line of effect completely, though I'm not sure about that.

The 3E Main FAQ says it does, though it's not explicitly stated anywhere in the rules:

Does an antimagic field suppress a spell effect at the point
of origin or the area of effect? For instance, if I cast silence
on myself and then cast antimagic field (assuming I have the
Silent Spell feat), would the entire silence spell be
suppressed (because it’s centered on me), or just the 10-foot
radius surrounding me, leaving a 5-foot ring of silence
around the outside of the antimagic field?

It depends on the spell. Silence is an emanation, so the whole
effect is suppressed if the point from which the effect emanates
is inside the antimagic field. With an area spell, only the part of
the area that is within the antimagic field is suppressed. Note
that the antimagic field blocks line of effect, so an area cannot
extend through the antimagic field. For example, if you brought
the antimagic field into a fog cloud effect, only the portion of
the fog cloud that is within the antimagic field would be
suppressed. On the other hand, if you cast antimagic field in a
corridor 10 feet wide, the fog cloud effect could not spread past
the antimagic field. Note that a spread effect will flow around
an antimagic field if it has space to do so, just as it would
spread around any other barrier.

Skip says something about line of effect in a RotG article:

Antimagic: A spell's magical effects become nonfunctional within an area of antimagic, such as an antimagic field. When a spell is aimed into an area of antimagic from somewhere outside the area, the antimagic blocks line of effect for the spell and the spell most likely fails. If the spell doesn't produce any sort of visible display or manifestation that the caster (or other witness to the event) can perceive, then there's no clue as to why the spell failed or even that it has failed. If the blocked spell has a target entry, however, the caster will not note any failed or successful saving throws in response to the spell (see Part Two) and that in itself might alert the caster to something amiss.

If the spell's effects are visible (for example, a lightning bolt or magic missile spell -- at least when I'm the DM), the spell's visible effects stop where they meet the area of antimagic. Anyone who sees the spell being blocked can attempt a DC 26 Spellcraft check to realize that antimagic has blocked the spell.

When a spellcaster is inside an antimagic area, any spells she casts are suppressed. Such spells don't actually fail unless their durations are instantaneous. Spells with longer durations are suppressed until the caster somehow leaves the antimagic area (though time spent within the antimagic area counts against the spell's duration). If the caster isn't aware she's in an antimagic area, handle the situation in the same way you'd handle it if the caster has aimed a spell into the antimagic area from outside.

Now, what the spell says is:

An invisible barrier surrounds you and moves with you. The space within this barrier is impervious to most magical effects, including spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities. Likewise, it prevents the functioning of any magic items or spells within its confines.

Line of effect is defined:

Line of Effect: A line of effect is a straight, unblocked path that indicates what a spell can affect. A line of effect is canceled by a solid barrier. It’s like line of sight for ranged weapons, except that it’s not blocked by fog, darkness, and other factors that limit normal sight.

Now, if a 'barrier' is 'impervious to spells', does that barrier allow an unblocked path? I'm inclined to say no - from the perspective of the spell, an 'impervious barrier' is 'solid' and blocks a path.

So I'm perfectly happy with a reading that AMF blocks line of effect.

-Hyp.