AoE radius' - What do we know?

[catsclaw227]

I noticed that the Young Black Dragon has a breath weapon: Close blast 5 and Cloud of Darkness Close Burst 2.

What does Blast mean? Is it a cone? A straight line? I assume a burst is centered on the caster, but maybe not? is it like a spread or more like a flat AoE not affected by barriers?

How are area effect spells working? Are we seriously looking at square Fireballs or can I still use my Steel Squire templates?

 

[Klaus]

As far as we can tell:

"Close" = must be start at a square adjacent to the user.

"Blast" = Line

"Burst" = Circle

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

I'm reading "Close Blast 5" as a line of squares extending 5 quares form the creature. "Close Burst 2" I'm guessing is everything within 2 squares of the creature.

It does look (with 1-1 diagonals) like fireballs will be square ... but I hope not.

 

[keterys]

Unless it was treated incorrectly in our game and Mearls misunderstood when I asked him about it, a Burst radiates from a point while a Blast goes away from a point. Both are squares.

Ie, Creature X has a burst 2 or a Blast 5, both are 5x5 squares as shown:

Close Burst 2
*****
*****
**X**
*****
*****

Close Blast 5:
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****X

Effectively, Blast is more like a cone. A non-close burst would radiate from a square of choosing rather than your own so no surprises there - I'd imagine there aren't any non-close blasts... though if so it'd still be straightforward. Pick your origin and spread out from it, rather than around it.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Did you fight the dragon? Its breath weapon is "blast" ... so it was definitely a cone-shape, not a line? (I ask because I'm going to try a playtest next weekend, and I want to make sure I get this right).

 

[themilkman]

In essence, a blast is like a burst, but it is not centered on the caster. So a fireball would be a blast-style spell, and yes it would be square. I thought that would bother me, too, but it didn't at all. It saves time and doesn't detract from the "realism" of it.

There seemed to be some confusion about the differences between a burst and a blast at other tables, by my GM seemed confident that it was supposed to be played like this.