D&D 5E Area Effects: How much does a foe need to be inside the area to be affected?

[Scorpio616]

Since the square grid locking foes into precise locations is only now a variant, and that area affects are distinctly non grid shaped other than the cube, how are the folks handling Area Effects and potential victims?



It can be a big deal since a low level caster might be happy clipping a few extra foes with a Burning Hands spell's cone, but when that cone is coming out of a dragon's mouth, there may be far less joy to be had at the table.

 

[Dausuul]

I go with a 50% rule. If you're 50% or more in the AoE, it hits you. If not, not. (Having a partial effect appeals to me on an aesthetic level, but implementing it in practice would be far more trouble than it's worth.)

 

[Paraxis]

I still use the grid, most of my games are on roll20 and it is just so easy to use grid maps.

But if I were to go gridless and still use tokens/minis I would just say if the spell template for the AoE touches your token or the base then you are affected by the spell.

You might consider giving any target with less than half of it in the area advantage on the resistance save, but if you do maybe compensate by giving the target at the most central point disadvantage on the save.

 

[drjones]

server freakout

 

[Li Shenron]

I just go with "at least half inside = affected".

In case I wanted to complicate the game, I'd give it a chance of being affected proportionally to the coverage, so if the target is half inside the area, I'd give it 50% to be affected. This is still better than partial effects since it applies equally to any sort of effects (whether they are numerical or not), and not just damage.

I wouldn't use disadvantage in this case because it's not proportional and more importantly it interacts with already existing advantage or disadvantage.

 

[drjones]

That's why there is a saving throw, to model the inaccuracies of even a gridded system. Humans (or goblins) are not actually 5' wide squares of flesh. And targeting exploding balls of fire is not something that is done to 1 inch tolerances, if anyone is even vaguely touched by the AOE they have a chance to be effected.

 

[drjones]

server freakout

 

[drjones]

server freakout

 

[drjones]

server freakout

 

[aramis erak]

I still use the grid, most of my games are on roll20 and it is just so easy to use grid maps.

But if I were to go gridless and still use tokens/minis I would just say if the spell template for the AoE touches your token or the base then you are affected by the spell.

You might consider giving any target with less than half of it in the area advantage on the resistance save, but if you do maybe compensate by giving the target at the most central point disadvantage on the save.

I play in "Theater of the mind" mode most of the time, and in general, if I think any part is, then they're affected. And I go both ways.

But when I do use tokens, it's in the same mode as Paraxis.