Blasts

[LEHaskell]

Think of the keywords as a general indicator of how a power works. If you hear about an "area" attack, you have a pretty good idea that it's a multi-target attack at range. If you hear about a "close attack," it's probably going to multiple creatures near you. And, of course, they tell you in one word whether the attack provokes. So the word "area" isn't strictly necessary, but it has a purpose because it groups multiple concepts into one word. We also have other mechanics keying off the keyword, so you might have a wizard's wand that keys off of area attacks, and it's simpler to do that than "burst attack with a range greater than 1" or whatever.

So an Area attack is always at range? But if you have an Area attack, you still have to specify 1) the range (either Range X) and 2) the shape (Burst 5, Blast 3). I don't see that Area tells us anything that Range X Burst Y or Range Z Blast Y don't. Unless Area can describe other, more esoteric shapes, not covered by keywords.

*sigh* June is waaaay too far away.

Thanks again for the info Logan; the Blast thing has been bugging me since the reports from DDXP came out. I think it's a really slick way of covering the "cone-like" effects without falling into the craziness of different shaped effects for different orientations on the grid.

 

[eleran]

So black dragons are now breathing and farting acid at the same time?

No, Mr crapper-upon-all-4e-threads. Actually since the breath weapon is a blast it means the dragon breathes at a square and engulfs an area 5 squares in diameter around that square in acid.

 

[Sir Sebastian Hardin]

Blast is apparently replacing Cone. Unfortunately, my forum-fu is weak, so I can't provide you with a picture

Maybe we should get ainatan. He is like the Chose One of diagrams.

 

[Thaniel]

In Derren's defense (and this is from a pro-4e person) the way the person described it at first was an area centered on the dragon. Therefore acid in all directions, thus the breathing+farting. I thought it was funny.

Since we know better now, the original description (or the GM that did it) was ill-informed.

 

[keterys]

Several DMs did it wrong at the con, yes - I saw one do it as a rectangle for some reason and I still have no idea how another one did it in order to hit an extra person.

 

[Majoru Oakheart]

Several DMs did it wrong at the con, yes - I saw one do it as a rectangle for some reason and I still have no idea how another one did it in order to hit an extra person.

I can attest that a bunch of judges didn't know the rules that well. Things were run differently from table to table due to the inexperience of most of the judges. They were getting used to the rules just as much as all the players were.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

A burst 5 would NOT be a 5x5 square, so I doubt that a blast 5 would be.

Think about it: A burst 1 is a 9 grid (a 3x3 square) because it's the target square, and then radiates out 1 square in all directions. So a Burst 5 is 11x11.

I have no idea how blast works, but I've been playing it as a cone.

In a close blast 5 you'd pick a square adjacent to the "caster" and radiate out 5 from the square in all directions that face AWAY from the "caster". So the end of the cone would be 6 squares forward, and both diagonals also 6, with the "flat" of the cone 11 squares across.

Otherwise, If you have to pick a square adjacent to the "caster' you'd always have it blasting back at him.

Fitz

 

[Khelzor]

A burst 5 would NOT be a 5x5 square, so I doubt that a blast 5 would be.

Think about it: A burst 1 is a 9 grid (a 3x3 square) because it's the target square, and then radiates out 1 square in all directions. So a Burst 5 is 11x11.

I have no idea how blast works, but I've been playing it as a cone.

In a close blast 5 you'd pick a square adjacent to the "caster" and radiate out 5 from the square in all directions that face AWAY from the "caster". So the end of the cone would be 6 squares forward, and both diagonals also 6, with the "flat" of the cone 11 squares across.

Otherwise, If you have to pick a square adjacent to the "caster' you'd always have it blasting back at him.

Fitz

The way I understand it a Burst 5 could be bigger than 11x11 if the creature causing the effect were Large or bigger. This is because it radiates out from the creature 5 in all directions and a large creatures is already 2x2.


The way I understand blast to work is if different. Blast 5 would be a 5x5 area. Take a template 5x5 and place it on the grid so that it at least adjoins the "caster" on any one side completely. If it was a medium creature 1 square of the blast area would have to adjoin the caster's occupied space. If it were a large creature, then 2 squares of the blase area would have to adjoin the caster's 2x2 space along the same side. You can shift the blast in either direction so long as all of one side of the caster is adjoined to the blast area.

At least this is how I see it working.

 

[Zinovia]

Firecubes. Right. We use a hex map. Think it would be easy enough to make circular templates like we use now for the burst effects of various sizes? The GM adjudicates all the edge cases for whether someone is hit or not if they are in a partially covered hex.

As for the blasts, I'm still not clear on how that works, or how it might translate to a hex grid. If it's a cone shape, then I can make templates for that too. It sounds kind of like it's a cube offset to one side of the figure, which is odd.

I don't like squares, and we're not buying a new gaming mat. So we'll figure it out somehow. I'm wondering if there's a optional hex grid section in the PHB like there was in 3.5.

 

[Logan_Bonner]

The way I understand it a Burst 5 could be bigger than 11x11 if the creature causing the effect were Large or bigger. This is because it radiates out from the creature 5 in all directions and a large creatures is already 2x2.


The way I understand blast to work is if different. Blast 5 would be a 5x5 area. Take a template 5x5 and place it on the grid so that it at least adjoins the "caster" on any one side completely. If it was a medium creature 1 square of the blast area would have to adjoin the caster's occupied space. If it were a large creature, then 2 squares of the blase area would have to adjoin the caster's 2x2 space along the same side. You can shift the blast in either direction so long as all of one side of the caster is adjoined to the blast area.

At least this is how I see it working.

It's actually a little simpler than that.

1. Draw a square area. (A blast 3 is a 3x3 square)
2. One of the squares within that area must be adjacent to the person using the power. (It doesn't have to be flush with the creature, and there's no difference for Large +.)

Diagram:
C = Caster
X = Square in blast 3 area

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