Breath Attack

[debalkez]

I have a Dragon Shaman who just got his acid breath attack at 4th level, since his totem dragon is a black dragon. I was wondering, since he isn't immune to acid, if he takes damage when he makes an acid breath attack. I guess I'm just not sure if the acid comes up the throat or if it just kind of spawns in front of his mouth.
Any help would be appreciated.
-Debalk

 

[Dross]

I have a Dragon Shaman who just got his acid breath attack at 4th level, since his totem dragon is a black dragon. I was wondering, since he isn't immune to acid, if he takes damage when he makes an acid breath attack. I guess I'm just not sure if the acid comes up the throat or if it just kind of spawns in front of his mouth.
Any help would be appreciated.
-Debalk

No rules as such to back me up, but breathing out the acid breath should not hurt you. I would also say that if for some reason you were caught in the area of effect, then (maybe) you would not take damage (like breathing at your feet if surrounded). However any other source of acid (even from another breath weapon) WILL hurt you.

But check with the DM that is acceptable. (setting a breath weapon off at ground zero may not be acceptable to a DM for instance).

 

[irdeggman]

I believe you treat it as a cone. With the starting point being in front of you.

This would be similar to the the slew of cone spells - otherwise the caster is constantly making saving throws against his own spells.

Pretty much the rules are deliberately vague on how exactly the breath weapon occurs so it should be up to the DM/player to describe (which makes a lot of sense to me). But it should not be dehabilitating to the user.

 

[MarkB]

I believe you treat it as a cone. With the starting point being in front of you.

This would be similar to the the slew of cone spells - otherwise the caster is constantly making saving throws against his own spells.

Pretty much the rules are deliberately vague on how exactly the breath weapon occurs so it should be up to the DM/player to describe (which makes a lot of sense to me). But it should not be dehabilitating to the user.

Cone effects start from one corner of your space, and extend in whichever direction you choose. So unless you choose to start it from a corner 'behind' you, you would not be affected.

 

[irdeggman]

More importantly unless the class states otherwise (which I'm pretty sure it doesn't) a creature is immune to its own breath weapon.

BREATH WEAPON
A creature attacking with a breath weapon is actually expelling something from its mouth (rather than conjuring it by means of a spell or some other magical effect). Most creatures with breath weapons are limited to a number of uses per day or by a minimum length of time that must pass between uses. Such creatures are usually smart enough to save their breath weapon until they really need it.
• Using a breath weapon is typically a standard action.
• No attack roll is necessary. The breath simply fills its stated area.
• Any character caught in the area must make the appropriate saving throw or suffer the breath weapon’s full effect. In many cases, a character who succeeds on his saving throw still takes half damage or some other reduced effect.
• Breath weapons are supernatural abilities except where noted.
• Creatures are immune to their own breath weapons.
• Creatures unable to breathe can still use breath weapons. (The term is something of a misnomer.)

This does not mean it is immune to that type of damage only to its own breath weapon.

 

[Jhaelen]

I believe you treat it as a cone. With the starting point being in front of you.

Since the totem dragon is a black dragon, it's a line of acid. Doesn't change anything though:
The dragon shaman is still immune to his own breath weapon and it still starts from any one corner of his space.