Can I cast Hold Person through a closed window?

[dead]

I'm just getting into D&D 3.0/3.5 again after a 3 year break and I'm a bit rusty.

In the game last night, a player wanted to cast Hold Person at an NPC he could see through a closed glass window. The NPC was inside a house and the PC was secretly peering in from outside.

I said, no. The player thought it silly that a thin pane of glass would stop the power of magic, though.

Similarly, another player wanted to cast lighting bolt, beginning outside the glass and then smashing through it to the target inside. This one I didn't allow either.

Any clarification would be appreciated.

Thank you!

 

[Starbuck_II]

I'm just getting into D&D 3.0/3.5 again after a 3 year break and I'm a bit rusty.

In the game last night, a player wanted to cast Hold Person at an NPC he could see through a closed glass window. The NPC was inside a house and the PC was secretly peering in from outside.

I said, no. The player thought it silly that a thin pane of glass would stop the power of magic, though.

Similarly, another player wanted to cast lighting bolt, beginning outside the glass and then smashing through it to the target inside. This one I didn't allow either.

Any clarification would be appreciated.

Thank you!

Glass can stop a targeted spell, but it can't stop a burst effect (like fireball) if the fireball deals enough damage to go through the barrier though it does stop the pea-sized bead immediately.

Enough inches of Glass stops 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.
You must have a clear line of effect to any target that you cast a spell on or to any space in which you wish to create an effect. You must have a clear line of effect to the point of origin of any spell you cast.
A burst, cone, cylinder, or emanation spell affects only an area, creatures, or objects to which it has line of effect from its origin (a spherical burst’s center point, a cone-shaped burst’s starting point, a cylinder’s circle, or an emanation’s point of origin).

Since Fireball says: If the damage caused to an interposing barrier shatters or breaks through it, the fireball may continue beyond the barrier if the area permits.

Lightning Bolt likewise says: If the damage caused to an interposing barrier shatters or breaks through it, the bolt may continue beyond the barrier if the spell’s range permits.

So both can go through a barrier (unless the barrier has too much hp/Hardness).

So 1st question: Yes, glass can stop Hold Person.
2nd Question: Depends on how Weak a Lightning bolt.

 

[dead]

Thanks for the feedback. This is what I thought.

So for hold person to work or for the PC to directly target the enemy with fireball, he'd have to smash the glass then cast.

With lightning bolt, it would be fine to fire the bolt outside so it passes *through* the glass (provided the damage is enough) and continue on to the target inside.