Can you do a "diamond" shaped blast?

[tafkamhokie]

I had a situation come up in a recent game and I was not sure how to handle it.

The dragonborn cleric wanted to use his breath weapon on some orcs. The breath weapon is a blast 3. Normally, party positioning meant he would catch an ally in the blast.

But in the 4e spirit of "a square is a square is a square," he asked if he could have his 3x3 blast form on a diagonal. See .pdf attachment diagram where:

A = ally
C = cleric
O = orc
hatched squares = proposed blast area

The first diagram shows a conventional blast, which would catch all four orcs, but one party member too. The second diagram shows the blast he wanted to use...tilted 45 degrees to catch all four orcs but miss both allies.

The text of a blast attack says it fills an area adjacent to you that is a specified number of squares on a side. But it never specifically says the area must be a square (as opposed to a diamond).

This is a case where common sense would seem to say you can't do this, but RAW says you can.

Has anyone seen anything official from WotC about this or have your own arguements why this should or should not be legal?

 

[Andur]

I thought it stated on blasts that is had to share a common side with a square you are in.

Don't have books in front of me, but if that is indeed the case, then the answer would be no.

 

[lukelightning]

No. For sake of speed and simplicity, you can't angle your blasts like that.

They are square, always.

 

[Accersitus]

Don't think you can do that, since this would in addition to increasing
the area of effect by 4 squares, remove some of the use for the
epic feat spell accuracy.

 

[nckestrel]

I had a situation come up in a recent game and I was not sure how to handle it.

The dragonborn cleric wanted to use his breath weapon on some orcs. The breath weapon is a blast 3. Normally, party positioning meant he would catch an ally in the blast.

But in the 4e spirit of "a square is a square is a square," he asked if he could have his 3x3 blast form on a diagonal. See .pdf attachment diagram where:

A = ally
C = cleric
O = orc
hatched squares = proposed blast area

The first diagram shows a conventional blast, which would catch all four orcs, but one party member too. The second diagram shows the blast he wanted to use...tilted 45 degrees to catch all four orcs but miss both allies.

The text of a blast attack says it fills an area adjacent to you that is a specified number of squares on a side. But it never specifically says the area must be a square (as opposed to a diamond).

This is a case where common sense would seem to say you can't do this, but RAW says you can.

Has anyone seen anything official from WotC about this or have your own arguements why this should or should not be legal?

Nope. Why? Look at your second example (the diamond) it is a 3x3 square, PLUS 4 more squares to make it a diamond. A 3 square by 3 square area should not have a length across that is 5 squares long. It can't partially meet the requirements and count. (IE. some lengths are 3 squares, but some are 5).

Tell him to spend more time on party cooperation and less on trying to break the rules. Don't stand in the way of the blast.

 

[ExploderWizard]

As others have stated, you are adding area of effect and range to the power with a blast shaped like the one in the drawing. This changes the dimensions of the power so no. I wouldn't have a problem with a diagonal that was still 3 x 3 squares in area. (Oh no! cutting across a square!)

 

[WhatGravitas]

No. For sake of speed and simplicity, you can't angle your blasts like that.

Also, considering the non-euclidean geometry of 4E, the "square"-shaped blasts are actually circles. The diamond blast would look like a four-pointed star.

Cheers, LT.

 

[Mort_Q]

I thought it stated on blasts that is had to share a common side with a square you are in.

It only needs to have a minimum of one adjacent square.

So:

......
.XXX..
.XXX..
.XXX..
....C.
......

.... is legal too.

 

[Andur]

Thanks Mort, I didn't look at the pdf (dreadful connection in this airport), and was unsure if what you cited was an example given.

Like everyone above said, i your blast 3 isn't a 3x3 square, it isn't legal. (Mort's is a 3x3 diamond form the caster's point of view)

 

[lukelightning]

Given all the slip, slide, shift, and salsa powers and effects in the game, even a small amount of coordination with your party members will allow you to get a good shot at the baddies.

Of course, those same baddies will be using their powers to thwart you... but that's the fun of the game.