Can you do a "diamond" shaped blast?

[Torg Smith]

It does say square and squares are defined by 90 degree corners. I'm not debating that part. But being at 45 degree offsets, it's still got 90 degree corners.

Where does it say this? Page and quote.

 

[Dracorat]

Let me be absolutely clear here. I am not trying to get other people to adopt this interpretation if they don't want to, but I am pointing out that it is valid within the rules as they are written.

If you interpret their intent differently, then I will be perfectly at peace with you deciding to run games that way. But the original question of "is this allowed in the rules" I state that the diagram I drew up a couple pages back would be.

It may be uncomfortable to think that by using diagonals, more internal squares are affected, but the count of internal squares is not part of the rule for blasts. (It is for bursts because of their different method of measurement).

For reasons such as this, I have given my groups the option of sticking with 3.5 measurements for things. One group chose to, one group chose not to.

And in neither are issues like this really a problem. In truth, the "danger" of including additional squares never really feels "unfair" to the players, even when monsters use it.

And until this thread, I was always under the assumption when people measured three squares on a side, they did it in any orientation they wished.

I am not here to say "I am right, you are wrong" but rather to say to the OP that using RAW, there are people (like me) who do believe it is perfectly legitimate.

 

[Dracorat]

Where does it say this? Page and quote.

Say what? That squares have 90 degree angles? That's the definition of a square.

 

[Silverblade The Ench]

I don't care waht folk say, removing cone-shaped effects was ***** STUPID!!!!
This kind of thing proves it, jeesh

If square your arse is on = edge of cone , you still get hit = simple and easy to envisage!
4the d cone = more liek step pyramid = EASY!
I can live with that!!!!

*mutters in dark cyrptic verses*
Squares, bugger it, bah, humbug, hedgehogs, 1st ed, square BLASTS?! bugger 'em, staffs with knobs on the end, too old for this, Granny Ogg!!!!

 

[Torg Smith]

Let me be absolutely clear here. I am not trying to get other people to adopt this interpretation if they don't want to, but I am pointing out that it is valid within the rules as they are written.

If you interpret their intent differently, then I will be perfectly at peace with you deciding to run games that way. But the original question of "is this allowed in the rules" I state that the diagram I drew up a couple pages back would be.

It may be uncomfortable to think that by using diagonals, more internal squares are affected, but the count of internal squares is not part of the rule for blasts. (It is for bursts because of their different method of measurement).

For reasons such as this, I have given my groups the option of sticking with 3.5 measurements for things. One group chose to, one group chose not to.

And in neither are issues like this really a problem. In truth, the "danger" of including additional squares never really feels "unfair" to the players, even when monsters use it.

And until this thread, I was always under the assumption when people measured three squares on a side, they did it in any orientation they wished.

I am not here to say "I am right, you are wrong" but rather to say to the OP that using RAW, there are people (like me) who do believe it is perfectly legitimate.

But you have not shown the RAW that says the blast area is square.

I assume you are using the example as the reference to the blast being square. This is just as the other people are using the example to say the sides of said square are horizontal and vertical. They show no squares rotated as they show no blasts as anything but square. There is no rule that says the area is of the shape of a square as there is no rule that says you can rotate the area of the blast. So to say the rules state that the area is square and don’t prohibit the rotation is in its self not RAW.

 

[Branduil]

I found an awesome loophole! On page 242 it says "Add oregano to taste!" It doesn't say how much oregano, or what sort of taste! You can add as much oregano as you want! I'm going to make my friends eat infinite oregano and they'll have to do it because the recipe says so!

 

[Dracorat]

Oh that part. Sure there is.

A blast fills an area adjacent to you that is a specified number of squares on a side. For example, the wizard power thunderwave is a blast 3, which means the power affects a 3-square-by-3-square area adjacent to you.

I'm not sure that I am allowed to give page number as Wizards doesn't seem to like those but you'll find it on the same page as the one with the diagrams you are referring to.

Edit: To add the first part too.

 

[Branduil]

A 3-by-3 square can only reasonably be interpreted as nine total squares.

 

[Dracorat]

I disagree. It can be reasonably interpreted as the area that fills a shape with three squares on a side. In the case of a diagonal, that's more than 9 squares.

 

[Torg Smith]

Oh that part. Sure there is.

A blast fills an area adjacent to you that is a specified number of squares on a side. For example, the wizard power thunderwave is a blast 3, which means the power affects a 3-square-by-3-square area adjacent to you.

I'm not sure that I am allowed to give page number as Wizards doesn't seem to like those but you'll find it on the same page as the one with the diagrams you are referring to.

I was correct in that you are using an example to surmise the shape is a square. That is an example only. There is no rule that says the area is a square.

If you use the example to say they show no blast as anything but a square, then other people can say that they show no other blast that has anything other than horizontal and vertical sides.