Confusion spell stat block

[Hypersmurf]

Confusion
Targets: All creatures in a 15 ft. radius burst.


That sounds like it should be an Area entry, not a Targets entry.

-Hyp.

 

[Maitre Du Donjon]

i hate seeing threads that don't have answers, so here goes.

Either that, or the target entry should have read "One or more creatures, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart" (taken from Mass Charm).

Maitre D

 

[AuraSeer]

Hmm. Never noticed that before. It's an odd wording, but it does mean something different than an area spell.

Since it's targeted, I think you'd need line of effect to all the affected creatures. (Unlike a fireball, you can't fire it over a battlement to affect creatures hiding beyond.) Also, it will be subject to spell turning, as area effects are not.

Unlike the mass * spells, you don't get to pick and choose targets. If you center the area in the middle of a melee, you'll affect your allies as well as your enemies.

IMO it's probably a mistake, but it might not be.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Unlike the mass * spells, you don't get to pick and choose targets. If you center the area in the middle of a melee, you'll affect your allies as well as your enemies.

But that's the thing.

"You must be able to see or touch the target, and you musr specifically choose that target."

The whole point of a targetted spell is that you get to pick who it affects. "All creatures" is nonsensical.

-Hyp.

 

[Maitre Du Donjon]

what if the reason behind this was because of the magical effect of the spell?

I'll try to explain that better. Take Fireball. You cast Fireball. You have a big sphere (lets assume you cast it in the air) of fire. EVERYWHERE within the sphere, there is fire. Who or whatever happens to be caught in the sphere of fire is affected (barring spell resistance, magic resistance, fire resistance, et al.)

Now cast Confusion. Confusion doesn't produce a could of Confusing Gas (or whatever) that fills a designated volume, but it affects every single creature that happens to be in that volume.

Of course, it would mean that you can affect creatures that you can't see (if, for example, the part of the volume reaches an occupied space that you can't see) which would seem to contradict the Target definition.

fblblblb.

Maitre D

 

[Hypersmurf]

Of course, it would mean that you can affect creatures that you can't see (if, for example, the part of the volume reaches an occupied space that you can't see) which would seem to contradict the Target definition.

Or if they're invisible.

As a targetted spell, you should be able to cast it at your feet wihtout affecting yourself, your familiar, or any of your allies... but you can't affect any enemies you cannot either see or touch.

-Hyp.

 

[dcollins]

I'll point out that my book (PHB p. 186) doesn't have the word "burst" in it.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I'll point out that my book (PHB p. 186) doesn't have the word "burst" in it.

Hmm, SRD doesn't either. I'm away from my PHB, so I may have mistyped...

But that doesn't actually change the point that a proper Targets entry would be "Creatures in a 15' radius", not "All creatures in a 15' radius".

Targets must be specifically chosen. If you specifically choose those three orcs, and don't specifically choose Bob and Fred and George, even though they're in the 15' radius, they aren't affected.

Otherwise it's an Area spell or an Effect.

-Hyp.