Defining "Your Opponent" in a spell

[Hypersmurf]

Is there anything in RAW that says that a creature can have one, and only one, attitude towards you?

It's strongly implied by the Diplomacy skill.

Creatures have an 'initial attitude' (singular) and a 'new attitude' (singular).

-Hyp.

 

[glass]

I took that to mean, "Not engaged in [melee] combat" - as in, no one was currently swinging, despite the fact that they were all aware that there were enemies right there, staring them in the face.

Quite rightly IMO. They obviously were in combat, as...

Several feet away from the pit (which is under the hole) are the hobgoblins - readied with their javelins.

(emphasis mine).


glass.

 

[glass]

It already exists - Bless in conjunction with Arcane Sight

I don't think that works. Bless is an area effect spell, so the whole area is detected as being under a bless spell, not just specific people.


glass.

 

[glass]

Anyway, how I would adjudicate the OP's situation:

The summoned whatevers would attack the hobgoblins.

As noted above, Despite rushlight's protestations to the contrary, they were in combat because they were readying actions. That makes it pretty clear that they are enemies, IMO.


As for the various bless questions:

As I see it, with bless and it ilk, there are no in game world decisions to be made. The magic just works.

Outside of the game world, the DM decides who get the bonus. The DM knows what the potential allies/enemies attitudes and intentions are.

Hostile doppleganger (invisible or otherwise) -if he's hostile, he's not an ally, so no bonus.

Polymorphed party member -unless the polymorph has affected his mind so he no longer friendly, he is still an ally and gets the bonus.

EDIT: Wow, three posts in a row. I must be talking to myself


glass.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I don't think that works. Bless is an area effect spell, so the whole area is detected as being under a bless spell, not just specific people.

Bless is an Area spell, but it doesn't affect 'the whole area'.

Area: Some spells affect an area. Sometimes a spell description specifies a specially defined area, but usually an area falls into one of the categories defined below.

Creatures: A spell with this kind of area affects creatures directly (like a targeted spell), but it affects all creatures in an area of some kind rather than individual creatures you select. The area might be a spherical burst , a cone-shaped burst, or some other shape.

Many spells affect “living creatures,” which means all creatures other than constructs and undead. Creatures in the spell’s area that are not of the appropriate type do not count against the creatures affected.

The 'area' affected by Bless is "The caster and all allies within a 50-ft. burst, centered on the caster".

If the spell had an area of '50-ft. burst, centered on the caster', and stated that allies in the area gained the bonuses, I'd agree with you. But the area affected by the spell is the allies, not the 50' radius. It's why they retain the bonuses if they then move more than 50 feet away - because they are the area.

-Hyp.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Outside of the game world, the DM decides who get the bonus. The DM knows what the potential allies/enemies attitudes and intentions are.

Hostile doppleganger (invisible or otherwise) -if he's hostile, he's not an ally, so no bonus.

Polymorphed party member -unless the polymorph has affected his mind so he no longer friendly, he is still an ally and gets the bonus.

In which case, Bless + Detect Magic = Ally Detector, and Bane + Detect Magic = Enemy Detector.

A lot of people dislike the reading, because they don't like the idea that you can discover a secret traitor with a 1st level spell and an orison.

-Hyp.