Disintegration Help

[dren]

Hi all,

Had a small rule problem during today's game, and I could not determine what the best resolution was. Hope the experts here at ENWorld can help.

A 12th level Psion dimension doored under water to manifest a disintegration effect agaisnt the bow of a boat. Can he do this? Does water block the ray? Line of sight isn't an issue in the relatively clear water but would the water constitute an intervening object and thus it would be disintegrated by the ray before it actually hit the boat. Any advice on this, as it will probably come up again when they attack the pirates in their new lair.

Thanks in advance!
dren

 

[Psimancer]

I don’t consider the atmosphere an intervening object, so neither would I consider the water; I would allow it in my game. Worst case scenario, if you decide to disallow it, you should have given a Knowledge (Arcana) roll to know it wouldn’t work…

 

[Jdvn1]

The water might provide cover or concealment, but that's probably a GM call.

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

The SRD specifies that an opponent in water has improved concealment from opponents out of the water, but doesn't say much else...

Underwater Combat
Land-based creatures can have considerable difficulty when fighting in water. Water affects a creature’s Armor Class, attack rolls, damage, and movement. In some cases a creature’s opponents may get a bonus on attacks. The effects are summarized in the accompanying table. They apply whenever a character is swimming, walking in chestdeep water, or walking along the bottom.
Ranged Attacks Underwater: Thrown weapons are ineffective underwater, even when launched from land. Attacks with other ranged weapons take a –2 penalty on attack rolls for every 5 feet of water they pass through, in addition to the normal penalties for range.
Attacks from Land: Characters swimming, floating, or treading water on the surface, or wading in water at least chest deep, have improved cover (+8 bonus to AC, +4 bonus on Reflex saves) from opponents on land. Landbound opponents who have freedom of movement effects ignore this cover when making melee attacks against targets in the water. A completely submerged creature has total cover against opponents on land unless those opponents have freedom of movement effects. Magical effects are unaffected except for those that require attack rolls (which are treated like any other effects) and fire effects

I would have to agree with Psimancer if a similir situation happened in my game.

AR

 

[Psimancer]

In the Underwater rules in the DMG it would impose a -2 penalty per 5 ft on the Ranged Attack for the Ray…

 

[frankthedm]

I say the water is disentagrated.

 

[Psimancer]

I say the water is disentagrated.

And if it was a Sahuagin Spellcaster that was casting it?

 

[dren]

THANKS ALL!!!!

I was looking through the listed SRD at the time but I missed the underlined part that Altamont Ravenard emphasized. You guys rock!

dren

 

[Kae'Yoss]

And if it was a Sahuagin Spellcaster that was casting it?

There are no submarine spellcasters. They cannot cast anything. Cleric tries to cast a healing spell, water touches his palms and the spell dissipates. You should know that!

 

[Psimancer]

There are no submarine spellcasters. They cannot cast anything. Cleric tries to cast a healing spell, water touches his palms and the spell dissipates. You should know that!

Erh, yeah... good point - I stand (swim?) corrected... :\