Earthen Grasp and Black Tentacles question

[Sadrik]

If one of the above spells is in a fog cloud do they suffer 20% miss chance? How do they target? do they see them and then attack them?

Also, w/ black tentacles can you place them on any surface? A wall or a ceiling? or do they have to be on the ground?

Thanks.

 

[s-dub]

The wording of the first portion of the spell, "This spell conjures a field of rubbery black tentacles, each 10 feet long. These waving members seem to spring forth from the earth, floor, or whatever surface is underfoot—including water" seems to indicate that you can only cast the spell on a surface that is currently the "floor" based on the local gravity.

That said, if there were no "floor" or "down", I would allow the user to cast it on any viable surface, such as on the astral plane.

The is no mention of the tentacle being foiled by invisiblity or concealment. I would either treat the tentacles as if they had blindsense, or presume there are so many tentacles anything in the area is going to be hit by one.

 

[Patlin]

"These waving members seem to spring forth from the earth, floor, or whatever surface is underfoot—including water"

I've sometimes wondered if a black tentacles spell cast upon the waters could attack those swimming below it.

 

[mvincent]

If one of the above spells is in a fog cloud do they suffer 20% miss chance?

No for black tentacles, since they don't make attack rolls.

How do they target? do they see them and then attack them?

From the 3.5 FAQ:
"The spell actually
works something like an entangle spell that’s capable of
dealing bludgeoning damage. The spell uses an opposed
grapple check instead of a saving throw to determine if
creatures within its spread are affected. Any creature inside the
spread might become grappled, as noted in the spell
description. The spell does not make an initial touch attack as
with normal grappling attempts, so it cannot miss, even if a
creature is invisible or otherwise concealed. The spell cannot
grapple incorporeal creatures, and a creature using a blink spell
has a 50% change to avoid being grappled."

 

[s-dub]

Now as to why Evard didn't research the spell as Conjuration(Force), rather than Conjuration(Creation) is beyond me =P


EDIT:

Because apparently there is no such thing....

 

[s-dub]

I guess he could have made it Evocation [Force]. Since Evocations techically don't have to be instantaneous.

 

[mvincent]

I guess he could have made it Evocation [Force]. Since Evocations techically don't have to be instantaneous.

Sure, but tentacles made of force wouldn't be nearly as... evocative.

... nor as black...

 

[Sadrik]

So- I assume that the Earthen grasp spell would work the same way- ignoring concealment.

Hmm, those tentacles would be so much cooler if you could spawn them from any surface...

I can think of some pretty weird situations with having them always spawn from the ground.

a ten foot diameter tower that is 100' tall- the caster places them on the top of the tower. Where does the extraneous area go? at the bottom of the tower along the sides of the tower?

 

[Plane Sailing]

Now as to why Evard didn't research the spell as Conjuration(Force), rather than Conjuration(Creation) is beyond me =P


EDIT:

Because apparently there is no such thing....

I dunno, I hear that the Orb spells make a "good" shot at it...

 

[Jack Simth]

Now as to why Evard didn't research the spell as Conjuration(Force), rather than Conjuration(Creation) is beyond me =P


EDIT:

Because apparently there is no such thing....

Bah! There's a Conjouration(Creation)[Force] spell that's a staple for wizard builds: Mage Armor. Core, even, at level 1.