Elves and the Sleep spell

[RigaMortus]

Hopefully this is a simple question...

Let's say an Elf is surrounded by a group of Orcs. A Wizard casts the Sleep spell at them. Let's also say the Elf is closest to the center of the Sleep spell, so it would be "affected" first. Clearly the Elf is immune to the Sleep spell, but I am curious if you still apply the Elf's hit dice agains the spell?

The same question can be asked about any creature tha succeeds their saving throw...

If I can affect 4HD of creatures, I hit the Elf first, then an Orc (who succeeds their save), how many HD worth of creatures can I continue to affect? 4HD still? 3HD? 2HD?

 

[kanithardm]

I would count all who are affected. it doesn't matter if they are immune or succeed on their saving throw.

 

[shilsen]

Creatures which are immune don't count. I think this has been covered in the FAQ.

 

[was]

I don't think so. If elves cannot be affected by the spell, than they should not be counted into the number of hit die the spell can affect.

 

[ZuulMoG]

But creatures that save Do count against the 4HD limit.

 

[Arbiter of Wyrms]

when counting the max HD affected by a spell, ignore any creature not affected due to immunity or too many HD.

Cast sleep into an are with four 15th level PCs, an elf warrior 1, and fifteen kobolds and an ogre, and you get four of the kobold to fall asleep.

The first thing to consider on the effects of a sleep spell is not location, but HD:
First, knock out all of the 1/10 HD creatures in the area of the spell
Then, all of the 1/8 HD creatures
and so on.
Only if two creatures with the same HD are both in the AoE and only enough effect remains to knock out one of them would I worry about distance.

Ignore all creatures which are immune, regardless of whether it's because they're plants, elves, corpses, residents of other continents, already sleeping, or real-world people immune thanks to the fictional nature of the D&D magic system. (if you're not counting your players' HD against the spell's limit, don't count elves either.

But creatures that save Do count against the 4HD limit.

Where do you get this? This ruling would mean that you have to roll saves for the targets as you go along to know when you've used up your 4 HD limit.

 

[ZuulMoG]

Um, no. It means that if some of the creatures you've selected to apply against the 4HD save, you don't get to add new targets later.

 

[Arbiter of Wyrms]

Right! Sorry. I realize now that I misread (or rather, mis-scanned ) what you had written, instead reading "But creatures that save Do not count against the 4HD limit."

You're right, of course.