Evard's Black Tentacles Question?

[Aluvial]

I'm surprised that this hasn't come up before in my game, but it hasn't.

Evard's is a 20' radius of tantacles that are 10' long; correct?

If so, then do the tentacles have 10' of reach outside of the area of effect (in order to grapple those within range of the tentacle)?

What do you think?

Aluvial

 

[Infiniti2000]

Evard's is a 20' radius of tantacles that are 10' long; correct?

Yes.

If so, then do the tentacles have 10' of reach outside of the area of effect (in order to grapple those within range of the tentacle)?

The tentacles do not have reach at all. They specifically only "...grasp and entwine around creatures that enter the area...."

 

[Aluvial]

How do you adjudicate this spell if it is used as a trap?

I had to roll initiative and treat it as a summoned creature because I used it as a trap.

Is this correct?

I understand that creatures who "enter" the area are affected, but what about those who "start" their turns in the effect, but are not currently grappled?

Also, if you are grappled, do you get to roll against the tentacles (on their turn) to avoid squeezing?

I'm not sure if I'm running this spell correctly at all!

I gave the tentacles reach outside of the area of effect because they are 10' long... which seemed reasonable. I ruled that if you were within 10' of the effect, that on the tentacles initiative (which occurs right after the character who sprung the trap, which I then treated as a surprise round), the tentacles could attack with reach.

Characters who entered the area of reach did not automatically roll because they did not enter the area of effect, but could be affected/attacked by the tentacles outside of the area on the tentacles initiative...

Anyhow, how do you run this spell correctly?

Aluvial

 

[moritheil]

I wouldn't use it as a trap.

The initiative thing is wholly unnecessary. I would have it trigger whenever someone walks into the area, just as if they walked into a wall of fire.

 

[Aluvial]

I wouldn't use it as a trap.

The initiative thing is wholly unnecessary. I would have it trigger whenever someone walks into the area, just as if they walked into a wall of fire.

But then what? If you don't use it in initiative, when do you squeeze and attempt to grapple? If it is only when someone "enters" the area, then am I too assume if you avoid or break the grapple and are already in the area, nothing happens to you?

That's not right.

Aluvial

 

[moritheil]

But then what? If you don't use it in initiative, when do you squeeze and attempt to grapple? If it is only when someone "enters" the area, then am I too assume if you avoid or break the grapple and are already in the area, nothing happens to you?

That's not right.

Aluvial

Per 3.5 RAW, I think that is right, but it contradicts earlier editions of the spell. I would compromise by just having it act on the players' turns.