Fire shield - can you attack others?

[Plane Sailing]

I was just wondering about Fire Shield...

Evocation [Fire or Cold]
Level: Fire 5, Sor/Wiz 4, Sun 4
Components: V, S, M/DF
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Personal
Target: The character
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: None

This spell wreathes the character in flame and causes damage to each creature who attacks the character in melee. The flames also protect the character from either cold-based or fire-based attacks (the character's choice).

Any creature striking the character with its body or handheld weapons deals normal damage, but at the same time the attacker takes 1d6 points of damage +1 point per caster level. This damage is either cold damage (if the shield protects against fire-based attacks) or fire damage (if the shield protects against cold-based attacks). If a creature has spell resistance, it applies to this damage. Note that weapons with exceptional reach, such as two-handed spears, do not endanger their users in this way.

When casting this spell, the character appears to be immolated, but the flames are thin and wispy, shedding no heat and giving light equal to only half the illumination of a normal torch (10 feet). The color of the flames is determined randomly (50% chance of either color)—blue or green if the chill shield is cast, violet or blue if the warm shield is employed. The special powers of each version are as follows.

Warm Shield: The flames are warm to the touch. The character takes only half damage from cold-based attacks. If that attack allows a Reflex save for half damage, the character takes no damage on a successful save.

Chill Shield: The flames are cool to the touch. The character takes only half damage from fire-based attacks. If that attack allows a Reflex save for half damage, the character takes no damage on a successful save.

What happens if someone grapples the wizard - do they take the fire damage every round?

What happens if the wizard grapples someone else... would the target take fire damage every round?

What if the wizard who has fire shield going makes a bare-hand attack on someone? Would it let him do 1d6+level fire damage?

I guess that the strictest possible interpretation would be "NO!, It's magic and doesn't have to make sense!" I'm interested in how others would adjudicate the three particular situations I mention above though - the rules as they stand don't seem to speak to those specific situations at all, neither prohibiting nor allowing.

 

[Destil]

Since I'm of the opinion that the spell's a bit weak, I think I'd have it deal continual damage each round if the wizard was grappled. But not if they attack, since the spell as written can't really be used in that manner.

 

[niteshade6]

Well remember that the flames shed no heat, which strongly implies they don't burn things touching them. It's just sort of like a retaliation effect that blasts anyone striking the person with the spell up. As a result I would not add fire damage to unarmed striked or cause continuous damage during a graple. I probably would have the fire shield trigger from an enemy grapple attempt, since that does still require an attack.

 

[Dr. Zoom]

What happens if someone grapples the wizard - do they take the fire damage every round?

Depends. I would make the grappler take the damage each time he made a successful grapple check against the wizard.

What happens if the wizard grapples someone else... would the target take fire damage every round?

No. The shield only damages those that successfully attack the wizard.

What if the wizard who has fire shield going makes a bare-hand attack on someone? Would it let him do 1d6+level fire damage?

No, for the same reason as above.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Thanks for the replies.

Even after reading and quoting it, I'd missed the line about the fireshield shedding no heat, thus implynig that the flames are a special effect and the real magic is in the retributive strike aspect.

I think I'll go with Dr Zooms ideas breakdown.

Cheers

 

[Stalker0]

Also remember that when you first make a grapple and succeed, you do unarmed strike damage- that would count as an attack that fire shield would counter.