Fireball - are effects 3 dimensional?

[kreynolds]

But it also saids "You point your finger determine the range ( distances and hight) at which a fireball is to burst." which if he faced a some kind of moster with flying or lager size or higher he could had done it.

I gotta admit...I have _no_ idea what you just said here. Could have done what? What he could have done isn't the issue, nor is what he could could have done it to. How what he did works is the question.

 

[Arc]

SRD
(from the magic overview section)
Spread: Some spells spread out like a burst but can turn corners. The character selects the point of origin, and the spell spreads out a given distance in all directions. Figure distance by actual distance traveled, taking into account turns the spell effect takes.
/SRD (bolding mine)

Here's where I get confused about fireballs: If you cast one into a 10x10 tunnel, does that mean it goes 330 feet? The whole 'expanding gases' idea would have that work, but that seems a bit iffy.

 

[Deset Gled]

The whole 'expanding gases' idea would have that work, but that seems a bit iffy.

A fireball spell creates no actual force of explosion. No force = no expansion.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Here's where I get confused about fireballs: If you cast one into a 10x10 tunnel, does that mean it goes 330 feet? The whole 'expanding gases' idea would have that work, but that seems a bit iffy.

In first edition, yes; in third edition, no. It doesn't affect a given volume - it affects everything out to a given distance from the centre.

-Hyp.

 

[Destil]

10x10x10 is 1000, hence 33000, rather than 3300... as hoyerhan points out.

-Hyp.

Doh. Missed a zero.

 

[Some call me Tim]

In first edition, yes; in third edition, no. It doesn't affect a given volume - it affects everything out to a given distance from the centre.

-Hyp.

But in all three dimensions, right? That seems to be the consensus here.

 

[shilsen]

But in all three dimensions, right? That seems to be the consensus here.

Correct.

 

[Anabstercorian]

Some call Me Tim, I would like to say this, since no one else has, and I'm not feeling polite:

Your DM is a fool. I laud your capability to put up with him.

 

[Destil]

But in all three dimensions, right? That seems to be the consensus here.

Unless you're in some plane of existance that isn't 3 dimensional in nature, yes.

 

[RyanL]

Some call Me Tim, I would like to say this, since no one else has, and I'm not feeling polite:

Your DM is a fool. I laud your capability to put up with him.

I wouldn't go calling out the lynch mob so casually. To be honest, I thought that fireball was 2D for years until I was recently convinced otherwise. There's nothing in the PHB that very strongly states that it's 3D (the examples quoted above could easily be misinterpreted).

I realize this has no real bearing, but fireball had a 2D spread in the Baldur's Gate games, which is what initially confused me.

-Ryan