How Visible is Eldritch Blast ?

[Rassilon]

I've been going quickly through the Warlock (Com. Arc.) Eldritch blast ability, and I can't find a RAW on the visibility of it.

It seems reasonable to me that it could, considered by itself, be invisible. The opposing authority is the pictures (!) in the book, and the fact that 'magical blasts' in D&D are very rarely invisible.

Does anyone know something from Com. Arc., or have a RAW interpretation / extrapolation ?

Cheers,

Rassilon.

EDIT: I didn't select templates as the category ! Honest. Whoops.

 

[Mouseferatu]

This seems, to me, to be one of those situations where one simply can't read more into the book than is there.

If the blast were invisible, the text would state so in so many words. Since it didn't, and since there is indeed conflicting info, I can't see ruling any other way than to say that the blasts are visible.

 

[Thanee]

Yep, definitely visible, like pretty much all such spell effects.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Shellman]

Without errata or RAW or anyhting else to say otherwise, I would refer to the depiction in Complete Arcane.

 

[Rassilon]

Fair Enough,

Thankyou everybody, particularly good point about not reading more than is in the text. Visible they are !


Rassilon.

 

[Bad Paper]

yeah, but what color are they? Do they smell bad? Sound? Does the victim get a funny taste in his mouth?

This is where the DM should ask the player to describe his Eldritch Blast. Not that all spell effects should be freely customizable (there are feats for that), but that everyone's magic is just a little bit different. e.g. My wizard has his own tricked-out Phantom Steed, which does not exactly look like the SRD claims, but goes with his flair. And a CL9 wizard should be able to trick out his ponies the way he wants.

Maybe a 1st level warlock gets a feeble wispy white zap, but at 10th level you call it a tangerine-hued interlocking hoohah of zappy bits, with the lingering scent of ozone on a warm summer evening. Or whatever.

 

[moritheil]

Actually I've always wondered about this. How much light do you guys think the average nonspecified spell effect sheds? Candle equivalent?

 

[Sejs]

About as visible as a Lightning Bolt I'd say. Rather bright, but quite brief.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

This is where the DM should ask the player to describe his Eldritch Blast. Not that all spell effects should be freely customizable (there are feats for that),

I disagree with this.

All non-mechanical spell effects should be freely customizable - that's what Spellcraft checks are for!

Feats that imply the contrary - I'm looking at you, Spell Thematics! - are just bad.

 

[moritheil]

I disagree with this.

All non-mechanical spell effects should be freely customizable - that's what Spellcraft checks are for!

Feats that imply the contrary - I'm looking at you, Spell Thematics! - are just bad.

Well, as it's said somewhere in the rules, having a spell look like a different colored fireball is one thing; having a fireball look like a Great Wyrm dragon appears and breathes it is a bit over the top.

Spell Thematics is just goofy, because the writers said, "hey, we made a useless feat! Let's tack on some sort of Intimidation bonus to make it not as useless!" They didn't really succeed, though.