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<blockquote data-quote="allenw" data-source="post: 1039860" data-attributes="member: 12992">The 3.5 rules introduce a new standard spell area type, the &quot;line,&quot; for such old standbys as Lightning Bolt. Unfortunately, the SRD and PHB descriptions of a &quot;line&quot; are confusing, written entirely in &quot;squares&quot; terminology, and leave me *guessing* that a &quot;line&quot; is probably meant to be 10' wide, but not certain. A simple statement that &quot;A line is 10' wide&quot; (or &quot;5' wide&quot; if that's the case) would have made the whole issue crystal-clear. Even &quot;A line is 2 squares wide&quot; would have worked. The PHB does have a diagram, but it's for an obscure corner (literally) case that clarifies little. The DMG lacks any &quot;line&quot; templates.The SRD text reads:Quote:--------------------------------------------------------------------------------A line-shaped spell shoots away from you in a line in the direction you designate. It starts from any corner of your square and extends to the limit of its range or until it strikes a barrier that blocks line of effect. A line-shaped spell affects all creatures in squares that the line passes through.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Read literally, this implies that if you send a Lightning Bolt from &quot;any corner of your square&quot; along one of the grid axes (i.e., the lines that define the squares), probably the most common situation, it affects *no* squares whatsoever, as a line drawn along edges of squares &quot;passes through&quot; none of them.The PHB has some text that clarifies that a square is affected if the line touches its &quot;far side,&quot; which implies that a Lightning Bolt sent &quot;straight ahead&quot; down a square-edge would affect a column 2 squares wide (i.e., 10')... including the caster's own square (oops!). However, I'm still not sure if the implication was intended. Even if it was, however, if I cast Lightning Bolt from the front-right corner of my square to a point 120' from the front-left corner of my square, it only affects a 5'-wide column (except for a 10' wide bit at both ends, including my square - oops again!)I note that Line-shaped Dragon breath weapons are still 5' wide, but I also note that Cone-shaped Dragon breath weapons are still &quot;as wide as they are long&quot; rather than quarter-circles, so I suspect that no effort was made to coordinate them with spell areas.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="allenw, post: 1039860, member: 12992"] The 3.5 rules introduce a new standard spell area type, the "line," for such old standbys as Lightning Bolt. Unfortunately, the SRD and PHB descriptions of a "line" are confusing, written entirely in "squares" terminology, and leave me *guessing* that a "line" is probably meant to be 10' wide, but not certain. A simple statement that "A line is 10' wide" (or "5' wide" if that's the case) would have made the whole issue crystal-clear. Even "A line is 2 squares wide" would have worked. The PHB does have a diagram, but it's for an obscure corner (literally) case that clarifies little. The DMG lacks any "line" templates. The SRD text reads: Quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A line-shaped spell shoots away from you in a line in the direction you designate. It starts from any corner of your square and extends to the limit of its range or until it strikes a barrier that blocks line of effect. A line-shaped spell affects all creatures in squares that the line passes through. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Read literally, this implies that if you send a Lightning Bolt from "any corner of your square" along one of the grid axes (i.e., the lines that define the squares), probably the most common situation, it affects *no* squares whatsoever, as a line drawn along edges of squares "passes through" none of them. The PHB has some text that clarifies that a square is affected if the line touches its "far side," which implies that a Lightning Bolt sent "straight ahead" down a square-edge would affect a column 2 squares wide (i.e., 10')... including the caster's own square (oops!). However, I'm still not sure if the implication was intended. Even if it was, however, if I cast Lightning Bolt from the front-right corner of my square to a point 120' from the front-left corner of my square, it only affects a 5'-wide column (except for a 10' wide bit at both ends, including my square - oops again!) I note that Line-shaped Dragon breath weapons are still 5' wide, but I also note that Cone-shaped Dragon breath weapons are still "as wide as they are long" rather than quarter-circles, so I suspect that no effort was made to coordinate them with spell areas. [/QUOTE]

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