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ShortQuests -- Pocket Sized Adventures! An all-new collection of digest-sized D&D adventures designed for 1-2 game sessions.

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="allenw" data-source="post: 1474523" data-attributes="member: 12992">The "line" effect description (PHB p. 175-176) specifically says that it starts from "any corner of your square," not the middle.    The text description (duplicated in the SRD) is somewhat ambiguous, but the explanatory "Line Attacks" illustration and *it's* text (PHB p. 176, *not* duplicated in the SRD) makes it clear: the border of a square *is* part of a square, and any square that a line attack touches (even if just at a corner) is included in the area of effect.  The illustration shows (among other things) that all 4 squares around a grid intersection that the line passes directly over are affected.  The illustration's caption reads:  "A line describes some kinds of attacks [usually magical].  It affects creatures or characters in a straight line away from the spell-caster's square to any intersection within range.  All squares through which the line passes or touches are affected by the attack.  The line continues to its full range, usually beyoind the target intersection and possibly affecting more characters or creatures."  There's a very useful diagram partway down this page:<a href="http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=58809&perpage=20&pagenumber=2" target="_blank">http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=58809&perpage=20&pagenumber=2</a>Think of it this way:  a Lightning Bolt is "really" about 5' wide, but it can affect any square that any part of it extends into, so if you send it straight down the line between squares, it'll affect a path 2 squares wide.  If you send it from the upper-left-corner of your square to the upper-right-corner of the square 120' above you, it'll only affect a path one square wide (except at the very end), since all of the line is contained within that path.  And if you send it on a 45 degree diagonal, it'll affect a path that's alternately one and two diagonal squares wide.</blockquote>

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