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Line Spells / Lightning Bolt
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<blockquote data-quote="jgsugden" data-source="post: 8155790" data-attributes="member: 2629"><p>Under RAW, there is no grid. Grids are optional rules.</p><p></p><p>In Xanathar's, we get two methods of adjudicating that are DRASTICALLY different for lines. </p><p></p><p>The Token method allows us to launch lines in only orthogonally or diagonally. You get 8 choices for how to drop a lightning bolt, and can start it from any of the 8 squares around you (although 8 of those options will include you). </p><p></p><p>The Template method, on the other hand, allows you to do a lot more. You take a 1 inch by 20 inch template and place it adjacent to your square. Any square under the template, regardless of how little touches it, is impacted. This is interesting in that the origin square (occupied by the caster) can easily end up being partially covered by a tilted template if they are not careful, although there is usually a way to avoid this if you are careful. If you use this method, you can get real sneaky with a lightning bolt. </p><p></p><p>In my games, I rule a little differently. I use the template method, but a square is only included if the <em>center</em> of the square is touched by the template. This would allow you to run a line directly between two squares and get both, but if you tilt it at all, it only gets 1of each side (with the ability to get one set of 2 squares down the path if you think about it. I consider this to be the best way to adjudicate all of this stuff - template method, with the center being covered to include a square.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="jgsugden, post: 8155790, member: 2629"] Under RAW, there is no grid. Grids are optional rules. In Xanathar's, we get two methods of adjudicating that are DRASTICALLY different for lines. The Token method allows us to launch lines in only orthogonally or diagonally. You get 8 choices for how to drop a lightning bolt, and can start it from any of the 8 squares around you (although 8 of those options will include you). The Template method, on the other hand, allows you to do a lot more. You take a 1 inch by 20 inch template and place it adjacent to your square. Any square under the template, regardless of how little touches it, is impacted. This is interesting in that the origin square (occupied by the caster) can easily end up being partially covered by a tilted template if they are not careful, although there is usually a way to avoid this if you are careful. If you use this method, you can get real sneaky with a lightning bolt. In my games, I rule a little differently. I use the template method, but a square is only included if the [I]center[/I] of the square is touched by the template. This would allow you to run a line directly between two squares and get both, but if you tilt it at all, it only gets 1of each side (with the ability to get one set of 2 squares down the path if you think about it. I consider this to be the best way to adjudicate all of this stuff - template method, with the center being covered to include a square. [/QUOTE]
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