Placing a Wall of Fire

[Pyrex]

No, a line has to pass through a square to affect it.

I'll post supporting info once I find it, but I don't believe that to be the case.

I'm fairly certain that the current ruling is that if a line traverses the edge of a square it is considered to pass through that square and thus affects that square. Thus a Lightning Bolt can affect a 10'x10'x120' area if fired down a gridline.

The other interpretation would be that a Lightning Bolt fired down a gridline affects no squares, which doesn't seem to make a lot of sense to me.

 

[Pyrex]

While I expect debate on the validity / "RAW-ness" of the source, here's what Skip has to say about Area: Line spells in one of his Rules of the Game articles.

...So, if you send a line straight down a gridline, it will affect the squares to either side of the line...

 

[Nail]

IIRC, there are diagrams in the back of the PH that show that, Pyrex.

 

[Nail]

PH, p. 176, Line Attacks

 

[Nail]

"All squares through which the line passes or touches are affected by the attack."

 

[Pyrex]

IIRC, there are diagrams in the back of the PH that show that, Pyrex.

I thought there might be, but said diagrams are not included in the SRD and I don't have my books handy. *shrug*

 

[Nail]

The SRD should have diagrams.

 

[frankthedm]

"All squares through which the line passes or touches are affected by the attack."

Odd...

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicOverview/spellDescriptions.htm#area
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.

Thankfully skip concedes thatthe rules have issues in this department

Line: A line's point of origin is one corner of the caster's space. (If the caster's space fills more than one square, you can use the optional rule suggested for cones to select the point of origin.) The line extends from the point of origin in any direction the caster chooses and reaches as far as the spell's range (or until its line of effect is blocked). The rules regarding lines are somewhat muddled; however, a line affects anything in a square that the line passes though or touches. So, if you send a line straight down a gridline, it will affect the squares to either side of the line. Some people like to limit a line's effects to a width of 5 feet. If so, the caster chooses which side of the line gets affected when a line passes between two squares. (Choose a side when you aim the spell, and once you choose, you have to stick with that side.)

 

[Nail]

Indeed.

Do you have your PH handy? I admit I couldn't find that text in the SRD.....maybe it's there too?

 

[frankthedm]

Actually the PHB text says... "A line-shaped spell affects all creatures in squares that the line passes through."

Nail, you quoted the example diagram's text.