Precision targeting of spells

[Psion]

Hey all,

Often, area effect spells seem like they could endanger allies, but there seems to be nothing preventing spellcasters from placing their area spells precisely where they want them.

How do you handle such things? Let them just place the spell where they want them? House rule in touch attack or spellcraft rolls? Rely on little things like the not-perfectly-square borders of the spell to cause virtually random effects? (oops, it looks like you slopped into the fighters square with that! Make a save!)

 

[Shallown]

Its magic and hits exactly where the caster wants it to taking into account his allies as he percieves them.

It makes it simple and direct. It isn't any more unrealistic than magic to begin with.

Also I don't make fighters accidently hit others in a fight thoughthis happens in the real world. You do accidently have freindly fire in a sword fight with multpile opponents/allies.

Realism in a game has to be balanced to make suspension of disbelief to be achieved but that balance is rather subjective.

later

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

I tend to let them fiddle around with the templates and place them as accurately as they want. I figure the characters are good at this, even if their player isn't...

In 3.0 I experimented with making the areas inaccurate. Result was a mage killing a fighter character, one that another player had had for about 9 months. Misplaced fireball + bad save. Ended up a very bad feeling over the table and a deeply PO'd couple of players. Another one for the Bad Ideas discard pile.

 

[FCWesel]

i usually call for a "spellcraft" check. if the player rolls pretty well, i give it to him, if he rolls a low number on the D20, i might have a spell slop over a bit, but not much. if a 1 comes out on the d20...that's usually an ouchie event.

i take into account visability, weather, mix of combatants, line of sight and a few other things. i don't have a worked out on paper DC list but i have a rough idea of the numbers when a pc rolls.

it works for us.

 

[Al]

Allow the player of the wizard to determines the centre of the fireball, and give him time to account for the area effect. Characters dying through area-effect accidents is no fun at all, and if it's because of some weird house rule on area effect targeting it can easily make them resentful.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

If they can decide the area within a reasonably short amount of time, I allow precision placement. What I don't allow is on the player's turn, sitting there counting out squares on the battlemat, calculating four different spell placements and deciding which one will be best. If they want to do that while awaiting their turn that's fine because 1) its not slowing down the action and 2) if a couple of PCs or foes move it may mess up the players calculation slightly simulating some of the chaos of a combat.

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

This is one where the players and DM have to come to sort of gentleman's agreement. So long as the players don't abuse it, let them place the spells where they want. If they start metagaming too much, taking advantage of quirks in the grid system, or (god forbid) actually direct other players' actions, then put your foot down.

Also, remember what's good for the goose is good for the gander.

 

[Psion]

Also I don't make fighters accidently hit others in a fight thoughthis happens in the real world. You do accidently have freindly fire in a sword fight with multpile opponents/allies.

Ah, but if you fire into melee without precise shot, you can hit allies or take a penalty...

 

[TracerBullet42]

i usually call for a "spellcraft" check. if the player rolls pretty well, i give it to him, if he rolls a low number on the D20, i might have a spell slop over a bit, but not much. if a 1 comes out on the d20...that's usually an ouchie event.

i take into account visability, weather, mix of combatants, line of sight and a few other things. i don't have a worked out on paper DC list but i have a rough idea of the numbers when a pc rolls.

it works for us.

Poor Dave...

 

[Jon Potter]

I always use Spellcraft checks if the spell's AoE is butts up against an ally's space. It works for our game. We've had friendly fire instances, but no character deaths as a result.