Question about burst

[scottchiefbaker]

If I have a spell that's close blast 1 how does that work around corners and up over a ledge?

#1) If the wizard is green does a close blast 1 hit the yellow or red guy? The blue guy obviously, but I'm not sure about the other two.

#2) If the wizard is orange and he is adjacent to an enemy (purple) who is on a ledge 5 feet above him and does a close blast 1 does it hit purple?

#3) Are blast/burst attacks 3D? If there is a monster above me (floating), or through a metal grating below me will it get hit?

 

[Raunalyn]

#1: I'd say no. While the effect of most powers that use bursts do not specifically call for LOS to affect those in the burst, I would have to rule that the wall between Green, Red and Yellow would block the effect of the blast.

#2: Close blast one, which is 5 foot (1 square) in any direction from the origin square. Since he's on the ledge, he is more than 1 square from the origin.

#3: Yes, as long as they are in the blast AOE.

My take on it, anyway.

 

[Tale]

1) Cover rules and line of effect are what I'd consider, with appropriate modifiers. Since I don't have those memorized, I can't tell you the specifics.

2) He's in range, but I'd again check on cover rules. He is one square away at an upward diagonal.

3) Yes.

 

[Saagael]

1) For the sake of bursts and blasts, cover is determined by the origin square. For a close burst (as you describe in this scenario) that is centered on the green dot, the red dot does not have any cover, while the yellow dot does have cover. The north-east corner of the wizard's square has direct line of effect to all four corners of the red dot's square. The south-west corner of the wizard's square has line of effect to two of the four corners of the yellow dot's square, giving it cover.*

2) I don't think it's stated anywhere what the vertical height of squares are, but lets assume its 5 feet for continuity's sake. With that, the corners of the lower person's square has line of effect to the two corners of the higher person's square that are along the ledge, giving him cover against any burst.

3) I would rule as such, yes.



* This is how I rule cover. Other DMs might say that you cannot trace lines of effect along the edges of walls, but it's how I've interpreted the rules and its not caused any problems.

 

[kerbarian]

1) The close burst 1 hits blue and red, but not yellow. Neither blue nor red has cover.

#2 depends on #3, but if you assume that D&D uses a 3D grid of cubes instead of a purely 2D map (never explicitly stated, but how else can you have elevation and flight?), then the answers are:

2) Yes, this is the same as the first wizard hitting red -- adjacent but around a (vertical) corner.

3) Yes, bursts and blasts extend up and down as well as to the sides.

The relevant rules are from PHB p.272-273, 280:

Counting Distance: When counting the distance from one square to another, start counting from any adjacent square (even one that is diagonally adjacent but around a corner) and then count around solid obstacles that fill their squares. You must choose the most direct path to a target when counting squares for range or when determining the extent of an area of effect.

Adjacent Squares: Two squares are adjacent if a side or a corner of one touches a side or a corner of the other. Two creatures or objects are adjacent if one of them occupies a square adjacent to a square occupied by the other.

Burst: A burst starts in an origin square and extends in all directions to a specified number of squares from the origin square.

Determining Cover: To determine if a target has cover, choose a corner of a square you occupy (or a corner of your attack’s origin square) and trace imaginary lines from that corner to every corner of any one square the target occupies. If one or two of those lines are blocked by an obstacle or an enemy, the target has cover. (A line isn’t blocked if it runs along the edge of an obstacle’s or an enemy’s square.) If three or four of those lines are blocked but you have line of effect, the target has superior cover.
​

So a close burst 1 counts one square from the origin square, starting with any squares that are adjacent, even around corners. Both red and purple are in squares adjacent to the origin square (squares are adjacent if a corner or edge touches), so they'd both be affected.

Red and blue also don't have cover, because you can measure cover from any corner of the origin square, and the wizard would just choose the corner shared with the target square.

 

[scottchiefbaker]

Reading the information on "Line of effect" on page 273 is very helpful. I think that makes the most sense.

 

[DracoSuave]

If I have a spell that's close blast 1 how does that work around corners and up over a ledge?

#1) If the wizard is green does a close blast 1 hit the yellow or red guy? The blue guy obviously, but I'm not sure about the other two.

Depends where your origin for the blast is. It could hit the yellow guy if you set its origin one square down and to the left.

But there's no way a close blast could hit all targets, even without walls in the way.

#2) If the wizard is orange and he is adjacent to an enemy (purple) who is on a ledge 5 feet above him and does a close blast 1 does it hit purple?

Yes.

#3) Are blast/burst attacks 3D? If there is a monster above me (floating), or through a metal grating below me will it get hit?

Yes, and metal gratings do not block LoE, so yes.

 

[Dredly]

in my game the red would take full damage, the yellow would take none.

 

[DracoSuave]

In my game, blasts aren't centered on the user, but fan out from a square adjacent to the user.

In my game, bursts are what do that.

 

[Tale]

His topic says burst, though his OP says blast. His example seems consistent with burst, too, so let's assume that.