Range of Arcane Eye

[Ciaran]

While this seems obvious from context, I'd just like to have it verified here. How does the range on the Arcane Eye spell work? Does the range of "unlimited" mean that you can create the eye anywhere you want, or that it appears close to you and it can move an unlimited distance from you? I assume the latter, but the spell description doesn't say...

- Eric

 

[Hypersmurf]

PHB p148
A spell's range is the maximum distance from you that the spell's effect can occur, as well as the maximum distance at which you can designate the spell's point of origin.

PHB p150
Line of Effect: You must have a clear line of effect to the point of origin of any spell you cast.

So if you're standing in a 10'x10' room, you can conjure the Eye to a distance of about nine and a half feet, and then send it on its way through a mousehole to anywhere else on your current plane of existence.

If you're standing at the top of the highest mountain in the world, then you could conceivably conjure the Eye to appear at any point you could see.

-Hyp.

 

[Ciaran]

Thanks! Wow, I completely missed that Line of Effect business. And it's taken straight from Ars Magica, too. (Mr. Tweet knows how to recycle!) This also explains why spells like Clairvoyance and Scrying have a range of "See text" - the text has to specify that the spell can circumvent the Line of Effect restriction. Cool.

- Eric