Some Spell Questions

[Kirowan]

I just finished reading the 3.5 PH. Overall, it's much better organized than the 3.0 PH. I've got some questions for the knowledgable EN crew however.

1. How many friends can you touch with a touch spell in a round. Page 175 says that you can touch as many willing targets as you can reach as part of the casting, but all targets of the spell must be touched in the same round that you finish casting the spell. On page 141 under holding the charge it says that you can touch one friend as a standard action and 6 friends as a full round action. So, which is it?

2. This never came up before in my old group, but can you cast an area of effect spell with a smaller area? For example, can I cast a fireball with a 10ft radius spread instead of 20ft? I would rule no as it isn't marked as shapable, but I just want to make sure.

3. I don't understand how line spell with an area designation of line work now. For example, lightning bolt has a range of 120ft and an area of 120ft line. Does that mean that this spells range and area are bascially the same? Or does it mean that a lightning bolt has to go out to 120ft?

I also don't understand what the diagram on page 176 represents. Why is there a target intersection behind the first orc? I thought a line-shaped spell starts from a corner of your square and goes out until it's range.

Thanks for any help in advance,

Nick

 

[sithramir]

I just finished reading the 3.5 PH. Overall, it's much better organized than the 3.0 PH. I've got some questions for the knowledgable EN crew however.

1. How many friends can you touch with a touch spell in a round. Page 175 says that you can touch as many willing targets as you can reach as part of the casting, but all targets of the spell must be touched in the same round that you finish casting the spell. On page 141 under holding the charge it says that you can touch one friend as a standard action and 6 friends as a full round action. So, which is it?

2. This never came up before in my old group, but can you cast an area of effect spell with a smaller area? For example, can I cast a fireball with a 10ft radius spread instead of 20ft? I would rule no as it isn't marked as shapable, but I just want to make sure.

3. I don't understand how line spell with an area designation of line work now. For example, lightning bolt has a range of 120ft and an area of 120ft line. Does that mean that this spells range and area are bascially the same? Or does it mean that a lightning bolt has to go out to 120ft?

I also don't understand what the diagram on page 176 represents. Why is there a target intersection behind the first orc? I thought a line-shaped spell starts from a corner of your square and goes out until it's range.

Thanks for any help in advance,

Nick

1) You can touch 6 like it says in second part. I think the first part just is trying to say you can't go around touching people 40' away if you can't reach them, etc.

2) No. Thats how they are weaker. You can't just fireball in every room and not hit people you want. Theres a feat called shape spell or what not that would allow this.

3) Its an area of "line" which means its 120' by 1 foot area. So yes it would shoot down in one direction a distance of 120'.

I don't understand what your last question really is. It did go from the casters corner and the target interesection is used as a base point for Mialee's aim. It ends behind the orc because thats the end of its range. Its just showing how you can aim something and what happens and what squares would be hit.

Hope this helps.

 

[Kirowan]

That does help sithramir. About my last question, why is there a target intersection, why can't she just target the orc?

Also, I don't understand why there is a distinction between spread and burst spells. I mean, they each fill a particular area right?

Sorry for all the questions, I'm getting ready to DM 3rd Edition for the first time.

Nick

 

[sithramir]

That does help sithramir. About my last question, why is there a target intersection, why can't she just target the orc?

Also, I don't understand why there is a distinction between spread and burst spells. I mean, they each fill a particular area right?

Sorry for all the questions, I'm getting ready to DM 3rd Edition for the first time.

Nick

She could just target the orc. Notice how if she targeted only one of them it would only hit that one and not the other because it would move the line left or right. This is showing how she can hit 2 orcs with a line. And in 3.5 they always go from 1 corner to another when aiming. For example to see if someone has cover. You go from your corner to a corner on theirs and if anything blocks then they have cover (+4 ac).

Spread spells can turn corners. Burst spells can't. That the main difference. In a hallway you shoot a fireball right before a turn in the corner. It would still do a 20' radius(including around the corner). Burst spells would not do that and would be "blocked by the wall" persay.

 

[Kirowan]

Okay, I understand you on all accounts.

Thanks for the help friend. On to the DMG.

Nick