Spells Centered on You

[Diirk]

And once it's cast, can the caster choose again, if he moves, or turns around, or changes size? If so, how often, and when?

No.

 

[Moon-Lancer]

I find a lopsided spell thats supposed be "centered" with respect to the creature wrong in every way shape and form. Must be all those dzn classes and mechanical drawling classes were if the artwork wasen't mounted in the center, the teacher woulden't grade it or they would ridicule you.

all my sensibilities are kicking in screaming NOOOO!!!!

It keeps the rules uncluttered. We only need the one rule - the point of origin of an area is always a grid intersection.
-Hyp.

I respectfully disagree that a spell that is centered is still lopsided, or that it makes the rules uncluttered. Us gamers would screem blood and guts if video games lopsided all the pretty spells and we had to pick how they were off centered. I scream blood and guts when i see it on a grid.

When tactically choosing what side a centered spell resides on, I think something has gone wrong somewhere in the game dzn.

yes I realize the fallacy in this argument... but eh?

 

[Hypersmurf]

I find a lopsided spell thats supposed be "centered" with respect to the creature wrong in every way shape and form. Must be all those dzn classes and mechanical drawling classes were if the artwork wasen't mounted in the center, the teacher woulden't grade it or they would ridicule you.

Did your dzn and mechanical drawling classes have a rule that the point of origin of artwork is always a grid intersection?

all my sensibilities are kicking in screaming NOOOO!!!!

So play Large creatures, and all your problems go away - you've got a grid intersection that's also the centre of your space.

-Hyp.

 

[Moon-Lancer]

Did your dzn and mechanical drawling classes have a rule that the point of origin of artwork is always a grid intersection?

-Hyp.

thats possibly a red haring unless the figures (characters) also center at a grid intersection, where med creatures do not. You use point of origins or vanishing points to make sure all corners of a square equal 360 degrees and balance with each other. In the case of circles (the figure), its radius is always in the center of the grid.

The gird intersection defines the location of the figure, but this is not how it works in d&d. In d&d the grid serves a different purpose, mostly to create a railing for the figures to move along. That creates a conflict between the rules how characters work and spells work, and thus makes lopsided spells that are supposed to be centered on the figure.

 

[Hypersmurf]

The gird intersection defines the location the figure, but this is not how it works in d&d.

Exactly. The rules for mechanical drawling are irrelevant to adjudicating the rules of D&D.

-Hyp.

 

[Moon-Lancer]

I believe it was you that brought up vanishing points. I was merely commenting that the spell works better as a border, as if it were mounted artwork. That center should mean center, not off center, as their is a big difference between the two. When a spell says "centered on the caster" it should mean it.

A video game wouldn't off center the spell and would most likely have the spells effect radiate from the creature. This is because the effect itself should be seen as coming from the creature, not a point in space offset from the creature.

 

[frankthedm]

I believe it was you that brought up vanishing points. I was merely commenting that the spell works better as a border, as if it were mounted artwork. That center should mean center, not off center, as their is a big difference between the two. When a spell says "centered on the caster" it should mean it.

Centering a radius on the caster would create 1/2 affected square on the combat grid system.

All radii, good or bad, operate the same way, if being half in the defensive radius benefits you, being in the offensive radius roasts you.

 

[Moon-Lancer]

well that really doesen't address my concerns. btw What large creature has a LA of zero that players could use?

 

[frankthedm]

btw What large creature has a LA of zero that players could use?

None that I know of. Being large is a huge benefit for those who can make use of it. The only way to balance a no HD LA+0 is to make it large [long] {thus no reach] and a str penalty to balance out the larger weapon dice size.

 

[FireLance]

well that really doesen't address my concerns. btw What large creature has a LA of zero that players could use?

A Medium humanoid with enlarge person cast on him.