D&D 5E SPIRIT GUARDIANS range clarification

[Ancalagon]

The spell description is "They flit around you to a distance of 15 feet for the duration". So that's 15 feet from your space, not 2.5 feet inside your space and then another 12.5 feet. "You" are not a point-mass, you are a 5x5 square (assuming medium or small). It seems it's just like any other aura. Is the foe within 15 feet of me? Yes? Then they are in the effect. No? They are not within the effect.

if you take from the "point" inside of you, the sphere will have a diametre of 30 feet. If you take from the square as you suggest, the sphere would have a diameter of 35 feet... so are you sure about that? I can definitely see the logic in your proposal...

 

[Swarmkeeper]

The problem with this is deciding where the point of origin is within the square. Nothing says you are always in the middle of a square. I can see players whinning and saying that they are on "the edge" of the square or something like it. I interpret the rules as following. If you don't play with a grid, you are the point of origin. If you are playing with a grid, your square is the point of origin.

So rather than the player picking the point in the square, the DM says it is the whole square. Sure, that works - saves time for those effects centered on self and gives the spell a bit of extra reach. How about spells that are not centered on Self but on a point in range? Do you call a whole square a point for those spells?

 

[the Jester]

So rather than the player picking the point in the square, the DM says it is the whole square. Sure, that works - saves time for those effects centered on self and gives the spell a bit of extra reach. How about spells that are not centered on Self but on a point in range? Do you call a whole square a point for those spells?

If I were using a grid with everything locked to it- in other words, if for example a Medium pc couldn't be partially in multiple squares- I'd require the point to be at an intersection of grid lines, rather than in a square.

 

[Swarmkeeper]

The point of origin might be a point in space, but chapter 9 also specifies it may be a creature. If it's a creature, then it's going to be the whole creature and so that radius is going to be around their space on the grid.

Chapter 10 (pg 204): "A spell's description tells you whether the spell targets creatures, objects, or a point of origin for an area of effect". Sounds like the spellcasting chapter treats creatures, objects, and points of origin as different things.

I'm not seeing your Chapter 9 claim... can you... er... point it out to us?

 

[Bolares]

So rather than the player picking the point in the square, the DM says it is the whole square. Sure, that works - saves time for those effects centered on self and gives the spell a bit of extra reach. How about spells that are not centered on Self but on a point in range? Do you call a whole square a point for those spells?

when the spell doesn't target a creature or object that ocupies a space, normally you target a point between squares...

 

[billd91]

Chapter 10 (pg 204): "A spell's description tells you whether the spell targets creatures, objects, or a point of origin for an area of effect". Sounds like the spellcasting chapter treats creatures, objects, and points of origin as different things.

I'm not seeing your Chapter 9 claim... can you... er... point it out to us?

Miscounted my chapters. It is, in fact, chapter 10.

 

[Swarmkeeper]

Miscounted my chapters. It is, in fact, chapter 10.

Ok, what text?

 

[billd91]

Ok, what text?

Page 204.
”Typically, a point of origin is a point in space, but some spells have an area whose origin is a creature or an object.”

Spirit Guardians, with a range of self and description of spirits flitting around the caster to a distance of 15 feet, pretty strongly implies the point of origin is the caster, not a point in space.

 

[Swarmkeeper]

when the spell doesn't target a creature or object that ocupies a space, normally you target a point between squares...

So an AOE spell that targets a point in range and has a radius of 15' (say, darkness) really has a radius of 15'.
Meanwhile an AOE spell that targets self and has a radius of 15' (say, spirit guardians) really has a radius of 17.5'.

I guess the OCD part of me would be happier if they left "radius" out of the descriptions of self-targeted spells and simply indicated "within x feet of you".

 

[Bolares]

So an AOE spell that targets a point in range and has a radius of 15' (say, darkness) really has a radius of 15'.
Meanwhile an AOE spell that targets self and has a radius of 15' (say, spirit guardians) really has a radius of 17.5'.

I guess the OCD part of me would be happier if they left "radius" out of the descriptions of self-targeted spells and simply indicated "within x feet of you".

I know that looks bad. I get your point. But those things get really messy when using a grid, and it's really hard to go around it. I prefer to go with ease of play rather than breaking squares in to halves, and calculating .5 ft (I'm brazillian, and already have to convert feet to meters in the middle of the game.)