Square of Origin of a Close Blast

[dcyale]

I was thinking about this. The part no one has quoted yet is: "Blast: A blast fills an area adjacent to you that is a specified number of squares on a side."

In the diagram to the left the blast is adjacent to the spider, in the example to the right it includes the spider, which means it's not adjacent. The example to the right is great for the spider if it's immune to whatever the blast is. but I don't think the rules allow it. When read in it's entirety I believe the example on the left is correct and the right not allowed.

 

[Oompa]

The diagram on left is right and on the right is wrong..

 

[James McMurray]

Just to be sure I also double checked the definition of adjacent squares in D&D ("Adjacent Squares", Player's Handbook, page 273): "Two creatures or objects are adjacent if one of them occupies a square adjacent to a square occupied by the other." So even in the case of a medium creatures the blast area is adjacent to the space of the creature, since the blast occupies the same square of origin (i.e. the creature) and it is adjacent to it by geometry. What do you think about this?

Given that Pythagoras doesn't exist in D&D, I'd assume that when they say "adjacent" they're referring to the common English definition.

ad·ja·cent
1. lying near, close, or contiguous; adjoining; neighboring: a motel adjacent to the highway.
2. just before, after, or facing: a map on an adjacent page.

If the area includes your space, it is no longer adjacent, it's overlapping.

 

[mhall67]

Given that Pythagoras doesn't exist in D&D, I'd assume that when they say "adjacent" they're referring to the common English definition.

ad·ja·cent
1. lying near, close, or contiguous; adjoining; neighboring: a motel adjacent to the highway.
2. just before, after, or facing: a map on an adjacent page.

If the area includes your space, it is no longer adjacent, it's overlapping.

This is the definition I assume is what the PH means by "adjacent" too. And I also think that blasts were not intended to overlap the users squares even if the user is larger than medium after re-reading all the relevant PH sources.

 

[Otterscrubber]

I was thinking about this. The part no one has quoted yet is: "Blast: A blast fills an area adjacent to you that is a specified number of squares on a side."

In the diagram to the left the blast is adjacent to the spider, in the example to the right it includes the spider, which means it's not adjacent. The example to the right is great for the spider if it's immune to whatever the blast is. but I don't think the rules allow it. When read in it's entirety I believe the example on the left is correct and the right not allowed.

That would also be my interpretation based on the many diagrams provided in the PHB

 

[Maudragon]

Given that Pythagoras doesn't exist in D&D, I'd assume that when they say "adjacent" they're referring to the common English definition.

ad·ja·cent
1. lying near, close, or contiguous; adjoining; neighboring: a motel adjacent to the highway.
2. just before, after, or facing: a map on an adjacent page.

If the area includes your space, it is no longer adjacent, it's overlapping.

I cannot understand why you can be adjacent on one side only, since those two squares (the origin and the blast) can be adjacent both within and without their areas, provided they have at least one side or one angle in common. Please, notice that the blast fills the area and thus it overlaps the squares of all the creatures within the area itself (see Zones). I would agree with the diagram explanation if the rules implied bordering only, but that is not the case.

Please, check the new diagram. Square A (origin) is adjacent within the blast (blue square). Square B (origin) is adjacent without the blast (blue square). Square C is neither within or without and thus it is not a blast.

Ciaoo

 

[James McMurray]

In standard English adjacent != overlapping. If something overlaps you, it is not adjancent. You're of course free to interpret it however your group likes best, but the intent seems obvious.

Have you emailed customer service?

 

[Maudragon]

In standard English adjacent != overlapping. If something overlaps you, it is not adjancent. You're of course free to interpret it however your group likes best, but the intent seems obvious.

Have you emailed customer service?

Hi James. Yes, customer service gave the same common interpretation I received in this forum (thanks eveybody so far), but was not able to solve the apparent contradictions in the wording of the rules. I will likely open the case again tomorrow.

 

[Kordeth]

The Player's Handbook states for the origin of a close blast: "A close blast uses a square within your space as its origin square." What about the cases I have attached in the chart below? Are those positions feasible? Are those attack still considered close blasts?​

No. In all this talk of where a blast can originate from, you've forgotten the definition of a blast's shape.

A blast fills an area adjacent to you that is a specified number of squares on a side. For example, the wizard power thunderwave is a blast 3, which means the power affects a 3-square-by-3-square area adjacent to you.

Neither of your example areas fills a square area, so they aren't valid blasts.​

 

[Maudragon]

Neither of your example areas fills a square area, so they aren't valid blasts.

They are both square areas. They look like polygons, but I stated that I drawn them like that to highlight the contradiction. Just imagine the blue area as a square and you are done.