Wall of Fire Horizontally?

[LordBudabi]

What do you think of Wall of Fire being cast Horizontally? In my case it was used by my players to damage anyone running down an alley, and damage them more if they tried to fly away. They had it run along the top of one wall and shoot over to the top of another sending heat towards the street. Basically it turned the alley into an oven.

The spell description:

Level: Drd 5, Fire 4, Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S, M/DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Effect: Opaque sheet of flame up to 20 ft. long/level or a ring of fire
with a radius of up to 5 ft. per two levels; either form 20 ft.
high
Duration: Concentration + 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes

An immobile, blazing curtain of shimmering violet fire springs into existence. One side of the wall, selected by you, sends forth waves of heat, dealing 2d4 points of fire damage to creatures within 10 feet and 1d4 points of fire damage to those past 10 feet but within 20 feet. The wall deals this damage when it appears and on your turn each round to all creatures in the area. In addition, the wall deals 2d6 points of fire damage +1 point of fire damage per caster level (maximum +20) to any creature passing through it. The wall deals double damage to undead creatures.

If you evoke the wall so that it appears where creatures are, each creature takes damage as if passing through the wall. If any 5-foot length of wall takes 20 points of cold damage or more in 1 round, that length goes out. (Do not divide cold damage by 4, as normal for objects.)


Its an evocation spell which by the rules (at least how I read them) don't have to touch a surface. And while it is implied that the flames would only rise upward, that isn't stated either. It is only suggested with the phrase "blazing curtain", and common sense about how fire moves, but nothing explicit.
I ruled it was creative and should work, any thoughts?

 

[Dross]

While "wall" and "curtain" imply vertical, there isn't anything in the description saying it cannot be horizontal (and it could rest on the wall tops if required I guess).

A glance through the other wall spells indicate that they are all created vertically (again by no means a stated requirement) except the Wall of Ice "dome".

I'd say DM's call and maybe allowable by "Rule of Cool" although you would have to consider the other wall spells on a case by case basis.

I'd also monitor the use and if it gets out of hand you may have to reverse your ruling.

 

[Ranes]

'Wall' does indeed imply vertical. That's what the word means: 'a continuous vertical structure'. Throw out the meaning if you want but I think that's a dangerous precedent.

As far as the spell rules go, the effect section specifically states it is 20ft high, not 20ft across.

The spell description for Wall of Stone specifically states that 'unlike a wall of iron' it can be created in 'almost any shape you desire' and would, therefore, have benefited in my view from being named something else. However, this exceptional case does lend support to the idea that when the writers named spells 'wall', they generally meant 'wall'.

I think you allowed a far too liberal interpretation of the rules of the spell.

 

[Empirate]

I'm with Dross on this one: while the spell name and description might imply that it's vertical only, rule of cool suggests you let it fly - literally!

However, be careful with horizontal walls that are very close to the ground, as they effectively make a huge swath of terrain impassable. You probably did the right thing in this situation - but what if the PCs had wanted the wall to appear at a height of only 1 meter? Then they could have blocked a 20' wide road (which is most of them), for a length of 20'/CL! Might want to talk that over with your group.

 

[Greenfield]

Looking at the spell description, one phrase stands out, and shoots the idea down.

"Either form 20 ft. high".

That tells the tale, IMHO.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Personally I take the common sense approach that says 'no, it is a wall of fire, not a carpet of fire for a reason'. Allowing it to be cast horizontally gives a vast area of effect damage spell which can't be avoided. Do you think that was the intention of the spell? I sure don't!

Nobody would ever bother to cast it vertically again in your campaign...

Cheers

 

[steeldragons]

I with the OP and see no problem with his call.

Points to the character/player for creative use of spell.

In campaigns I've run or been in, Walls of Stone or Ice or Iron have been used to form bridges or ramps or flooring where necessary (even Walls of Force work for this in a pinch).

I have seen these same spells played (as well as heard of games I was not actually in) as cast horizontally over and dropped onto particularly large (or large groups) of foes. SSSPLAT!

I've seen Wall of Fog cast horizontally (or other various angles) to obscure an enemy's vision or provide cover from above or below.

I see no reason whatsoever to deny the adept and creative caster the chance to cast a Wall of Fire horizontally.

Good call LordBudabi.

--Steel Dragons

 

[Alexander123]

I thought the title of this thread said Wall of Homosexuality. (I suppose a smiley belongs somewhere here but I'm not sure which one to put, I'll just go with the standard one then.)

 

[Greenfield]

I with the OP and see no problem with his call.

Points to the character/player for creative use of spell.

In campaigns I've run or been in, Walls of Stone or Ice or Iron have been used to form bridges or ramps or flooring where necessary (even Walls of Force work for this in a pinch).

I have seen these same spells played (as well as heard of games I was not actually in) as cast horizontally over and dropped onto particularly large (or large groups) of foes. SSSPLAT!

I've seen Wall of Fog cast horizontally (or other various angles) to obscure an enemy's vision or provide cover from above or below.

I see no reason whatsoever to deny the adept and creative caster the chance to cast a Wall of Fire horizontally.

Good call LordBudabi.

--Steel Dragons

For several of those spells, the rules actually state that the spell creates a vertical wall. Wall of Force and Wall of Iron say it explicitly, Wall of Fire lists a fixed height for the wall.

The caster can form the wall into a flat, vertical plane whose area is...

The plane can be oriented in
any fashion as long as it is anchored.

You cause a flat, vertical iron wall to spring into being.

So while some say you can do it, others say specifically that you can't. You are free, of course, to ignore the rules in your own game, but please don't say that you "see no reason" not to allow it. The written rules should be reason enough.

 

[steeldragons]

So while some say you can do it, others say specifically that you can't. You are free, of course, to ignore the rules in your own game, but please don't say that you "see no reason" not to allow it. The written rules should be reason enough.

Appreciate the bait. But think I'll pass.

That'd be my cue to hightail it back to perusing General Discussion.

Again, good call Budabi.

--SD