D&D 5E Wall of Force Reality Check (as used by DM not players)

[UnknownDyson]

Are people forgetting that the wall of force is invisible? And also, this is the definition of total cover. A target with total cover can't be targeted directly by an attack or a spell, although some spells can reach such a target by including it in an area of effect. A target has total cover if it is completely concealed by an obstacle.

Create Bonfire, a cantrip that you can acquire at level 1 allows you to attack targets inside a wall of force.

 

[jaelis]

Are people forgetting that the wall of force is invisible? And also, this is the definition of total cover. A target with total cover can't be targeted directly by an attack or a spell, although some spells can reach such a target by including it in an area of effect. A target has total cover if it is completely concealed by an obstacle.

Create Bonfire, a cantrip that you can acquire at level 1 allows you to attack targets inside a wall of force.

I don't think so. Create Bonfire targets a point of origin for an area of effect. You need a clear path to that target.

 

[UnknownDyson]

Create Bonfire

Conjuration cantrip

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You create a bonfire on ground that you can see within range. Until the spells ends, the bonfire fills a 5-foot radius. Any creature in the bonfire’s space when you cast the spell must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 1d8 fire damage. A creature must also make the saving throw when it enters the bonfire’s space for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there.


You aren't physically starting the fire and it isn't a projectile. It has a range of 60 feet which you can use on any area within your line of sight. Why would you need a clear path?

 

[jaelis]

You aren't physically starting the fire and it isn't a projectile. It has a range of 60 feet which you can use on any area within your line of sight. Why would you need a clear path?

Because it has an area of effect, and the spell casting rules say

A typical spell requires you to pick one or more targets to be affected by the spell’s magic. A spell’s description tells you whether the spell targets creatures, objects, or a point of origin for an area of effect.
...
To target something, you must have a clear path to it, so it can’t be behind total cover.

 

[Uller]

There really isn't much point arguing this. Either you agree that the WoF spell provides cover or you don't. That MM and JC took opposite views should tell you something.

Can't target something that has total cover is a simple concise easy to adjudicate rule. It makes the spell really strong yet really limited at the same time (because it affects thr casters spells too...all of them).

The other reading requires an ad hoc ruling on each spell. It isn't that complicated to make such a rulling. Makes the spell more powerful IMO. A wellprepardd caster can pick a bunch of spells that work through the wall and then negate many spells that don't. Puts it on par with globe of invulnerability wit more utility.

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[Oofta]

Are people forgetting that the wall of force is invisible? And also, this is the definition of total cover. A target with total cover can't be targeted directly by an attack or a spell, although some spells can reach such a target by including it in an area of effect. A target has total cover if it is completely concealed by an obstacle.

Create Bonfire, a cantrip that you can acquire at level 1 allows you to attack targets inside a wall of force.

I'm not going to repeat my previous post, but the rules are clear. All spells that have a Range follow the same rules. If you can hit someone with a scorching ray, you can cast a bonfire in their square.

If you can't hit them with scorching ray (barring distance issues) you can't cast a different spell with a Range that affects them.

As far a Mearls vs Crawford, Crawford is the rules guy and Mearls are not considered "official" in any way.

 

[MNblockhead]

It can't use the same lair action two rounds in a row.

Right, I should be more careful in my working. But practically, that is not much of a limitation. WoF can last 10 minutes. But it could be important. If the party somehow makes it to the EB's chamber undetected and it doesn't throw up the WoF until the first round of combat (giving the party one round of easy hits) and a party member uses disintegrate the next round, it'll have to wait another round to cast.

More likely, however, the EB is going to know of the party's presence long before they arrive at its chamber and will already have WoF up. If disintegrate is cast, it'll just throw it up again on initiative count 20, requiring another disintegrate to be cast, assuming the party has sufficient spell slots.

 

[Caliban]

It would be an interesting (and probably highly abusable) house rule to allow purely radiant damage attacks to bypass a wall of force. (Going on the theory that the wall is transparent and radiant damage is equivalent to light/laser attacks.) Completely unsupported in the rules, but sounds reasonable if you don't think about it too hard.

 

[MNblockhead]

Really don't like the how non-concealing cover can prevent you from targeting something with a spell. Cover may prevent the spells effects from reaching you, depending on the spell type and type of cover, but I should still be able to target. I find JC's ruling very unsatisfying.

But it does seem like that is what I would need to go with if I'm to stick with the official rules and interpretations.

Interesting that teleportation and misty step would work because the caster is the target of the spell.

So, what about psionic powers? Would WoF block them? In Volo's it states that the EB protects itself in a glass-like enclosure that black all attacks except psionic.

In hindsight, I should have just made it some special Mind Flayer material with HPs and a damage threshold. But to have that AND the ability to throw up a WoF as a lair action...wow. Quite the challenge, but perhaps appropriate for an ancient, incredibly intelligent, but naturally vulnerable and therefore paranoid being.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

I'm not going to repeat my previous post, but the rules are clear. All spells that have a Range follow the same rules. If you can hit someone with a scorching ray, you can cast a bonfire in their square.

If you can't hit them with scorching ray (barring distance issues) you can't cast a different spell with a Range that affects them.

Except for, say, Clairvoyance, which despite having a range of 1 mile also explicitly says that you can cast it "behind a door".