Warlock’s Summon Swarm Range

[Zathraas]

Warlock’s Summon Swarm Range

A warlock’s Summon Swarm invocation uses the range of the spell, 25’ + 5’ per level, so a 3rd level warlock can summon his swarm up to 35 feet away. The swarms take up four 5’ squares that are shapeable, so the warlock can choose to have them take up a line 5’ x 20’. Can he summon a swarm anchoring its end at the 35’ mark but with the rest of the swarm’s area being out another 15’, essentially gaining 3 extra squares of range?

SRD on Swarms “Unlike other creatures with a 10-foot space, a swarm is shapeable. It can occupy any four contiguous square “

 

[MarkB]

No. A spell cannot have any effect outside its maximum range (for instance, a Fireball cast at exactly maximum range will take the form of a hemisphere constrained by that range limit).

 

[Zathraas]

MarkB - Is that concept described in writing in any of the rulebooks?

 

[MarkB]

MarkB - Is that concept described in writing in any of the rulebooks?

Yes, in the Magic chapter of the PHB, and also in the d20 SRD:

Range

A spell’s range indicates how far from you it can reach, as defined in the Range entry of the spell description. A spell’s range is the maximum distance from you that the spell’s effect can occur, as well as the maximum distance at which you can designate the spell’s point of origin. If any portion of the spell’s area would extend beyond this range, that area is wasted.​

In the case of Summon Swarm spell, as with most summoning spells, the swarm does not have to remain within the spell's range once summoned, but it must appear there.

 

[Zathraas]

Thanks for the rule quote. Always easier when there is an existing rule.