Web and Diamtrically Opposed

[pbd]

The other night we ran into a problem witht he web spell. At the time we were reading "diametrially opposed" as meaning opposite and parrallel, when by definition, it means "on the opposite sides of a circle". (I haven't had geometry in about 20 years, so I forgot)

Now the use of the previous definition led to a somewhat limited us of the spell. I was trying to cast it into a corner of a room, with the opposite walls as anchors and it was dissallowed.

How do most people adjudicate the Web spell. Would you allow it to be cast into a corner of a room anchoring on two walls with a 90 degree separation?

 

[Infiniti2000]

The other night we ran into a problem witht he web spell. At the time we were reading "diametrially opposed" as meaning opposite and parrallel, when by definition, it means "on the opposite sides of a circle". (I haven't had geometry in about 20 years, so I forgot)

Actually, that's not the complete definition. From dictionary.com (m-w is similar):

di·a·met·ri·cal ( P ) Pronunciation Key (d-mtr-kl) also di·a·met·ric (-rk)
adj.
1. Of, relating to, or along a diameter.
2. Exactly opposite; contrary.

A diameter need not be a circle.

Now the use of the previous definition led to a somewhat limited us of the spell. I was trying to cast it into a corner of a room, with the opposite walls as anchors and it was dissallowed.

How do most people adjudicate the Web spell. Would you allow it to be cast into a corner of a room anchoring on two walls with a 90 degree separation?

Strictly, I would say no. The corner can in no way be considered diametrically opposed walls. But, we've all seen spider webs in the upper corners of buildings, and I don't think allowing such a use is broken, so I think it works okay as a houserule.

 

[Someone]

the spell seems to be designed rather myopically with only rooms and corridors in mind. Most people I know allow it to anchor on sufficiently solid things: corners, walls, big trees, colums, or big statues.

 

[Ciaran]

I'd allow it to anchor to anything, as long as it only occupied the space between anchor points. So it could anchor to the two walls in a corner, but only the corner itself would be filled by webs; the webbing wouldn't spill out into the rest of the room.

And don't forget that you can anchor your webs to the ceiling and floor!

 

[Zaruthustran]

I agree with Infiniti2000. I'd allow it in a corner, or anywhere other area/shape where I've seen a web in real life (between two pillars, stretching along a doorframe, etc.). But in those unusual cases I'd limit the spread and effect to only where the webs actually could be.

 

[TheGogmagog]

I believe as it is worded, cast in a 5' wide by 50' long hallway it would create a 5' diameter circle. That's using the geometry definition of diametric. I suspect the designers intended for it to be able to fill up to a 40' (is that the diameter?) wide room, or 40' of a 5' wide hallway.

Even that, doesn't make much sense to me. Personally, I disregard the environmental requirements and allow it to be cast in a 20' radius on the ground creating the same effects. Imagine those webs you see in your yard in the morning or fly paper. I don't think it breaks the spell.

I'm curious how other people adjudicate it cast in a 15' wide room/hall. Is it 15' 3 squares wide in the middle and then 2 squares wide along the walls? Do they square the area of effect to 15x15 disregarding the radius in the spell block and definition of diametric? Do they square it to 15' x 40'?

If you allow it to be cast in the corner of a 40' room, what's the area covered? similar to a cone starting in the corner going out 20'? Going out 40'? A right angle triangle with 20' sides, with 40' sides?