D&D 5E (2024) Web: Power Overwhelming

[Rabulias]

Isn't 20 feet cube = 16 x 5 feet cubes in 2D and/or 64 x 5 feet cubes in 3D? (4 x 4 x 4 for 20 feet on each side and as much high)

D'oh! Yes, you are correct! Not sure where my brainfart came from there...

 

[Incenjucar]

This is one of those interpretation errors that are a cliche in D&D.

Any scenario in which a multi-square effect appears to have cumulative damage per square is all but guaranteed to be in error. That is not how D&D design has worked these last decades, it won't suddenly be true for one niche scenario without being called out explicitly because it would be so unique.

 

[James Gasik]

The thing is, it would be so easy to write the spell in a manner that makes it very clear that you're not supposed to take damage per burning cube. In fact, it's so easy they already did it before!

From the 3.5 SRD:

"The strands of a web spell are flammable. A magic flaming sword can slash them away as easily as a hand brushes away cobwebs. Any fire can set the webs alight and burn away 5 square feet in 1 round. All creatures within flaming webs take 2d4 points of fire damage from the flames."

 

[pemerton]

The thing is, it would be so easy to write the spell in a manner that makes it very clear that you're not supposed to take damage per burning cube. In fact, it's so easy they already did it before!

From the 3.5 SRD:

"The strands of a web spell are flammable. A magic flaming sword can slash them away as easily as a hand brushes away cobwebs. Any fire can set the webs alight and burn away 5 square feet in 1 round. All creatures within flaming webs take 2d4 points of fire damage from the flames."

But the new wording makes clear that you can start a fire just by exposing any cube to flame. Whereas the 3.5 wording requires that to be extrapolated as an implication of what is said.