Where do you center spell effects on your grid?

[green slime]

IMC, we target what the square, and count the spaces from there. So the diameter gets a little screwed (slightly larger than normal), but I detest the "choose a grid corner" rule. I would prefer to get rid of the grid altogether, and instead just use a ruler or measuring tape to determine distances, but I can't get the rest of the group to concur on this issue.

 

[Fauxargent]

We use a spellcraft check (DC15+spell level) in order to target a spell precisely such as a fireball that just misses the party.

 

[Ferox4]

We figure it shouldn't be easy to pinpoint the detonation of a Fireball, and to always make sure that allies are *just* outside the blast radius. Therefore, we handle it slightly like grenade-like weapons: We make players pick a square, then we roll to see which corner it centers on.

Ditto: d4, intersection, radius, saves, damage, next.

 

[DMScott]

I would prefer to get rid of the grid altogether, and instead just use a ruler or measuring tape to determine distances, but I can't get the rest of the group to concur on this issue.

My group uses a circular template. We center it on the target critter, and have it affect every mini with at least half a square's worth of base under the template.

I don't really worry that much about targeting the spell so it just misses the allies, any more than I worry about a raging barbarian stopping his great cleave before hitting an ally. Adventurers are supposed to be hypercompetent professionals, and it's more fun when the players have that oops moment through their own choices than when it's forced on their characters by dice.

 

[KarinsDad]

Adventurers are supposed to be hypercompetent professionals, and it's more fun when the players have that oops moment through their own choices than when it's forced on their characters by dice.

I think this says it best.

PCs will have enough oops moments in the game that we do not have to invent house rules to add more (like targeting area effect spells or creating fumble tables).

 

[Jeff Wilder]

Generally speaking, we target intersections (as the rules assume, but see below). If a player wants to target an enemy, he can make a ranged touch attack to do so (just like targetting a fireball through an arrow-slit), but -- to make area-of-effect calculation easier -- he loses a small bit of the diameter. (The target's square counts as the first five feet, which means the spellcaster loses five feet of diameter. Note that is you don't do this, the spellcaster essentially gains five feet of diameter.) We're fine with this; we just rationalize it by assuming the target absorbs a little of the energy, kinda like someone dropping on a grenade.

If the RTA misses, the spell continues in a straight line until it impacts something or hits the limit of its range.

Like some folks have mentioned, we don't like "pinpoint targeting," either, but our solution is a bit simpler than using the grenade-like weapon rules. The spellcaster just rolls a d20. On a 9 or higher, ground zero is exactly the intersection chosen. On a 1-8, ground zero is one square off in the indicated direction, where "1" is away from the caster, and counting clockwise. It's fast, and in many cases the roll isn't even necessary; we only use it when the caster is carefully including or excluding targets along the edges of the area of effect.