Widen feat for "Mass/Greater" spells

[IanB]

I think that is likely an artifact of the 3E->3.5E changes they made to stop you from using enlarge to increase the size of area spells, and would be inclined to disregard it in my own game.

 

[moritheil]

I could have sworn that there was at least one spell that created a 5' wide area attack described as a line.

I think that is likely an artifact of the 3E->3.5E changes they made to stop you from using enlarge to increase the size of area spells, and would be inclined to disregard it in my own game.

So then, assuming consistency, you would allow Holy Word to be Sudden Widened?

 

[IanB]

I could have sworn that there was at least one spell that created a 5' wide area attack described as a line.



So then, assuming consistency, you would allow Holy Word to be Sudden Widened?

Yep.

 

[pawsplay]

Still, it doesn't seem to me to make sense to widen a Lightning Bolt, for example. Lightning Bolt has a range of 120 ft. and originates from the caster. Even if the Widen Spell feat doubles the length of the line, the spell still can't affect anything beyond its range, so this seems rather pointless, and in effect the bolt remains quite the same.

So it's 10' by 120', unless it it also Enlarged.

 

[frankthedm]

So it's 10' by 120', unless it it also Enlarged.

Thats not how lines work in 3.5. A line has no width to double and it already can affect a 10 wide area based on the PHB Example's text.

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicOverview/spellDescriptions.htm#area
A line-shaped spell shoots away from you in a line in the direction you designate. It starts from any corner of your square and extends to the limit of its range or until it strikes a barrier that blocks line of effect. A line-shaped spell affects all creatures in squares that the line passes through.

http://wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mi/20070315a Wotc has just put up an article on aiming lines... for the D&D Miniatures game. The article has bearing since the rule are somewhat close, but I will stress the article uses the "PHB example text"* definition of a line along with more stringent placement requirements.

PHB text: "A line-shaped spell affects all creatures in squares that the line passes through."
PHB Example's text: "All squares through which the line passes or touches are affected by the attack."

Line placement is also being discussed here http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=188877