Would a size Huge creature be affected by a fire shield?

[GenghisDon]

Having a DM instead of a mindless computer that can't judge anything other than RAW is the advantage of playing pen & paper RPG's. So again NO to the greatsword wielding Stormgiant, yes to anything clawing, biting, ect. It is unclear because it requires a ruling, hopefully common sense prevails in your games as much as possible. Rules Lawyers need to remember rule 0 is supreme.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Thank you for insulting me and others who have sided with the RAW....

I happen to think that yes, a giant without a reach weapon SHOULD suffer fire shield damage. I don't care how "realistic" it is, it's a MAGIC spell! And a clever choice by the PC caster to neutralize the giant. Of course, I'm pretty sure most Giants have this thing called Rock Throwing to fall back on... A Storm Giant specifically gets Chain Lightning an Call Lightning each 1/day. And Levitate. So, if he really was out of melee options, he could always hover up into the air and pelt the party with lightning damage. And they come with composite longbows, too.

 

[irdeggman]

Having a DM instead of a mindless computer that can't judge anything other than RAW is the advantage of playing pen & paper RPG's. So again NO to the greatsword wielding Stormgiant, yes to anything clawing, biting, ect. It is unclear because it requires a ruling, hopefully common sense prevails in your games as much as possible. Rules Lawyers need to remember rule 0 is supreme.

Interesting choice of phraseology.

It is important to remember the context that people post answers.

This is a rules forum and so the answers revolve around RAW.

Rule 0 is basically the "house rules" option. Perfectly sound, but when asked a rules question in a rules forum people tend to look at the RAW and make replies based on that.

 

[frankthedm]

Having a DM instead of a mindless computer that can't judge anything other than RAW is the advantage of playing pen & paper RPG's. So again NO to the greatsword wielding Stormgiant, yes to anything clawing, biting, ect. It is unclear because it requires a ruling, hopefully common sense prevails in your games as much as possible.

I'll agree this is how i feel it should be run.

 

[NewJeffCT]

I'll agree this is how i feel it should be run.

I'm tempted so say that if the PC with the fire shield is in melee with the size Huge creature, the giant would suffer the fire shield damage on melee attacks with a weapon. But, if the PC is 10-15-20 feet away, the size Huge (or Gargantuan) creature would not suffer the fire shield damage.

And, of course, this would only apply if it was wielding a weapon. A natural weapon would be subjected to the fire shield no matter the distance.

 

[risner]

The spell descriptor says Creatures wielding weapons with exceptional reach are not subject to this damage if they attack you.

He takes damage unless he uses a Reach weapon (Longspear.)

 

[akbearfoot]

I'm tempted so say that if the PC with the fire shield is in melee with the size Huge creature, the giant would suffer the fire shield damage on melee attacks with a weapon. But, if the PC is 10-15-20 feet away, the size Huge (or Gargantuan) creature would not suffer the fire shield damage.

If the giant threatens the person with the fire shield, then both him and the PC ARE in melee. You are not required to be able to reach your opponent to be in melee with them. For instance, if you are stunned and do not threaten, you are still in melee. So ranged attacks still suffer -4 to hit in melee etc...

At least Im pretty sure thats how it works.

I agree the fire shield WOULD damage the giant. His weapon does not give him any extra reach. He doesn't really get to say 'I only attack with the very tip of my sword'. His sword may be 15 ft long but he's still bobbing and weaving and reaching his arms etc...his 3 attacks simply represent the abstract # of chances he gets to harm someone on his turn.

Regarding the comments about the Mass fire shield spell...It lasts rounds per level which means you have to spend an action in combat and your allies have to be close to one another. At the level you are talking about (13th right?) having 4 or 5 pcs in close proximity is a great way to get hit by an area effect spell. I think in a battle against a bunch of giants, a haste spell in the first round rather than this would yield just as much damage, and possibly save PCs from taking some of the melee damage at all. Damage spells are usually not that great of an option compared to battlefield control. Especially in a fight where the monsters can full attack PCs for 3/4 of their hitpoints in 1 round.

 

[frankthedm]

If the giant threatens the person with the fire shield, then both him and the PC ARE in melee. You are not required to be able to reach your opponent to be in melee with them. For instance, if you are stunned and do not threaten, you are still in melee. So ranged attacks still suffer -4 to hit in melee etc...

At least Im pretty sure thats how it works.

Amusingly, 10' or more away negates that -4 to hit...
Shooting or Throwing into a Melee

If you shoot or throw a ranged weapon at a target engaged in melee with a friendly character, you take a -4 penalty on your attack roll. Two characters are engaged in melee if they are enemies of each other and either threatens the other. (An unconscious or otherwise immobilized character is not considered engaged unless he is actually being attacked.)

If your target (or the part of your target you’re aiming at, if it’s a big target) is at least 10 feet away from the nearest friendly character, you can avoid the -4 penalty, even if the creature you’re aiming at is engaged in melee with a friendly character.

 

[NewJeffCT]

If the giant threatens the person with the fire shield, then both him and the PC ARE in melee. You are not required to be able to reach your opponent to be in melee with them. For instance, if you are stunned and do not threaten, you are still in melee. So ranged attacks still suffer -4 to hit in melee etc...

I had meant it as the PC being able to hit the giant in melee - meaning, the PC is within 5 feet of the giant. If the PC is 10 or 15 feet away, the PC cannot engage in a melee attack against the giant.

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

Having a DM instead of a mindless computer that can't judge anything other than RAW is the advantage of playing pen & paper RPG's. So again NO to the greatsword wielding Stormgiant, yes to anything clawing, biting, ect. It is unclear because it requires a ruling, hopefully common sense prevails in your games as much as possible. Rules Lawyers need to remember rule 0 is supreme.

Agreed.