Questions tagged [area-of-effect]
For questions which ask primarily about effects that affect a large zone or have multiple targets.
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What's the shape of the Control Weather spell? (if any)
We have this rule in the Player's Handbook, p. 204:
Spells such as burning hands and cone of cold cover an area, allowing
them to affect multiple creatures at once. A spell's description
specifies ...
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Do blasts go around corners?
It came up in the last game about Courageous Anthem1.
Player Core page 428 states that:
When you’re playing in encounter mode and using a grid, areas are measured in the same way as movement (page ...
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What does moving into a space mean for a Large or larger creature when it's still affected by an AoE via the squares "behind" it?
So one of the basic movement rules says that it costs a creature movement to move INTO a square and not to EXIT a square. Given this rule, difficult terrain is easy to deal with when it comes to ...
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Vrock spores question
Do the spores extend from the Vrock's central point to a total 15' radius or do the spores extend from the edge(s) of the Vrock to a 15' radius (meaning a total 40' circumference, i.e. 15' from the ...
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Would a creature finding itself in the AOE of Insect Plague when it is cast receive damage three times if it were to also end its turn there?
During our session, we ended up debating with our DM over the wording of Insect Plague. Insect Plague's damage occurs under three conditions. Once when the spell is cast, and creatures find themselves ...
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Thunderwave in constricted area
If Thunderwave is cast in a dungeon, say in a five by ten corridor, would the volume of effect be extended down the corridor? That is, a fifteen-foot cube consists of 27 five-foot cubes, so the effect ...
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Creature's size and area of effect [duplicate]
Let's suppose that an effect (like a spell effect) occurs in a 30 ft. radius centered around a certain point. If a Gargantuan creature is only partially inside this region, is it always affected by ...
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How does 'Enlarge Spell' affect Area of Effect?
I would like to understand the impact of the feat Enlarge Spell on spells such as:
Laogzed's Breath
Level: Clr 3, Sor/Wiz 3
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Area: Cone
Duration: Instantaneous
...
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In gridded combat, how many squares/cubes above ground can the caster of Earth Tremor be in order to affect the ground?
Our campaign uses the optional Using Miniatures rules (Dungeon Master's Guide Ch. 8) and the variant Playing on a Grid rules (Player's Handbook Ch. 9). If a spellcaster is not on the ground (due to ...
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Does being lifted 10 feet into the air and then dropped count as "moving into or within the area" of Spike Growth?
Let's say that an enemy creature is standing in the center of the area of effect of the Spike Growth spell, which states:
The ground in a 20-foot radius centered on a point within range twists and ...
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How does the token method of templating spell areas work in practice?
Xanathar's Guide to Everything has a method to determine spell areas with tokens under Spellcasting, p. 87. It says that the method is "meant to make areas of effect tactile and fun":
Using ...
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Do hostiles have advantage when attacking friendly affected by self-casted faerie fire? [duplicate]
I have a rather simple question. Suppose I cast faerie fire and a friendly is in the target cube at that time and thus affected, do hostiles have advantage when attacking it?
I believe the PHB's spell ...
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Clarification for Area of Effect Templates
I have seen a lot of AOE templates out there. There seems to be a lot of interpretations.
I have seen some that equate 20' squares and 20' radius circle. However, 20' squares are 4x4 squares on a 1sq=...
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Can the Faerie Fire spell be oriented in a small space to not affect allies?
Many AOE spells use a point as their origin, and from this point, area is calculated. Faerie Fire doesn't state where spells start. Often, AOE spells are cast in rooms near walls to avoid friendly ...
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What is the AoE of Acid Splash?
The description of Acid Splash says (emphasis mine):
Range 30 feet; Targets 1 creature
You splash a glob of acid that splatters your target and nearby creatures. Make a spell attack. If you hit, you ...
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Do items in an extradimensional space count as being carried and/or in possession of a character with regard to effects and saving throws?
I was looking at this question, and it occurred to me that there is actually another question involved: If items in an extradimensional space are counted as being possessed by a character with regard ...
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Assuming the overall shape is still 10x10x10 cubes, can you subdivide cubes to create more floorspace with Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion?
With the simplest arrangement possible, Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion allows for 5000 sq ft. of space.
But suppose I was okay with slightly cramped quarters, would it be possible to arrange 25 ...
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Does total cover protect someone who enters the area of a Moonbeam?
The Moonbeam spell states:
A silvery beam of pale light shines down in a 5-foot-radius, 40-foot-high cylinder centered on a point within range. Until the spell ends, dim light fills the cylinder.
...
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Moonbeam + grappling to move an enemy in and out in the same turn? [duplicate]
For reference, Moonbeam:
When a creature enters the spell's area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it is engulfed in ghostly flames that cause searing pain, and it must make a ...
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What is the shape of fireball in 5-foot squares?
The DMG provides this rule for areas of effect on a grid (p. 251):
AREAS OF EFFECT
The area of effect of a spell, monster ability, or other
feature must be translated onto squares or hexes to
...
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Can twinned Vortex Warp proc Spirit Guardians damage if teleporting the Spirit Guardians carrier?
So I've got Twinned Spell and Vortex Warp. I'm looking to abuse this in conjunction with hazard zone spells; one of particular interest is Spirit Guardians. What I want to do is take my ally from ...
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Does Transmute Rock to Mud require a flat, exposed surface?
Transmute Rock to Sand, and Transmute Rock to Mud are both fourth level spells that have a caveat stating they can only affect up to a depth of 10 ft from the surface they are cast on. Does this need ...
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How big is the area of effect for the Ice Knife spell's explosion, when the spell targets a Large creature?
The description of the ice knife spell states (emphasis mine):
You create a shard of ice and fling it at one creature within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target ...
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Can Temple of the Gods be cast on a small floating area at sea?
Players want to cast Temple of the Gods on a small floating square at sea. (It involves the shape water cantrip, but I want to put that aside for this question). The spell says it requires to be cast ...
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In general, is an AOE's "or" inclusive or exclusive? [duplicate]
A few AOE spells use the wording "...when first entering the area ... or ending it's turn there". The question is, is this "or" inclusive, (A creature that enters and remains for ...
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Damaging illusion area effect
I am new to M&M (3rd edition) and am creating a mystic character whose primary powers are mental. I have taken the illusion power (all senses) at rank 5 (the maximum) and made it independent. I ...
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Does Faerie Fire affect objects/creatures partially in the area of effect?
What effect does Faerie Fire have on objects/creatures partially within its 20' cube area of effect?
Two simple examples: a 10' pole which is half-in, half-out of the area of effect, or a purple worm ...
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Volume of Darkness (spell) interaction with Enlarge creature
If I am enlarged, and subsequently cast darkness on my weapon does the volume that darkness covers expand from my character or only one square that my character occupies?
If the latter, how do I keep ...
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Heat Metal vs Sanctuary
My druid cast Heat Metal on an armor-wearing enemy's armor. Then the enemy cast Sanctuary. Then, when while Sanctuary was in effect, I used my bonus action to heat the armor.
The DM said I was ...
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Does Bless Require Line of Sight?
I was the DM in a game last night and the scenario was thus:
The healer on the ground floor of a tower wanted to cast Bless on her companions the floor above. This floor only had one access point, a ...
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Does Symbol require the target to be fully inside the sphere?
…When you inscribe the glyph, choose one of the options below for its effect. Once triggered, the glyph glows, filling a 60-foot-radius sphere with dim light for 10 minutes, after which time the spell ...
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Can Meld to Stone be used with Offensive Spells?
Suppose my character is locked in a jail cell with several of their worst enemies, none of whom have any spell-casting abilities. (Assume the character has retained their holy symbol for spell-casting....
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Can Slow be cast outside a room, but go through an open window? [closed]
My players dived into a building through an open window. Then a witch saw this, and cast slow, targeting 20 feet outside the building. Does the spell go through the window and affect the players, if ...
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Can you cast Hallow on yourself?
I can't find a definite answer as this seems to be some gray area in the ruling. What would be cool is to spend 24 hours casting hallow on yourself, covering a 60 ft space with an affect, darkness ...
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Do the incorporeal swordsmen created by the Legion of Sentinels spell appear in midair?
Player's Handbook II 116 has the spell legion of sentinels which has an area of 10 foot radius emanation. An excerpt of the spell text says:
A ghostly, incorporeal swordfighter appears in each square ...
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Can Invisibility Sphere Be Cast On a Rope or Chain In Order to cover More Targets or a Wider Area?
This Q&A in regards to emanations suggests that extending some of them from a creature's space rather than a grid intersection is a good way to handle those effects that emanate from a creature ...
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If a Twilight cleric uses the Steps of Night feature to fly up, do the areas of Twilight Sanctuary and the Spirit Guardians spell stay on the ground?
Say a Twilight Domain cleric has Channel Divinity: Twilight Sanctuary and the spirit guardians spell in effect. The cleric then uses the Steps of Night feature to fly up 15-30 feet.
Does the Twilight ...
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Is the point of origin for a persistant AoE spell relevant after casting?
When a spell is cast, it is understood that there must be an obstruction-free line of effect from the point of origin of an area of effect spell for it to affect a location (PHB 204):
A spell’s ...
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What happens when a Wall of Force spell is created in the area of a (previously cast) nonphysical spell such as Moonbeam or Stinking Cloud?
The description of the moonbeam spell states, in part:
A silvery beam of pale light shines down in a 5-foot radius, 40-foot-high cylinder centered on a point within range. Until the spell ends, dim ...
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Can the Alarm spell affect an unseen area behind a barrier?
The Alarm spell in DnD 5e specifies:
Choose a door, a window, or an area within range that is no larger
than a 20-foot cube. Until the spell ends, an alarm alerts you
whenever a tiny or larger ...
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General Rule For Areas of Effect and Large+ Creatures?
How much of a Large+ creature (any creature occupying more than a single 5' x 5' square) must be included in a spell's area of effect before it is, well, affected? If there is a simple statement of a ...
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Does Spiritual weapon set off the Alarm spell?
Related to Does interacting with things inside the area of an Alarm spell trigger it?, still assuming Alarm is cast using the area option, is the caster alerted if a Spiritual Weapon is moved into the ...
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Does interacting with things inside the area of an Alarm spell trigger it?
Somebody who has cast Alarm is sleeping inside the area (they didn't choose the window or door option) of the spell, which is "[...] no larger than a 20-foot cube.", and the spell also ...
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Is a space with a hazard or area of effect 'occupied'?
The party warlock has a wand of web.
He just leveled to 11th and is considering his choices for his 6th level arcanum.
Scatter (XGtE) allows him to teleport creatures to unoccupied spaces against ...
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Can the Gravity Fissure spell deal damage twice to a creature of larger than Medium size?
The description of the gravity fissure spell says (EGtW, p. 187):
You manifest a ravine of gravitational energy in a line originating from you that is 100 feet long and 5 feet wide. Each creature in ...
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Does Cloud of Daggers affect the caster?
New to 5e and this has been a painful rabbit hole coming for 3.5. I have a pc who wants to cast cloud of daggers centered on himself as a sort of shield to protect himself from melee attackers. I said ...
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Does the fact Spirit Guardians has range self, affect whether the area of effect goes around corners?
Spirit Guardians has a Range of Self (15-foot radius) (and adds in the description that the Spirits "flit around you to a distance of 15 feet for the duration")
Given this situation:
The ...
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Can you use the Assassin's Assassinate with grenades or thrown area of effect weapons? [duplicate]
Can you use the Assassin's Assassinate with grenades or thrown area of effect weapons?
Assassinate: Starting at 3rd level, you are at your deadliest when you get the drop on your enemies. You have ...
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Can an Air Elemental's Whirlwind ability hit multiple large targets?
The Air Elemental's Whirlwind ability reads:
Each creature in the elemental's space must...
Both the Air Elemental and the Minotaurs are large creatures. The Air Elemental's ability Air Form allows ...
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Blessed Strike triggered by Word of Radiance
I've seen a few questions regarding Blessed Strikes with various features like second attack or eldritch blast, all of which said Blessed Strikes only affected a single creature because they were ...
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