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jseah
2009-12-15, 01:23 PM
from d20srd.org:
When casting a cylinder-shaped spell, you select the spell’s point of origin. This point is the center of a horizontal circle, and the spell shoots down from the circle, filling a cylinder. A cylinder-shaped spell ignores any obstructions within its area.
It ignores obstructions.

Does this sound like it could be abused to anyone? Like shooting through the floor to hit something one storey below.

Or shooting through a prismatic sphere or forcecage.

I think this interpretation is further supported by that all the other areas have some kind of clause saying they get stopped by lack of line of effect. This one has a clause saying that it ignores obstructions.

Glyde
2009-12-15, 01:33 PM
I think what it might be trying to say is that if you're hiding behind something, something shooting from above is still going to hit you - just emphasizing that, instead of coming from the caster.

Of course, I'm grasping at straws.

jseah
2009-12-15, 01:50 PM
Eh...
Ignores obstructions in it's area.

That sounds kinda specific. Perhaps that is what they intended. I certainly couldn't spot that until you pointed it out.

DonEsteban
2009-12-15, 02:36 PM
I'm pretty sure it is basically what Glyde said. It's just poor wording. If someone had vertical cover (like a solid ceiling), they would be protected from an ice storm (although there are no ceilings RAW D&D, it's a 2-dimensional game :smallsmile:). I have no hard proof for this, but it sounds reasonable...

Milskidasith
2009-12-15, 02:45 PM
I'm pretty sure it is basically what Glyde said. It's just poor wording. If someone had vertical cover (like a solid ceiling), they would be protected from an ice storm (although there are no ceilings RAW D&D, it's a 2-dimensional game :smallsmile:). I have no hard proof for this, but it sounds reasonable...

No, the SRD has rules for 3d combat, it's not only a 2d game. Why would there even be a cylinder shape if there was no way to go vertical, or a jump check to go up, or rules for having the high ground?

jseah
2009-12-15, 03:02 PM
I'm sure it's just some kind of strange error in wording.

After all, they even say it projects down from the top circle.

If it ignores obstructions, then why the heck do they need to mention a direction.


Still... that line is pretty darn specific. And completely open to abuse.

Zaydos
2009-12-15, 03:02 PM
Wouldn't a ceiling/floor block Line of Effect and thus cut off the area of the spell? The effect can't extend beyond it's line of effect. I might be wrong, I haven't had to deal with line of effect much, though.

jseah
2009-12-15, 03:06 PM
Wouldn't a ceiling/floor block Line of Effect and thus cut off the area of the spell? The effect can't extend beyond it's line of effect. I might be wrong, I haven't had to deal with line of effect much, though.

The thing that prevents area spells from shooting through walls and lack of LoE is the area section.

(eg. Rays don't use this, they refer to the targeting section)

With fireball say:


A burst spell affects whatever it catches in its area, even including creatures that you can’t see. It can’t affect creatures with total cover from its point of origin (in other words, its effects don’t extend around corners). The default shape for a burst effect is a sphere, but some burst spells are specifically described as cone-shaped. A burst’s area defines how far from the point of origin the spell’s effect extends.
The thing that prevents fireball and such "burst" spells from affecting creatures without LoE to the point of effect is that clause.

This section defines what the area line in spells can and can't do.

If it says they go round corners, then all spells with that area goes round corners. (ie. Spread)


If it says they ignore obstructions, then they ignore obstructions.
Whatever the heck that is supposed to mean.

AslanCross
2009-12-15, 04:56 PM
By RAW, it says it ignores obstructions and thus should go through a roof.

By RAI, I'm pretty sure they meant it ignores the usual obstructions such as a wall. While D&D does have rules for 3D combat, it almost always assumes everyone is on a level map.

It's a pretty obscure rule, but yeah