Post/Author/DateTime	Post
RavingDork 05-20-07, 02:15 AM	In a game last night we had a number of dragons use their breath weapons (a cone of fire, a line of acid, and a line of lightning) against out party tank (a fighter with a tower shield). Unfortunatley, we had no idea if his shield, when used for full cover, would protect him from a dragon's breath weapon. It would seem to me that a spread would get around it, but a burst would not. No where in any of the books does it say which type of area of effect a breath weapon is. Does anyone know for certain?
Tempest Stormwind 05-20-07, 02:27 AM	In a game last night we had a number of dragons use their breath weapons (a cone of fire, a line of acid, and a line of lightning) against out party tank (a fighter with a tower shield).There's your answer. The lines definitely would be blocked, and the cone, by default, is a burst (it isn't a spread unless it says it is). The shield would probably take the damage in such a situation, though, unless you think that dragonfire shouldn't be able to burn down a building.
Kouk 05-20-07, 12:00 PM	Actually the section in the PHB about Cover mentions dragon fire. Page 151, Cover and Reflex Saves "Cover grants you a +2 bonus on Reflex saves against attacks that originate or burst out from a point on the other side of the cover from you, such as a red dragon's breath weapon or a lightning bolt. Note that spread effects such as fireball can extend around corners, and thus negate this cover bonus." So dragon fire is a burst. If it is a wooden tower shield, you might go through the rules and find whether it can be set on fire, but I doubt an instantaneous breath weapon could do it. You could have a dragon go over to the shield, pick it up, and then breath fire straight on the fighter dangling from it...
RavingDork 05-20-07, 09:58 PM	Actually the section in the PHB about Cover mentions dragon fire. Page 151, Cover and Reflex Saves "Cover grants you a +2 bonus on Reflex saves against attacks that originate or burst out from a point on the other side of the cover from you, such as a red dragon's breath weapon or a lightning bolt. Note that spread effects such as fireball can extend around corners, and thus negate this cover bonus." So dragon fire is a burst. If it is a wooden tower shield, you might go through the rules and find whether it can be set on fire, but I doubt an instantaneous breath weapon could do it. You could have a dragon go over to the shield, pick it up, and then breath fire straight on the fighter dangling from it... Thanks everyone for your ansers. As for his tower shield, it is a +2 adamantine tower shield (created from the steel tower shield in Races of Stone). It isn't going to be hurt by much of anything. :D
Escef 05-21-07, 04:06 AM	Thanks everyone for your ansers. As for his tower shield, it is a +2 adamantine tower shield (created from the steel tower shield in Races of Stone). It isn't going to be hurt by much of anything. :D No, it isn't, but I imagine playing peek-a-boo with something that must have an outrageous disarm check is going to be interesting. At the very least the dragon can just pick up the shield and just casually stare at the fighter dangling from it. Dragon turns to his buddies, "Look guys, a pinata!"
MasterBlaster 05-21-07, 05:21 AM	Now thats a funny idea...