Sculpt Spell questions [Archive] - Wizards Community

Sculpt Spell questions [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
jmweber9
10-15-06, 01:37 PM Couple of (hopefully) easy questions regarding the Sculpt Spell feat.

1) Does the new "area" effect need to be defined during spell preparation or can it be chosen when the spell is actually being cast for maximum benefit?

2) One of the area options available is four 10' cubes. Is there any rule on how this is accomplished? Do these cubes have to be in any sort of contiguous formation (I assume so) or are they open to configuration that works best for you when you cast it? In other words, must they somehow be touching each other or can you space out your 10' cubes all over the board (which seems way too cheesy)? Assuming they must be touching, can I put them all in a line, space them so they cover a connecting grid with a hole in the center, overlap them, stack them on top of one another (10'x10'x40 high) like a column or assemble them any other way I see fit?

Hopefully this has already been covered and ruled upon and I've just missed it somehow. I haven't been able to find anything on it in the Errata, FAQ or these boards so I thought I'd ask.

Thanks,

John
Japangirl
10-15-06, 03:27 PM 1) You do not have to define the new area when you memorize the spell. Pick it when you cast it.

2) I'm not sure, but as I read it you can space out the 10-foot cubes as much as you want. I'm not sure you can stack them (if you wanted to, why not just make it the column shape anyways?), but I don't think they don't have to be touching or contiguous in any way. I take the description of fire storm which says you get two 10-foot cubes per level. I've never seen anyone suggest that those cubes have to be touching, and I'd say the sculpted 10-foot cubes are the same.
GrahamWills
10-17-06, 06:04 PM A related question:

Can you sculpt spell on Hail of Stone? And if so, do you use the sizes as given?
jmweber9
10-17-06, 07:09 PM Absolutely you can! That's one of the best spells to use the feat for. Any "area" spell can be sculpted. Just looking in the PHB there are a ton of 1st-3rd level spells that this would be insanely useful for. That's what makes it so appealing.

John
bertman4
10-20-06, 08:03 PM Couple of (hopefully) easy questions regarding the Sculpt Spell feat.
2) One of the area options available is four 10' cubes. Is there any rule on how this is accomplished? Do these cubes have to be in any sort of contiguous formation (I assume so) or are they open to configuration that works best for you when you cast it? In other words, must they somehow be touching each other or can you space out your 10' cubes all over the board (which seems way too cheesy)? Assuming they must be touching, can I put them all in a line, space them so they cover a connecting grid with a hole in the center, overlap them, stack them on top of one another (10'x10'x40 high) like a column or assemble them any other way I see fit?

Although there may be some table variability, all the tables I have played at require the cubes to be touching at least one other cube in some way, even if it is a corner. That is also the way I play my Sorcerer and how I judge at my tables.

One other word of caution. Sculpt does not get you around maximum range. If you sculpt a Lightning Bolt to be a 20ft sphere, the maximum range is still 120ft.

Bertman
bertman4
10-20-06, 08:07 PM A related question:

Can you sculpt spell on Hail of Stone? And if so, do you use the sizes as given?

Yes, Hail of Stone (from Complete Arcane) has an Area entry in the spell description so it can be Sculpted. If it doesn't have an Area entry then you can't. This is true even if the Effect entry gives you a space/size description. It must have an Area entry.

Sculpt is one of the more powerful +1 spell level metamagic feats IMHO.

Bertman
JohnduBois
10-21-06, 01:28 PM If any of those casting Sculpted Hail of Stone are spontaneous casters, be forewarned that since Hail of Stone has a 1 round casting time, the time to cast a Sculpted Hail of Stone spontaneously is 2 full rounds.
Jay_Ibero_911
10-25-06, 11:52 PM Well how do you adjucate the range of sculpt spell when the initial spell was a cone or other shape without a range? Could you make burning hands into a 20ft ball but only be able to center it 15ft away? Another trick with this spell is to use it to get a bigger cone. 30ft burning hands as 2nd level vs. 15ft for 1st.
blood_kite
10-26-06, 10:13 PM I believe one of the Yahoo LG groups argued out the sculpted burning hands and the consensus was that since the spell actually lists its range as 15 feet you couldn't sculpt it into a 30 foot cone. Well you could, but the cone would still end at 15 feet. The 10 foot cubes or the cylinder might be useful.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
jmweber9 10-15-06, 01:37 PM	Couple of (hopefully) easy questions regarding the Sculpt Spell feat. 1) Does the new "area" effect need to be defined during spell preparation or can it be chosen when the spell is actually being cast for maximum benefit? 2) One of the area options available is four 10' cubes. Is there any rule on how this is accomplished? Do these cubes have to be in any sort of contiguous formation (I assume so) or are they open to configuration that works best for you when you cast it? In other words, must they somehow be touching each other or can you space out your 10' cubes all over the board (which seems way too cheesy)? Assuming they must be touching, can I put them all in a line, space them so they cover a connecting grid with a hole in the center, overlap them, stack them on top of one another (10'x10'x40 high) like a column or assemble them any other way I see fit? Hopefully this has already been covered and ruled upon and I've just missed it somehow. I haven't been able to find anything on it in the Errata, FAQ or these boards so I thought I'd ask. Thanks, John
Japangirl 10-15-06, 03:27 PM	1) You do not have to define the new area when you memorize the spell. Pick it when you cast it. 2) I'm not sure, but as I read it you can space out the 10-foot cubes as much as you want. I'm not sure you can stack them (if you wanted to, why not just make it the column shape anyways?), but I don't think they don't have to be touching or contiguous in any way. I take the description of fire storm which says you get two 10-foot cubes per level. I've never seen anyone suggest that those cubes have to be touching, and I'd say the sculpted 10-foot cubes are the same.
GrahamWills 10-17-06, 06:04 PM	A related question: Can you sculpt spell on Hail of Stone? And if so, do you use the sizes as given?
jmweber9 10-17-06, 07:09 PM	Absolutely you can! That's one of the best spells to use the feat for. Any "area" spell can be sculpted. Just looking in the PHB there are a ton of 1st-3rd level spells that this would be insanely useful for. That's what makes it so appealing. John
bertman4 10-20-06, 08:03 PM	Couple of (hopefully) easy questions regarding the Sculpt Spell feat. 2) One of the area options available is four 10' cubes. Is there any rule on how this is accomplished? Do these cubes have to be in any sort of contiguous formation (I assume so) or are they open to configuration that works best for you when you cast it? In other words, must they somehow be touching each other or can you space out your 10' cubes all over the board (which seems way too cheesy)? Assuming they must be touching, can I put them all in a line, space them so they cover a connecting grid with a hole in the center, overlap them, stack them on top of one another (10'x10'x40 high) like a column or assemble them any other way I see fit? Although there may be some table variability, all the tables I have played at require the cubes to be touching at least one other cube in some way, even if it is a corner. That is also the way I play my Sorcerer and how I judge at my tables. One other word of caution. Sculpt does not get you around maximum range. If you sculpt a Lightning Bolt to be a 20ft sphere, the maximum range is still 120ft. Bertman
bertman4 10-20-06, 08:07 PM	A related question: Can you sculpt spell on Hail of Stone? And if so, do you use the sizes as given? Yes, Hail of Stone (from Complete Arcane) has an Area entry in the spell description so it can be Sculpted. If it doesn't have an Area entry then you can't. This is true even if the Effect entry gives you a space/size description. It must have an Area entry. Sculpt is one of the more powerful +1 spell level metamagic feats IMHO. Bertman
JohnduBois 10-21-06, 01:28 PM	If any of those casting Sculpted Hail of Stone are spontaneous casters, be forewarned that since Hail of Stone has a 1 round casting time, the time to cast a Sculpted Hail of Stone spontaneously is 2 full rounds.
Jay_Ibero_911 10-25-06, 11:52 PM	Well how do you adjucate the range of sculpt spell when the initial spell was a cone or other shape without a range? Could you make burning hands into a 20ft ball but only be able to center it 15ft away? Another trick with this spell is to use it to get a bigger cone. 30ft burning hands as 2nd level vs. 15ft for 1st.
blood_kite 10-26-06, 10:13 PM	I believe one of the Yahoo LG groups argued out the sculpted burning hands and the consensus was that since the spell actually lists its range as 15 feet you couldn't sculpt it into a 30 foot cone. Well you could, but the cone would still end at 15 feet. The 10 foot cubes or the cylinder might be useful.