Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Pindar 10-24-07, 04:19 AM	I have a player who has just become able to cast fireball and does so all the time. Which is fine, however he loves dropping them into mellee combats so that the players are just outside the spell whilst the creatures one square away are in it. This is all fine by the rules but given the long range of this spell how can someone far off from the action fine aim the spread of the spell? Are there any rules or systems people use to precision aim fireballs and the like?
Yaeri 10-24-07, 04:59 AM	It doesn't necessarily mean that the wizard 'aims' the fireball like an archer aims a bow. Maybe the wizard just 'wills' the fireball to strike there. There's nothing suggesting that it was the designers intention you'd have to aim a fireball (with a chance of a miss), so I stick with option number 2, as the first one would weaken the spell. That's my opinion. Now as to your question, some ideas (just making these up on the spot; I don't use this crap :P;)): 1)There are rules for striking a square or junction of a square when throwing splash damage weapons. You could sort of use those rules. Since you want the unlikely precision at long distances factored in, you'd have to make up a range increment for fireball though. Since 10 is the normal maximum number of range increments, you could put the max range (400ft+40/lvl) at ten range increments. Thus each step of 40ft+4/lvl being an extra range increment and a -2 penalty to the to hit roll. 2)Or you could keep the grid hidden to the players, giving only an aproximate scale, and thus having them guess at the distances. This affects all players. For example, the fighter won't know for certain that if he charges, he'll reach the enemy in the same round, or stop 5 feet short. 3)Or the least hassling option perhaps, is to have the radius of fireball vary somewhat. Have the player roll a D6 each time he casts firball: 1: -10 to radius 2: -5 to radius 3-4: no change 5: +5 to radius 6: +10 to radius This somewhat obtains the same goal in a perhaps unexpected way: when firing into a crowd your player always risks hitting the own party members, or hitting less enemies than desired.
Pindar 10-24-07, 06:10 AM	With fireball in particular though it can detonate prematurely if anything gets in the way. It's ok if your floating above a fight but standing 800 feet away how good is your line of sight going to be? Edit: OK here is what I am considering. Targetting AOE Spells When using AOE spells to target a square a roll must be made. The target square has an AC 0 every range increment of 100' gives a - 2 on the roll. Aiming past creatures in mellee carries -4 penalty for aiming past them as they block line of sight as they move about. Every point you miss by is a 5' Square out, roll a d8 to determine direction. This roll cannot be fumbled or critted. So if you are within 100' even if you roll a 1 you can’t fail unless you are trying to aim past combatants
kuonji 10-24-07, 07:51 AM	Is it really that important? Your bad guys, the intelligent ones atleast, should be aware of what a spell like fireball can do. Its a staple spell for alot of magic users and you could simply adjust the tactics of your enemies to mix more with your players and prevent the fireball from only hitting the enemies. Or fight in closed spaces where targeting it in the perfect spot is nearly impossible. Or have fire resistant foes. Also remember, if your players are set up to avoid cross fire damage, chances are their enemy spell casters can take advantage of that fact to avoid hitting their own people with their damage spells. And, if your players are making a reputation for themselves, their foes will be able to research their common battle tactics and find ways to overcome them. Now I'm not saying to meta your players every time, but there are plenty of ways to shut down perfect targeted casting without adding house rules to govern a handfull of spells. Part of running a good group is careful set up and good tactics. Forcing your mage to randomly determine if his spell hits puts a cramp on the groups ability to make sound tactical judgements. Plus, I'm usually against anything that adds more modifiers and dice rolls to an already over-diced complicated combat system. Keep in mind too that eventually your players might just get lazy and start fireballing themselves. Rogues will just evade and tanks will have enough HPs to take the damage, especially if the Heal spell is available, then the extra rules become a burden.
Pindar 10-24-07, 09:26 AM	Is it really that important? Nope it's not and everything you say is correct. It just niggles me. I have been discussing it with one of my players and will see what the group thinks about it.