Area of effect emmanation template question [Archive] - Wizards Community

Area of effect emmanation template question [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
groodude
09-24-05, 07:12 PM Ok, I need a bit of help and I can't find the answer anywhere else, so I'm hoping that someone can provide me with the answer.
My issue is that I can't quite figure out what area is effected by spells that have an area of effect that is X-ft-radius from a given target (such as Magic circle against evil, or Silence).
When I look at MCAEvil, it has a 10' radius from a given creature, but if I want to make some sort of template for this; what squares would be included?
There is option 1, which is based on the way the templates in the DMG are created, basically drawing a circle of the given radius and whatever squares are mostly covered are included. This would reseult in a template, something like [I hope this translates propely on everyone's browsers];
- = 'not affected'
* = 'affected'
x = character effect is centered on

--*--
-***-
**x**
-***-
--*--

BUT, you can also argue that a 10' radius effect on a character is the same as the character having a reach that is 10, which would give this;
*****
*****
**x**
*****
*****
Notice that the second option give the character about 12 more squares of effect. So which is the correct method?

Things get even weirder if I go looking at the silence spell. With a 20' radius I'm really not sure what to do. I could count squares;
---***---
-*******-
-*******-
*********
****x****
*********
-*******-
-*******-
---***---

or I could continue the example of the reach weapon and end up with;
*********
*********
*********
*********
****x****
*********
*********
*********
*********

At this point, I can't even use the reach templates from the DMG as a guide, since their centers are more than a single square wide.

Obviously, this just gets even more interesting/difficult as the radius of the emmanation increases (like with invisibility purge).

So, I put it to everyone?
Is there a rule to follow in this situation?
Are there some templates that I can download for these situations?
Am I just being too retentive?
Has anyone else had this issue?

Feedback is obviously appreciated...otherwise I wouldn't have bothered posting.

Many thanks in advance.
Deep Blue 9000
09-24-05, 08:05 PM I'm not positive I'm right but here's how I think it works. The effected character chooses one of the corners of his square and it emenates in a 10' radius from that point. So your magic circle could look like this

Top right corner:
-------
-****-
-****-
-*X**-
-****-
-------

or

Bottom Left Corner:
-------
-****-
-**X*-
-****-
-****-
-------

and so on for the other 2 corners.

EDIT:
Reach 20' actually looks like this:

---***---
-*******-
-*******-
*********
****x****
*********
-*******-
-*******-
---***---
Nom
09-24-05, 08:20 PM Firstly, most spells have their origin on a corner. Thus, a 20 ft. radius normally picks an appropriate corner and then uses the 20 ft. template (PH pg 175).

If the spell is centred on a creature or something else that occupies a square rather than a corner, you can either pick a corner as close as possible to the centre of the creature and trace from there (which I think is 'correct') or centre it on the creature and count normal distance.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
groodude 09-24-05, 07:12 PM	Ok, I need a bit of help and I can't find the answer anywhere else, so I'm hoping that someone can provide me with the answer. My issue is that I can't quite figure out what area is effected by spells that have an area of effect that is X-ft-radius from a given target (such as Magic circle against evil, or Silence). When I look at MCAEvil, it has a 10' radius from a given creature, but if I want to make some sort of template for this; what squares would be included? There is option 1, which is based on the way the templates in the DMG are created, basically drawing a circle of the given radius and whatever squares are mostly covered are included. This would reseult in a template, something like [I hope this translates propely on everyone's browsers]; - = 'not affected' * = 'affected' x = character effect is centered on ---- -- x -- ---- BUT, you can also argue that a 10' radius effect on a character is the same as the character having a reach that is 10, which would give this; *** * x * * Notice that the second option give the character about 12 more squares of effect. So which is the correct method? Things get even weirder if I go looking at the silence spell. With a 20' radius I'm really not sure what to do. I could count squares; ------ -****- -***- ***** x ***** -***- -***- ------ or I could continue the example of the reach weapon and end up with; ****** ***** ***** ***** x ***** ***** ***** ******* At this point, I can't even use the reach templates from the DMG as a guide, since their centers are more than a single square wide. Obviously, this just gets even more interesting/difficult as the radius of the emmanation increases (like with invisibility purge). So, I put it to everyone? Is there a rule to follow in this situation? Are there some templates that I can download for these situations? Am I just being too retentive? Has anyone else had this issue? Feedback is obviously appreciated...otherwise I wouldn't have bothered posting. Many thanks in advance.
Deep Blue 9000 09-24-05, 08:05 PM	I'm not positive I'm right but here's how I think it works. The effected character chooses one of the corners of his square and it emenates in a 10' radius from that point. So your magic circle could look like this Top right corner: ------- -**- -*- -X- -- ------- or Bottom Left Corner: ------- -- -X- -*- -- ------- and so on for the other 2 corners. EDIT: Reach 20' actually looks like this: ------ -****- -***- ***** x ***** -***- -***- ---*---
Nom 09-24-05, 08:20 PM	Firstly, most spells have their origin on a corner. Thus, a 20 ft. radius normally picks an appropriate corner and then uses the 20 ft. template (PH pg 175). If the spell is centred on a creature or something else that occupies a square rather than a corner, you can either pick a corner as close as possible to the centre of the creature and trace from there (which I think is 'correct') or centre it on the creature and count normal distance.