bursts, spreads & emanations [Archive] - Wizards Community

bursts, spreads & emanations [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
northern_bear
04-06-07, 09:24 AM What, if anything, is the difference between a spell that effects an area of:

20 foot radius spread (ex, fireball)
20 foot radius burst (ex, holy smite)
20 foot radius emanation (ex, magic circle vs evil)
20 foot radius sphere, centered on X (ex, telikinetic sphere)

From the examples I can find, spreads and bursts tend to be instantaneous effects, while emanations and spheres tend to be of logner duration. But couldn't you still have an instantaneous "emanation" or a multipe round duration "spread".

Even if we do limit spread/burst to instantaneous effects and emanation/sphere to duration effects, I still wouldn't see any mechancial difference between a spread and a burst, or between a spherical emination from X, and a spherical area centered on X.
Thiez
04-06-07, 09:53 AM If I remember correctly, a spread can go 'around' things (like a corner) if it has some area left. A burst will not go around things like corners.

That's mostly the reason you can use a tower shield to get total cover for MDJ, since that's a burst, but not from fireball, since that's a spread.
runestar
04-06-07, 10:01 AM But couldn't you still have an instantaneous "emanation" or a multipe round duration "spread".
I think by definition, an emanation is the duration version of a burst, which is by default, instantaneous.

So an instantaneous emanation would simply be a burst, and vice versa. It is simply a matter of semantics.

Burst, Emanation, or Spread: Most spells that affect an area function as a burst, an emanation, or a spread. In each case, you select the spell’s point of origin and measure its effect from that point.

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.

An emanation spell functions like a burst spell, except that the effect continues to radiate from the point of origin for the duration of the spell. Most emanations are cones or spheres.

A spread spell spreads out like a burst but can turn corners. You select the point of origin, and the spell spreads out a given distance in all directions. Figure the area the spell effect fills by taking into account any turns the spell effect takes.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
northern_bear 04-06-07, 09:24 AM	What, if anything, is the difference between a spell that effects an area of: 20 foot radius spread (ex, fireball) 20 foot radius burst (ex, holy smite) 20 foot radius emanation (ex, magic circle vs evil) 20 foot radius sphere, centered on X (ex, telikinetic sphere) From the examples I can find, spreads and bursts tend to be instantaneous effects, while emanations and spheres tend to be of logner duration. But couldn't you still have an instantaneous "emanation" or a multipe round duration "spread". Even if we do limit spread/burst to instantaneous effects and emanation/sphere to duration effects, I still wouldn't see any mechancial difference between a spread and a burst, or between a spherical emination from X, and a spherical area centered on X.
Thiez 04-06-07, 09:53 AM	If I remember correctly, a spread can go 'around' things (like a corner) if it has some area left. A burst will not go around things like corners. That's mostly the reason you can use a tower shield to get total cover for MDJ, since that's a burst, but not from fireball, since that's a spread.
runestar 04-06-07, 10:01 AM	But couldn't you still have an instantaneous "emanation" or a multipe round duration "spread". I think by definition, an emanation is the duration version of a burst, which is by default, instantaneous. So an instantaneous emanation would simply be a burst, and vice versa. It is simply a matter of semantics. Burst, Emanation, or Spread: Most spells that affect an area function as a burst, an emanation, or a spread. In each case, you select the spell’s point of origin and measure its effect from that point. 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. An emanation spell functions like a burst spell, except that the effect continues to radiate from the point of origin for the duration of the spell. Most emanations are cones or spheres. A spread spell spreads out like a burst but can turn corners. You select the point of origin, and the spell spreads out a given distance in all directions. Figure the area the spell effect fills by taking into account any turns the spell effect takes.