Chaining Avasculate [Archive] - Wizards Community

Chaining Avasculate [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
nhembree
10-23-06, 02:49 PM Alright, avasculate states that it reduces a target to half hitpoints w/o rolling for damage any anything of that nature. So chaining it (by means of arcane thesis, or what have you) would intale that anyone in the chain would be affected the same and reduced to half hit points as well, due to the nature of the spell. Am I correct? If no please explain.
smrtgmp
10-23-06, 03:58 PM You cannot chain avasculate, as it has an effect rather than a target.
nhembree
10-26-06, 04:54 PM are you sure? avasculate is a ray and rays have to targeted on to something.
smrtgmp
10-26-06, 06:00 PM Rays are targeted in the classical sense of the word. However, in D&D, targeted is a mechanical term. Ray spells are effect spells, not targeted spells, as such, they cannot be chained.

And yes, I'm sure.
Max the Immortal
10-27-06, 04:28 AM smrtgmp is right; you can't chain a ray spell.
Seeker of Undeath
10-27-06, 06:55 AM Any spell that specifies a target and has a range greater than touch can be chained so as to affect that primary target normally, then arc to a number of secondary targets equal to your caster level (maximum 20).<snip>I think the answer to the OP's question is "yes". Since Avasculate does not deal damage, it doesn't have to worry about the half effect clause of Chain Spell. This makes it a fun spell to pick with Arcane Thesis. Regardless, I'll go back to my Chain Enervation madness now.
Kyuketsukiouji
10-27-06, 06:57 AM You can't chain avasulate, because it does not "specify a target" (ie, it doesn't have a "target:" entry).

You can, however, split the ray.
Seeker of Undeath
10-27-06, 07:28 AM [Edit: Having read an explanation of a similar situation in SEVERAL other threads, I'm forced to admit I had a very wrong understanding of what that meant. Thanks for clearing it up, Ojii. This also makes the Chain Spell feat infinitely less useful than what I had in mind. It further means that Chain Lightning should not exist as it's an area spell rather than a targeted one.]
Kyuketsukiouji
10-27-06, 11:39 AM Chaining Flesh to Stone and Slay Living disagrees with you on that "not useful" part.

When you can potentially turn up to 20 people into decorative lawn art with a single spell, you realise Chain Spell works pretty nicely indeed.

Not to mention, you can do nice things with it and buff spells (I'm not with my books, but I know there's quite a lot of interesting buffs that can benefit from being turned into "buff X, Mass")
nhembree
10-27-06, 12:10 PM Ahh, I see... I didn't quite get what you guys were saying until the "target entry" was braught up. I took a look at the game FAQ and it seems to confirm it. Though I couldn't find anything directly related. The glossery has this to say.

Target:
The intended recipient of an attack, spell, supernatural ability, extraordinary ability, or magical effect. If a targeted spell is successful, its recipient is known as the subject of the spell.

That seems to contradict what I found in the FAQ. Anyways, I think perhaps you're right about not being able to chain said spell. Because of the fact it has no target entery. In any case I will bring it to the attention of my DM, most of the time we like to favor things that make sense over cluncky game mechanic rules. I'll bring up both sides and see what his call is.

Thank you all for your insight.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
nhembree 10-23-06, 02:49 PM	Alright, avasculate states that it reduces a target to half hitpoints w/o rolling for damage any anything of that nature. So chaining it (by means of arcane thesis, or what have you) would intale that anyone in the chain would be affected the same and reduced to half hit points as well, due to the nature of the spell. Am I correct? If no please explain.
smrtgmp 10-23-06, 03:58 PM	You cannot chain avasculate, as it has an effect rather than a target.
nhembree 10-26-06, 04:54 PM	are you sure? avasculate is a ray and rays have to targeted on to something.
smrtgmp 10-26-06, 06:00 PM	Rays are targeted in the classical sense of the word. However, in D&D, targeted is a mechanical term. Ray spells are effect spells, not targeted spells, as such, they cannot be chained. And yes, I'm sure.
Max the Immortal 10-27-06, 04:28 AM	smrtgmp is right; you can't chain a ray spell.
Seeker of Undeath 10-27-06, 06:55 AM	Any spell that specifies a target and has a range greater than touch can be chained so as to affect that primary target normally, then arc to a number of secondary targets equal to your caster level (maximum 20).<snip>I think the answer to the OP's question is "yes". Since Avasculate does not deal damage, it doesn't have to worry about the half effect clause of Chain Spell. This makes it a fun spell to pick with Arcane Thesis. Regardless, I'll go back to my Chain Enervation madness now.
Kyuketsukiouji 10-27-06, 06:57 AM	You can't chain avasulate, because it does not "specify a target" (ie, it doesn't have a "target:" entry). You can, however, split the ray.
Seeker of Undeath 10-27-06, 07:28 AM	[Edit: Having read an explanation of a similar situation in SEVERAL other threads, I'm forced to admit I had a very wrong understanding of what that meant. Thanks for clearing it up, Ojii. This also makes the Chain Spell feat infinitely less useful than what I had in mind. It further means that Chain Lightning should not exist as it's an area spell rather than a targeted one.]
Kyuketsukiouji 10-27-06, 11:39 AM	Chaining Flesh to Stone and Slay Living disagrees with you on that "not useful" part. When you can potentially turn up to 20 people into decorative lawn art with a single spell, you realise Chain Spell works pretty nicely indeed. Not to mention, you can do nice things with it and buff spells (I'm not with my books, but I know there's quite a lot of interesting buffs that can benefit from being turned into "buff X, Mass")
nhembree 10-27-06, 12:10 PM	Ahh, I see... I didn't quite get what you guys were saying until the "target entry" was braught up. I took a look at the game FAQ and it seems to confirm it. Though I couldn't find anything directly related. The glossery has this to say. Target: The intended recipient of an attack, spell, supernatural ability, extraordinary ability, or magical effect. If a targeted spell is successful, its recipient is known as the subject of the spell. That seems to contradict what I found in the FAQ. Anyways, I think perhaps you're right about not being able to chain said spell. Because of the fact it has no target entery. In any case I will bring it to the attention of my DM, most of the time we like to favor things that make sense over cluncky game mechanic rules. I'll bring up both sides and see what his call is. Thank you all for your insight.