Fireball Clarification - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Fireball Clarification

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Elleron
Nov 01, 2012 16:30:18 I am pretty new to the D&D Board Game scene, and wanted to get some clarification on Fireball, Line of Sight, Line of Effect, and Obstacles.

Key:
Creature One = 1
Creature Two = 2
Obstacle = o
Square = _
Wall = |
Fireball Location = *

|_ _ _ |
|_ 1 _ |
|o o o |
|_ * _ |
|_ _ _ |
|_ 2 _ |

Example 1: Creature 2 casts fireball. Does the fireball go through the obstacle and hit Creature 1? It was argued that it would not go through the obstacle, and even if it did, it could be dodged because it's a ranged attack. I disagree with both statements because obstacles block line of sight, not line of effect. I am under the impression that you just need LoS on the square you are targetting, and then the fireball follows LoE rules. I also wouldn't consider it a "dodgeable" ranged attack, but perhaps I am wrong on this.

|_ _ _ |
|_ 1 _ |
|o * o |
|_ _ _ |
|_ _ _ |
|_ 2 _ |

Example 2: Creature 2 casts fireball ON the obstacle. It was argued that you can't see the whole obstacle square, so you don't have full line of sight on it. Can you cast fireball on an obstacle, and if so, would it hit Creature 1?

Thanks!

#2
bugging_bear
Nov 03, 2012 3:46:08
#3
mrfaloon
Nov 13, 2012 17:21:30 I'd agree with bugging bear (apart from you did say creature 2 was casting fireball, and I think he read it as creature 1 casting it).

Anything that specifies a range (which fireball does) requires LoS to the target square even if it's not a ranged attack (which Fireball isn't).

We've always played that it's perfectly reasonable that fireball hits creatures on the 'blind' side of an obstacle though, but only if you target the obstacle itself.

We reason that a model in the obstacle would have LoS to either side, so we reason it makes rules sense.

We also like the image of fireballs burning through doors, trees and curtains (when it's a 'direct hit' on the obstacle).

What we don't seem to do though is allow a fireball targetting a square next to an obstacle to pass through it (in the same way a ranged attack LoS would be blocked).

If you like it's lost it's oomph, so gets blocked. May not be 100% right, but it works for us.
#4
argemon
Nov 15, 2012 17:31:26 We've been playing it the way bugging_bear and mrfaloon described.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Elleron Nov 01, 2012 16:30:18	I am pretty new to the D&D Board Game scene, and wanted to get some clarification on Fireball, Line of Sight, Line of Effect, and Obstacles. Key: Creature One = 1 Creature Two = 2 Obstacle = o Square = _ Wall = \| Fireball Location = * \|_ _ _ \| \|_ 1 _ \| \|o o o \| \|_ * _ \| \|_ _ _ \| \|_ 2 _ \| Example 1: Creature 2 casts fireball. Does the fireball go through the obstacle and hit Creature 1? It was argued that it would not go through the obstacle, and even if it did, it could be dodged because it's a ranged attack. I disagree with both statements because obstacles block line of sight, not line of effect. I am under the impression that you just need LoS on the square you are targetting, and then the fireball follows LoE rules. I also wouldn't consider it a "dodgeable" ranged attack, but perhaps I am wrong on this. \|_ _ _ \| \|_ 1 _ \| \|o * o \| \|_ _ _ \| \|_ _ _ \| \|_ 2 _ \| Example 2: Creature 2 casts fireball ON the obstacle. It was argued that you can't see the whole obstacle square, so you don't have full line of sight on it. Can you cast fireball on an obstacle, and if so, would it hit Creature 1? Thanks!
#2 bugging_bear Nov 03, 2012 3:46:08
#3 mrfaloon Nov 13, 2012 17:21:30	I'd agree with bugging bear (apart from you did say creature 2 was casting fireball, and I think he read it as creature 1 casting it). Anything that specifies a range (which fireball does) requires LoS to the target square even if it's not a ranged attack (which Fireball isn't). We've always played that it's perfectly reasonable that fireball hits creatures on the 'blind' side of an obstacle though, but only if you target the obstacle itself. We reason that a model in the obstacle would have LoS to either side, so we reason it makes rules sense. We also like the image of fireballs burning through doors, trees and curtains (when it's a 'direct hit' on the obstacle). What we don't seem to do though is allow a fireball targetting a square next to an obstacle to pass through it (in the same way a ranged attack LoS would be blocked). If you like it's lost it's oomph, so gets blocked. May not be 100% right, but it works for us.
#4 argemon Nov 15, 2012 17:31:26	We've been playing it the way bugging_bear and mrfaloon described.