Hello everyone. been having some discussions on a Facebook group and I came here for some professional opinions - or sage advice.
Spirit guardians vs a canvas tent wall: Do NPCs inside have total cover and are therefor safe from Spirit Guardians? Would that also apply to fireball? canvas is flammable and not really any better than robes. However it is still total cover, or is it concealment?
related to spiritual guardians: 15 ft from the edge of the square or Center of the caster? This is important in case the caster is SG gets enlarged, or polymorphed, into a larger size, as the affected squares would drastically increase or decrease.
RAW doesn’t make a distinction between the kind of barrier that creates cover — a sheet of paper or a stone wall is still a barrier that provides total cover. (There are some exceptions, but that’s the general rule.) But a DM ruling that canvas isn’t substantial enough to count as cover also seems reasonable, at least imo.
It would apply to fireball as well. Though it spreads around corners, so if there’s gaps in the tent seams, it could get in, I’d say, but the tent would catch fire.
Auras go from the edge. So a 15’ radius means three squares in each direction. If for no other reason than you don’t want auras in half a square complicating things.
The text of the spell -- "the spirits flit around you" -- might suggest that the spell goes around corners, as though the spirits are moving in a circle. But in which direction? No, the general rules apply here, which is to say, any kind of cover will block the spell.
regarding the aura, I agree, I was asking to confirm that it means the number of affected squares is more for a large or huge creature than it would be for a medium creature
regarding the aura, I agree, I was asking to confirm that it means the number of affected squares is more for a large or huge creature than it would be for a medium creature
It's more squares, yes. EDIT: Actually, all I can find is this rule from the DMG:
"Choose an intersection of squares or hexes as the point of origin of an area of effect, then follow its rules as normal."
That doesn't exactly sound applicable here. Unless the area is allowed to be slightly off center? That would be strange, but I guess the grid gives you strange results pretty often. Anyway, there's also this, from the PHB:
"Ranges. To determine the range on a grid between two things—whether creatures or objects—start counting squares from a square adjacent to one of them and stop counting in the space of the other one. Count by the shortest route."
Which is interesting because that's not typically how I see it done. Maybe it's applicable here also, but again, it doesn't sound like it's really considering the type of area we're talking about.
I didn't expect this to be a question worth any consideration. I just figured it was obvious but it kind of isn't. As an aside, if the caster is large enough, this area -- measured from his token's edges -- wouldn't actually be a sphere, but some kind of complex shape I don't have a word for. It would have six flat faces and a bunch of curved corners.
Spirits Guardianshas a range of Self (15-foot radius) and states "They flit around you to a distance of 15 ft [...]"' Assuming this means 15 ft in all directions, the area for medium and large creatures in a grid should be:
This applies if you are not using the optional rule in the DMG about diagonals on a grid (p. 252), where the range is measured differently (see below), and also using the rules in XGtE in the "Areas of Effect on a Grid" (p. 86) section.
Optional Rule: Diagonals
The Player's Handbook presents a simple method for counting movement and measuring range on a grid: count every square as 5 feet, even if you're moving diagonally. Though this is fast in play, it breaks the laws of geometry and is inaccurate over long distances. This optional rule provides more realism, but it requires more effort during combat.
When measuring range or moving diagonally on a grid, the first diagonal square counts as 5 feet, but the second diagonal square counts as 10 feet. This pattern of 5 feet and then 10 feet continues whenever you're counting diagonally, even if you move horizontally or vertically between different bits of diagonal movement.
For example, a character might move one square diagonally (5 feet), then three squares straight (15 feet), and then another square diagonally (10 feet) for a total movement of 30 feet.
Hello everyone.
been having some discussions on a Facebook group and I came here for some professional opinions - or sage advice.
Spirit guardians vs a canvas tent wall: Do NPCs inside have total cover and are therefor safe from Spirit Guardians? Would that also apply to fireball?
canvas is flammable and not really any better than robes. However it is still total cover, or is it concealment?
related to spiritual guardians: 15 ft from the edge of the square or Center of the caster? This is important in case the caster is SG gets enlarged, or polymorphed, into a larger size, as the affected squares would drastically increase or decrease.
thanks!!
RAW doesn’t make a distinction between the kind of barrier that creates cover — a sheet of paper or a stone wall is still a barrier that provides total cover. (There are some exceptions, but that’s the general rule.) But a DM ruling that canvas isn’t substantial enough to count as cover also seems reasonable, at least imo.
It would apply to fireball as well. Though it spreads around corners, so if there’s gaps in the tent seams, it could get in, I’d say, but the tent would catch fire.
Auras go from the edge. So a 15’ radius means three squares in each direction. If for no other reason than you don’t want auras in half a square complicating things.
The text of the spell -- "the spirits flit around you" -- might suggest that the spell goes around corners, as though the spirits are moving in a circle. But in which direction? No, the general rules apply here, which is to say, any kind of cover will block the spell.
regarding the aura, I agree, I was asking to confirm that it means the number of affected squares is more for a large or huge creature than it would be for a medium creature
It's more squares, yes. EDIT: Actually, all I can find is this rule from the DMG:
"Choose an intersection of squares or hexes as the point of origin of an area of effect, then follow its rules as normal."
That doesn't exactly sound applicable here. Unless the area is allowed to be slightly off center? That would be strange, but I guess the grid gives you strange results pretty often. Anyway, there's also this, from the PHB:
"Ranges. To determine the range on a grid between two things—whether creatures or objects—start counting squares from a square adjacent to one of them and stop counting in the space of the other one. Count by the shortest route."
Which is interesting because that's not typically how I see it done. Maybe it's applicable here also, but again, it doesn't sound like it's really considering the type of area we're talking about.
I didn't expect this to be a question worth any consideration. I just figured it was obvious but it kind of isn't. As an aside, if the caster is large enough, this area -- measured from his token's edges -- wouldn't actually be a sphere, but some kind of complex shape I don't have a word for. It would have six flat faces and a bunch of curved corners.
Spirits Guardians has a range of Self (15-foot radius) and states "They flit around you to a distance of 15 ft [...]"' Assuming this means 15 ft in all directions, the area for medium and large creatures in a grid should be:
This applies if you are not using the optional rule in the DMG about diagonals on a grid (p. 252), where the range is measured differently (see below), and also using the rules in XGtE in the "Areas of Effect on a Grid" (p. 86) section.