The area of effect of a spell, monster ability, or other feature must be translated onto squares or hexes to determine which potential targets are in the area and which aren’t.
Choose an intersection of squares or hexes as the point of origin of an area of effect, then follow its rules as normal. If an area of effect is circular and covers at least half a square, it affects that square.
I've been playing around with this instruction on a grid, using Warding Wind and placing it these interesting points it does not seem to encompass the character fully, some portion of the area is the 10-feet where others it seems to be at 5-feet or just slightly over but not within the half a square qualifier. I would assume that everything within 10-feet would be impacted by the spell and not one side more than another. To me, this rule seems to lessen the potential of an AOE-related spell.
Now I could be misreading the rules or how I'm reading the grid. (I know hard to explain something that is a visual component of the game.)
Question:
Do you follow what is in the DMG? If not where do you place the center point of the AOE-related spell?
Or better yet how do you determine the placement of AOE-related spells?
If the text of the effect reads "a point" then I would place the point at an intersection as described in the DMG and the Sage Advice sections you reference. If the text of the effect reads "centered on you" as in Warding Wind, I would center the effect on the caster, and use my judgement to determine which squares were "at least half covered".
You place the point on a corner — an intersection of 4 squares, but not in any square. Since all spells have a radius in multiples of 5, and all squares are 5x5, there’s never a time when the effect covers only part of a square. Basically, even though the descriptions say x-radius sphere, in practice it become a cube where x is the length of a side. It gets a little wonky at the corners and probably covers more area than it should. However I treat it the same for PCs and enemies, so it ends up fair. I’ve never really worried about math, and I’ve got the transcripts to prove it.
Also, just pretty much ignore the vertical dimension, unless there’s something flying.
You place the point on a corner — an intersection of 4 squares, but not in any square. Since all spells have a radius in multiples of 5, and all squares are 5x5, there’s never a time when the effect covers only part of a square. Basically, even though the descriptions say x-radius sphere, in practice it become a cube where x is the length of a side. It gets a little wonky at the corners and probably covers more area than it should. However I treat it the same for PCs and enemies, so it ends up fair. I’ve never really worried about math, and I’ve got the transcripts to prove it.
Also, just pretty much ignore the vertical dimension, unless there’s something flying.
So a 10-foot radius would look like on a grid like
For AoE centered on a point i use grid intersection, for those centered on you, i use squares starting adjacent treating any squares within X feet to be included wether its a cube or sphère.
I mean, drawing a circle with an actual or digital equivalent of compass isn't that cumbersome, you could even draw two circle and cut one in half for your Z axis.....
Are circular structures handled this way in your game too, or are towers and the like built at regular angles so spatial relations never involves pi?
Note that there are optional rules, that use 5-10-5 distances for diagonals, so the area covered in squares is more realistic than a 20ft x 20ft square.
So with those rules the shape would be.
. X X . X X X X X X X X . X X .
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This question is more for those who play combat on a grid but I'm welcome to opinions from anyone.
Setup:
Sorcerer surrounded by goblins on all sides, 10-feet away, its last act of desperation (work with me here I'm going for the dramatic) cast Shatter.
Reading the DMG indicates the following:
DMG
and this is confirmed with JC
I've been playing around with this instruction on a grid, using Warding Wind and placing it these interesting points it does not seem to encompass the character fully, some portion of the area is the 10-feet where others it seems to be at 5-feet or just slightly over but not within the half a square qualifier. I would assume that everything within 10-feet would be impacted by the spell and not one side more than another. To me, this rule seems to lessen the potential of an AOE-related spell.
Now I could be misreading the rules or how I'm reading the grid. (I know hard to explain something that is a visual component of the game.)
Question:
Do you follow what is in the DMG? If not where do you place the center point of the AOE-related spell?
Or better yet how do you determine the placement of AOE-related spells?
If the text of the effect reads "a point" then I would place the point at an intersection as described in the DMG and the Sage Advice sections you reference. If the text of the effect reads "centered on you" as in Warding Wind, I would center the effect on the caster, and use my judgement to determine which squares were "at least half covered".
You place the point on a corner — an intersection of 4 squares, but not in any square. Since all spells have a radius in multiples of 5, and all squares are 5x5, there’s never a time when the effect covers only part of a square. Basically, even though the descriptions say x-radius sphere, in practice it become a cube where x is the length of a side. It gets a little wonky at the corners and probably covers more area than it should. However I treat it the same for PCs and enemies, so it ends up fair. I’ve never really worried about math, and I’ve got the transcripts to prove it.
Also, just pretty much ignore the vertical dimension, unless there’s something flying.
So a 10-foot radius would look like on a grid like
x x x x
x x x x
x x x x
x x x x
That looks like it has a 15’ side. A 10’ radius would be a 4x4 square.
Corrected. Thanks for pointing that out I added one too many X's.
So this point of view works both for a Sphere or a Cube on a grid.
I found this in Xanthar Guide: https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/xgte/dungeon-masters-tools#AreasofEffectonaGrid which I THINK lines up with what you said in your grid point of view.
For AoE centered on a point i use grid intersection, for those centered on you, i use squares starting adjacent treating any squares within X feet to be included wether its a cube or sphère.
I mean, drawing a circle with an actual or digital equivalent of compass isn't that cumbersome, you could even draw two circle and cut one in half for your Z axis.....
Are circular structures handled this way in your game too, or are towers and the like built at regular angles so spatial relations never involves pi?
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
Note that there are optional rules, that use 5-10-5 distances for diagonals, so the area covered in squares is more realistic than a 20ft x 20ft square.
So with those rules the shape would be.
. X X .
X X X X
X X X X
. X X .