Wall of Fire says that when the wall appears, creatures within its area receive damage (save for half damage). The wall is 1' thick, though, so only very very very small creatures would be "within its area". Later on, it says creatures who "enter" the wall receive damage. I'm somewhat confused. Does the "within its area" really mean "overlapping its area", or does it refer to the area enclosed when making a ringed wall? Does the "entering" the wall refer to "crossing through" it, or entering the ringed wall? At one point, I thought there were two separate sets of rules, one for straight walls (the 10' from one side) and one for ringed walls (creatures inside the ring receive damage), which would make ringed walls better, offensively (since all creatures inside the ring, not just those 10' from the wall, would take damage), but significantly worse, defensively, since you couldn't surround your party with a wall to prevent creatures from entering.
I'm leaning towards "entering" the wall meaning "entering a square where the wall is", and "within its area" meaning "overlapping its area". Am I reading that correctly?
Even though it is only 1 foot thick it is still, at least from my understanding, taking up the full 5 foot square. So any creature entering the wall would be entering that square, and ending its turn within the 10 foot space that the damaging side of the wall is facing would be considered within its area (or present in that 10 foot space at the time of casting).
Wall of Fire says that when the wall appears, creatures within its area receive damage (save for half damage). The wall is 1' thick, though, so only very very very small creatures would be "within its area". Later on, it says creatures who "enter" the wall receive damage. I'm somewhat confused. Does the "within its area" really mean "overlapping its area", or does it refer to the area enclosed when making a ringed wall?
The wall's area is the area where the wall is. You're inside that area if you're in the wall. If your space is overlapping the wall, you're inside of it.
Does the "entering" the wall refer to "crossing through" it, or entering the ringed wall?
"Entering" means what it usually means in English: you moved from being outside the wall to being inside of it.
Really, all the spell is saying is that if the fire was created on top of you, or you then move into the fire, you're going to get hurt.
Even though it is only 1 foot thick it is still, at least from my understanding, taking up the full 5 foot square.
If you choose to use a grid - which is completely optional - spells still occupy their usual space*. The wall isn't occupying the entire 5-foot square, but moving into a square where the wall is will cause you to enter it since you do occupy the entire square and you're then overlapping the wall.
* Unless the area is circular. The grid rules require circular areas to cover at least half the square to affect it.
Wall of Fire says that when the wall appears, creatures within its area receive damage (save for half damage). The wall is 1' thick, though, so only very very very small creatures would be "within its area". Later on, it says creatures who "enter" the wall receive damage. I'm somewhat confused. Does the "within its area" really mean "overlapping its area", or does it refer to the area enclosed when making a ringed wall?
The wall's area is the area where the wall is. You're inside that area if you're in the wall. If your space is overlapping the wall, you're inside of it.
Does the "entering" the wall refer to "crossing through" it, or entering the ringed wall?
"Entering" means what it usually means in English: you moved from being outside the wall to being inside of it.
Really, all the spell is saying is that if the fire was created on top of you, or you then move into the fire, you're going to get hurt
Gotcha. I guess I was confused because IIRC there are some spells which sorta behave differently based on options when you cast it (like Magic Circle being used to keep demons in or out, Animate Dead being used to create or maintain undead, etc.), so I wasn't sure whether I was reading two separate sets of rules (for straight walls, and for ringed walls), especially since the wall being 1' thick, you really are never "inside" its area completely.
Yeah, I can see where you were coming from. "Enters the area" is pretty standard verbiage for spells and Sage Advice clarifies what it means (since some spells let you move the area, confusing the matter further.)
Does moonbeam deal damage when you cast it? What about when its effect moves onto a creature?
The answer to both questions is no. Here’s some elaboration on that answer.
Some spells and other game features create an area of effect that does something when a creature enters that area for the first time on a turn or when a creature starts its turn in that area. On the turn when you cast such a spell, you’re primarily setting up hurt for your foes on later turns. Moonbeam, for example, creates a beam of light that can damage a creature who enters the beam or who starts its turn in the beam.
Here are some spells with the same timing as moonbeam for their areas of effect:
blade barrier
cloudkill
cloud of daggers
Evard’s black tentacles
forbiddance
moonbeam
sleet storm
spirit guardians
Reading the description of any of those spells, you might wonder whether a creature is considered to be entering the spell’s area of effect if the area is created on the creature’s space. And if the area of effect can be moved—as the beam of moonbeam can—does moving it into a creature’s space count as the creature entering the area? Our design intent for such spells is this: a creature enters the area of effect when the creature passes into it. Creating the area of effect on the creature or moving it onto the creature doesn’t count. If the creature is still in the area at the start of its turn, it is subjected to the area’s effect.
Entering such an area of effect needn’t be voluntary, unless a spell says otherwise. You can, therefore, hurl a creature into the area with a spell like thunderwave. We consider that clever play, not an imbalance, so hurl away! Keep in mind, however, that a creature is subjected to such an area of effect only the first time it enters the area on a turn. You can’t move a creature in and out of it to damage it over and over again on the same turn.
In summary, a spell like moonbeam affects a creature when the creature passes into the spell’s area of effect and when the creature starts its turn there. You’re essentially creating a hazard on the battlefield.
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Wall of Fire says that when the wall appears, creatures within its area receive damage (save for half damage). The wall is 1' thick, though, so only very very very small creatures would be "within its area". Later on, it says creatures who "enter" the wall receive damage. I'm somewhat confused. Does the "within its area" really mean "overlapping its area", or does it refer to the area enclosed when making a ringed wall? Does the "entering" the wall refer to "crossing through" it, or entering the ringed wall? At one point, I thought there were two separate sets of rules, one for straight walls (the 10' from one side) and one for ringed walls (creatures inside the ring receive damage), which would make ringed walls better, offensively (since all creatures inside the ring, not just those 10' from the wall, would take damage), but significantly worse, defensively, since you couldn't surround your party with a wall to prevent creatures from entering.
I'm leaning towards "entering" the wall meaning "entering a square where the wall is", and "within its area" meaning "overlapping its area". Am I reading that correctly?
Even though it is only 1 foot thick it is still, at least from my understanding, taking up the full 5 foot square. So any creature entering the wall would be entering that square, and ending its turn within the 10 foot space that the damaging side of the wall is facing would be considered within its area (or present in that 10 foot space at the time of casting).
The wall's area is the area where the wall is. You're inside that area if you're in the wall. If your space is overlapping the wall, you're inside of it.
"Entering" means what it usually means in English: you moved from being outside the wall to being inside of it.
Really, all the spell is saying is that if the fire was created on top of you, or you then move into the fire, you're going to get hurt.
If you choose to use a grid - which is completely optional - spells still occupy their usual space*. The wall isn't occupying the entire 5-foot square, but moving into a square where the wall is will cause you to enter it since you do occupy the entire square and you're then overlapping the wall.
* Unless the area is circular. The grid rules require circular areas to cover at least half the square to affect it.
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Gotcha. I guess I was confused because IIRC there are some spells which sorta behave differently based on options when you cast it (like Magic Circle being used to keep demons in or out, Animate Dead being used to create or maintain undead, etc.), so I wasn't sure whether I was reading two separate sets of rules (for straight walls, and for ringed walls), especially since the wall being 1' thick, you really are never "inside" its area completely.
Yeah, I can see where you were coming from. "Enters the area" is pretty standard verbiage for spells and Sage Advice clarifies what it means (since some spells let you move the area, confusing the matter further.)
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