Shouldn't your point of origin be a 5ft tile, rather than being on the lines? I feel like since each tile is usually 5ft, then 15ft would be three tiles in front of you, otherwise how could you got someone 5ft away?
By definition, when playing on a grid, you snap AOEs to grid intersections, not grid spaces, but Xanathar's has alternate AOE rules for grids. You might find the token method more intuitive.
To argue the shape of a cone from the diagonal, um, use math. A cone of length 2 diagonals away from you is two diagonals wide. There's a little estimation at the end, but here is what I came up with. It's a nice color coded chart :D
(I don't know why it won't let me attach the image. But here is the link):
I think "use math" works the same whether you are on a diagonal or not or anywhere between. But actually using math at the table would slow down the gameplay so much that it would make cone spells atrocious to use. I'd argue that if you want to "use math" then you do it by making some sort of readable/usable template and just apply that.
Wysperra, I hadn't noticed this until when this topic came back up, but your hex examples all assume points of origin as an entire hex, rather than intersections. It make for some quite wonky circular spells. Your 5' radius spell has a 15' diameter and hits 7 spaces instead of 4, as we'd expect in squares. Shouldn't the points of origin be at vertices (meaning a 5' radius only hits a triangle of 3 spaces in hex land)?
I think you don't need to think so hard even if you are using squares you simply make a triangle, mechanically even if the lines of the cone are drawn through middles of the squares the spell will still effect the entity so in my opinion a 15 feet cone should be like 5, 15, 25 as in increase in width for every 5 feet away from the point of origin.
Pretty sure cones would have to work in one of these ways if you're going for RAW. Bottom line is that a 30 foot cone would cover an area of 21 squares in a vague triangular shape. The problem with the 90deg cone is it really cuts into the forward range but as long as you only cover 21 squares I would rule as legal. So the player has the choice of narrow and long or wide and short. I have seen players try to go 90 degrees and 6 diagonal intersections which is just too much area.
The diagonal cones that look like 90 degree shapes are not in line with RAW. These shapes do not satisfy the requirement of having the same cone width as the distance from the origin point.
A more accurate attempt would be something like this (pointing northeast, affected squares marked by X):
The diagonal cones that look like 90 degree shapes are not in line with RAW.
You're right. According to the cone description from PHB, the triangle should be almost equilateral, so a 60-degree angle is a more accurate representation, as far as I understand.
For me, one of best representation is the one proposed by @Seventhguest on this page.
Based on if the length of how far the cone is out (30ft) i have found that the cone at the end reaches a height of 80ft and the sides equal 57ft (thank trigonometry it actually useful)
Based on if the length of how far the cone is out (30ft) i have found that the cone at the end reaches a height of 80ft and the sides equal 57ft (thank trigonometry it actually useful)
Could you provide me with how you obtained those values?
As far as I understand, a 30 feet cone at the end has a diameter of 30 feet (or a radius of 15 feet), so the height should also be 30 feet, right?
Based on if the length of how far the cone is out (30ft) i have found that the cone at the end reaches a height of 80ft and the sides equal 57ft (thank trigonometry it actually useful)
Could you provide me with how you obtained those values?
As far as I understand, a 30 feet cone at the end has a diameter of 30 feet (or a radius of 15 feet), so the height should also be 30 feet, right?
By definition, when playing on a grid, you snap AOEs to grid intersections, not grid spaces, but Xanathar's has alternate AOE rules for grids. You might find the token method more intuitive.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
To argue the shape of a cone from the diagonal, um, use math. A cone of length 2 diagonals away from you is two diagonals wide. There's a little estimation at the end, but here is what I came up with. It's a nice color coded chart :D
(I don't know why it won't let me attach the image. But here is the link):
Diagonal Cone Spell Area
What about non-diagonal?
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
I think "use math" works the same whether you are on a diagonal or not or anywhere between. But actually using math at the table would slow down the gameplay so much that it would make cone spells atrocious to use. I'd argue that if you want to "use math" then you do it by making some sort of readable/usable template and just apply that.
Wysperra, I hadn't noticed this until when this topic came back up, but your hex examples all assume points of origin as an entire hex, rather than intersections. It make for some quite wonky circular spells. Your 5' radius spell has a 15' diameter and hits 7 spaces instead of 4, as we'd expect in squares. Shouldn't the points of origin be at vertices (meaning a 5' radius only hits a triangle of 3 spaces in hex land)?
“Orthogonal”
That or gridless
I think you don't need to think so hard even if you are using squares you simply make a triangle, mechanically even if the lines of the cone are drawn through middles of the squares the spell will still effect the entity so in my opinion a 15 feet cone should be like 5, 15, 25 as in increase in width for every 5 feet away from the point of origin.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/z8qty9FDMFVzxht16
Pretty sure cones would have to work in one of these ways if you're going for RAW. Bottom line is that a 30 foot cone would cover an area of 21 squares in a vague triangular shape. The problem with the 90deg cone is it really cuts into the forward range but as long as you only cover 21 squares I would rule as legal. So the player has the choice of narrow and long or wide and short. I have seen players try to go 90 degrees and 6 diagonal intersections which is just too much area.
The diagonal cones that look like 90 degree shapes are not in line with RAW. These shapes do not satisfy the requirement of having the same cone width as the distance from the origin point.
A more accurate attempt would be something like this (pointing northeast, affected squares marked by X):
OOXOOO
OOXXOO
OXXXXO
XXXXXX
XXXXXX
XXOOOO
You're right. According to the cone description from PHB, the triangle should be almost equilateral, so a 60-degree angle is a more accurate representation, as far as I understand.
For me, one of best representation is the one proposed by @Seventhguest on this page.
Based on if the length of how far the cone is out (30ft) i have found that the cone at the end reaches a height of 80ft and the sides equal 57ft (thank trigonometry it actually useful)
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
Cubes are missing from your diagram. What does a 10' cube look like in hexes?
It looks like a rhombus - a tilted square/diamond
Could you provide me with how you obtained those values?
As far as I understand, a 30 feet cone at the end has a diameter of 30 feet (or a radius of 15 feet), so the height should also be 30 feet, right?
I’m guessing trig wasn’t their best subject.
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