Lightning Lure can affect a creature up to 15 feet away, and usually pulls them up to 10 feet toward you. Let's assume you start off facing directly toward the creature, for illustrative purposes: if you make use of the maximum range on both counts, that means they end up right in your face (and they take damage). But what if...
1. The creature starts 15 feet away, and you try to pull it less than 10 feet?
It moves however far you pull it, and takes no damage. This one's not actually in question.
2. The creature starts 10 feet away, and you try to pull it 10 feet?
The first 5 feet of forced movement puts it in front of you. Can you use the remaining 5 feet to move it one more square (if playing on a grid, etc.) so it ends up at your side? The creature would still end up adjacent (next to you), and take damage.
This would require you to alter the direction of the movement, so RAW ("in a straight line") says no.
RAI depends on your interpretation of Lightning Lure: you might be able to pull this sort of move off with a lasso, but probably not with electromagnetism.
3. The creature starts 5 feet away, and you pull it 10 feet?
Similar to #2. Can you pull the creature past yourself by performing a timely sidestep? We're back to moving the target entirely along a straight line. The creature would still end up adjacent (behind you), and take damage.
My interpretation of RAW says yes: "in a straight line toward you" doesn't preclude the line extending past you.
I'm not sure about RAI, but I don't see why not.
4. The creature starts anywhere in the range, and another effect increases the forced movement?
Like #3, but more. In this case, you would be pulling the creature past yourself a more significant distance. The additional question this poses is whether or not it takes damage.
RAW clearly says no: the creature is pulled, "and then" you check distance to see if the damage applies.
I think RAI is a yes, though: the creature still closes the distance between you, so it should get zapped... and then it keeps going. Nothing in the wording of the spell implies that you need to touch the creature to deal the damage, so there's no reason it shouldn't work when you dodge out of the way of the flying goblin.
All of the above assumes medium or smaller creatures. If either you or the target is larger, you need to pull it farther so it can clear your space... Unless something allows the two of you to share a space, in which case I guess you just do that.
Lightning Lure can affect a creature up to 15 feet away, and usually pulls them up to 10 feet toward you. Let's assume you start off facing directly toward the creature, for illustrative purposes: if you make use of the maximum range on both counts, that means they end up right in your face (and they take damage). But what if...
1. The creature starts 15 feet away, and you try to pull it less than 10 feet?
2. The creature starts 10 feet away, and you try to pull it 10 feet?
3. The creature starts 5 feet away, and you pull it 10 feet?
4. The creature starts anywhere in the range, and another effect increases the forced movement?
What's your take, and what does it break?
My take is that every 5 feet square/space the target is pulled into must be closer to you in a straight line toward you. So once the pulled target gets within 5 feet of you, no distance can be legally pulled it further towards you, and other square/space around cannot be pulled into at this point.
1. The creature is 15 feet away, gets pulled 5 feet and ends up 10 feet of you and doesn't take lightning damage.
2. The creature is 10 feet away, gets pulled 5 feet and ends up 5 feet of you and take lightning damage. (the last 5 feet isn't legal pull)
3. The creature is 5 feet away, gets pulled 0 feet and ends up 5 feet of you and take lightning damage. (the 10 feet isn't legal pull, nor is required to damage)
4. If the creature is witnin 15 feet of you, gets pulled up to 10 feet toward you and ends up within 5 feet of you, it should take lightning damage. (any greater distance isn't legal pull, and ending within 5 feet of you is required to damage)
4. The creature starts anywhere in the range, and another effect increases the forced movement?
4. If the creature is witnin 15 feet of you, gets pulled up to 10 feet toward you and ends up within 5 feet of you, it should take lightning damage. (any greater distance isn't legal pull, and ending within 5 feet of you is required to damage)
For #4, I'm saying the creature starts within the legal 15-foot range, but you're able to force e.g. 30 feet of movement (through an additional effect).
That said, I know from your interpretation of #3 that you wouldn't allow it.
For #4, I'm saying the creature starts within the legal 15-foot range, but you're able to force e.g. 30 feet of movement (through an additional effect).That said, I know from your interpretation of #3 that you wouldn't allow it.
How exactly would you increase the pull distance?
You guessed right on what would be my interpretation once the target gets within 5 feet, additional movement isn't one pulled towards you anymore.
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Lightning Lure can affect a creature up to 15 feet away, and usually pulls them up to 10 feet toward you. Let's assume you start off facing directly toward the creature, for illustrative purposes: if you make use of the maximum range on both counts, that means they end up right in your face (and they take damage). But what if...
1. The creature starts 15 feet away, and you try to pull it less than 10 feet?
It moves however far you pull it, and takes no damage. This one's not actually in question.
2. The creature starts 10 feet away, and you try to pull it 10 feet?
The first 5 feet of forced movement puts it in front of you. Can you use the remaining 5 feet to move it one more square (if playing on a grid, etc.) so it ends up at your side? The creature would still end up adjacent (next to you), and take damage.
This would require you to alter the direction of the movement, so RAW ("in a straight line") says no.
RAI depends on your interpretation of Lightning Lure: you might be able to pull this sort of move off with a lasso, but probably not with electromagnetism.
3. The creature starts 5 feet away, and you pull it 10 feet?
Similar to #2. Can you pull the creature past yourself by performing a timely sidestep? We're back to moving the target entirely along a straight line. The creature would still end up adjacent (behind you), and take damage.
My interpretation of RAW says yes: "in a straight line toward you" doesn't preclude the line extending past you.
I'm not sure about RAI, but I don't see why not.
4. The creature starts anywhere in the range, and another effect increases the forced movement?
Like #3, but more. In this case, you would be pulling the creature past yourself a more significant distance. The additional question this poses is whether or not it takes damage.
RAW clearly says no: the creature is pulled, "and then" you check distance to see if the damage applies.
I think RAI is a yes, though: the creature still closes the distance between you, so it should get zapped... and then it keeps going. Nothing in the wording of the spell implies that you need to touch the creature to deal the damage, so there's no reason it shouldn't work when you dodge out of the way of the flying goblin.
All of the above assumes medium or smaller creatures. If either you or the target is larger, you need to pull it farther so it can clear your space... Unless something allows the two of you to share a space, in which case I guess you just do that.
What's your take, and what does it break?
My take is that every 5 feet square/space the target is pulled into must be closer to you in a straight line toward you. So once the pulled target gets within 5 feet of you, no distance can be legally pulled it further towards you, and other square/space around cannot be pulled into at this point.
1. The creature is 15 feet away, gets pulled 5 feet and ends up 10 feet of you and doesn't take lightning damage.
2. The creature is 10 feet away, gets pulled 5 feet and ends up 5 feet of you and take lightning damage. (the last 5 feet isn't legal pull)
3. The creature is 5 feet away, gets pulled 0 feet and ends up 5 feet of you and take lightning damage. (the 10 feet isn't legal pull, nor is required to damage)
4. If the creature is witnin 15 feet of you, gets pulled up to 10 feet toward you and ends up within 5 feet of you, it should take lightning damage. (any greater distance isn't legal pull, and ending within 5 feet of you is required to damage)
For #4, I'm saying the creature starts within the legal 15-foot range, but you're able to force e.g. 30 feet of movement (through an additional effect).
That said, I know from your interpretation of #3 that you wouldn't allow it.
How exactly would you increase the pull distance?
You guessed right on what would be my interpretation once the target gets within 5 feet, additional movement isn't one pulled towards you anymore.