Placing a Wall of Fire

[0-hr]

When you cast a wall of fire, how exactly is the sheet of flame placed? Is it like a "line" spell, or could it run down the middle of a row of squares (as opposed along the edge of the squares)?

Assuing that you want to place it aligned with the grid (ie. perfectly East-West) then there is a problem either way. If you place it down the middle of the squares, then it's hard to tell who is 10 ft. away (which is important for damage) because that 10 ft. line also runs through the middle of a row. But if you place it on the edge (like with other distance-critical spells), then you can't place it over medium sized creatures (which is important for causing damage).

Wall of Fire
Evocation [Fire]

Level: Drd 5, Fire 4, Sor/Wiz 4

Components: V, S, M/DF

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)

Effect: Opaque sheet of flame up to 20 ft. long/level or a ring of fire with a radius of up to 5 ft. per two levels; either form 20 ft. high

Duration: Concentration + 1 round/level

Saving Throw: None

Spell Resistance: Yes
An immobile, blazing curtain of shimmering violet fire springs into existence. One side of the wall, selected by you, sends forth waves of heat, dealing 2d4 points of fire damage to creatures within 10 feet and 1d4 points of fire damage to those past 10 feet but within 20 feet. The wall deals this damage when it appears and on your turn each round to all creatures in the area. In addition, the wall deals 2d6 points of fire damage +1 point of fire damage per caster level (maximum +20) to any creature passing through it. The wall deals double damage to undead creatures.

If you evoke the wall so that it appears where creatures are, each creature takes damage as if passing through the wall.

 

[pawsplay]

It has no stated thickness. Theoretically, it could be placed in the middle of a square, but for the reasons you have already observed, it's generally best to make the wall the boundary of the squares.

 

[Vegepygmy]

If you place it down the middle of the squares, then it's hard to tell who is 10 ft. away (which is important for damage) because that 10 ft. line also runs through the middle of a row.

PHB, page 175: "When determining whether a given creature is within the area of a spell, count out the distance from the point of origin in squares just as you do when moving a character or when determining the range for a ranged attack. The only difference is that instead of counting from the center of one square to the center of the next, you count from intersection to intersection. You can count diagonally across a square, but remember that every second diagonal counts as 2 squares of distance. If the far edge of a square is within the spell’s area, anything within that square is within the spell’s area. If the spell’s area only touches the near edge of a square, however, anything within that square is unaffected by the spell."

 

[frankthedm]

I've pondered this one too! IF the Wall of fire has to conform to the grid then you'll only catch large and bigger creatures.

And then determining how the line clings to the grid is a problem too.

A guess... Not RAW...

 

[0-hr]

instead of counting from the center of one square to the center of the next, you count from intersection to intersection. ."

I can see that the spell point of origin has to be an intersection.
But if the wall is placed at an odd angle across several squares which intersections do you start counting from to determine who is burned? If you start from an intersection on the hot side of the wall, you are going to burn more bad guys than if you have to start counting from an intersection on the cool side.

I guess I'll go with counting from the hot intersection closest to the part of the wall that is closest to the square in question. That may end up in an extra square being burned, but at least it will be consistent.

 

[0-hr]

Another option might be to say that I wall right down the line between two rows counts as being in BOTH rows. So a medium in creature in either row, or a large one straddling the line, would count as IN the wall.

For a line spell (like lighting bolt), if you cast it right along the grid line, it affects creatures in the rows on either side right?

 

[cmanos]

Totally disregard the grid. Place it anywhere you want. Take your handy dandy tape measure, and measure out 2" and 4". If a model is more than half within the 2", it takes 2d4 damage. If the model is less than half within 2" or more than half within 4" they take 1d4 damage.

 

[frankthedm]

Totally disregard the grid. Place it anywhere you want. Take your handy dandy tape measure, and measure out 2" and 4". If a model is more than half within the 2", it takes 2d4 damage. If the model is less than half within 2" or more than half within 4" they take 1d4 damage.

That works fine for us who don't use the grid, but for a lot of folks, "Just Measure" won't cut the mustard. Especially in discusions on how the grid based combat rules actually work on the subject.

 

[frankthedm]

Another option might be to say that I wall right down the line between two rows counts as being in BOTH rows. So a medium in creature in either row, or a large one straddling the line, would count as IN the wall.

For a line spell (like lighting bolt), if you cast it right along the grid line, it affects creatures in the rows on either side right?

No, a line has to pass through a square to affect it.

So perhaps it would look like this...

img96.imageshack.us/img96/8063/firewallmk3.gif

 

[Ltheb Silverfrond]

Here's a question: It says a 'sheet' of fire. It doesn't say clearly that this 'sheet' has to be in a straight line. So could one make a wave-length-like pattern across the battlefield? That would make the best use of this spell a spiral, with the <whatever> in the center. Anything trying to get in, or out, has to either spend many turns walking between the spirals, taking heat damage, or run through the wall's' of fire.