Sunbeam

[rvalle]

How long does the blindness last on a creature effected by a Sunbeam spell?

Right now I'm thinking its one round per level but the spell description is unclear.

Sunbeam
Evocation [Light]
Level: Drd 7, Sun 7
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 60 ft.
Area: Line from your hand
Duration: 1 round/level or until all beams are exhausted
Saving Throw: Reflex negates and Reflex half; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes

For the duration of this spell, you can use a standard action to evoke a dazzling beam of intense light each round. You can call forth one beam per three caster levels (maximum six beams at 18th level). The spell ends when its duration runs out or your allotment of beams is exhausted.

Each creature in the beam is blinded and takes 4d6 points of damage. Any creatures to which sunlight is harmful or unnatural take double damage. A successful Reflex save negates the blindness and reduces the damage by half.

An undead creature caught within the beam takes 1d6 points of damage per caster level (maximum 20d6), or half damage if a Reflex save is successful. In addition, the beam results in the destruction of any undead creature specifically harmed by bright light if it fails its save.

The ultraviolet light generated by the spell deals damage to fungi, mold, oozes, and slimes just as if they were undead creatures.

 

[Cabled]

Well, given that the 2nd/3rd level spell Blindness/Deafness is *pemanent* until healed, that doesn't seem beyond the scope of this 7th level spell, and that's how I do it. But you're right, it is ambiguous and if you feel that's too harsh, I can see where a reading could lead you to 1 rnd per level, though the spell description seems to indicate the 1 rnd/level duration has more to do with how many sunbeams you can fire over one casting of the spell.

 

[Infiniti2000]

It's not clear, but strictly speaking if the blindness is not permanent then you must use the logic under when the "spell ends". That means that further along in the spell, the blindness lasts a shorter amount of time (it is not always 1R/L, it becomes 1R/L minus the current duration of the spell). Thus, I rule that it's permanent, which is not an unreasonable side effect of such a high level spell.

 

[rvalle]

Yes... I had those thoughts as well. My only (minor) issue was that its an area effect spell. That thing is brutal vs Giants.

Not that being blinded for 13+ rounds doesn't pretty much mean a death sentence anyway.


Thanks for the input.

rv

 

[Darklone]

Same here about the normal blindness spell... no problem in D&D with permanent blindness.

 

[shilsen]

no problem in D&D with permanent blindness.

Not for the blinder, that is. For the blindee, there's a whole lot of problems

 

[Darklone]

Not for the blinder, that is. For the blindee, there's a whole lot of problems

Not if you're a wizard with a wand of fireballs. Then only your buddies have problems too

Boom! Boom! Boom! Ouch, where did that arrow come from? Boom!

 

[rvalle]

Not if you're a wizard with a wand of fireballs. Then only your buddies have problems too

Boom! Boom! Boom! Ouch, where did that arrow come from? Boom!

While humorous and fun to imagine, I don't think this would work. Don't you have to have a line of effect to the target location? 100% concealment would break that.

You could try to just toss them out as far as they will go (maybe) and hope they hit a bad guy before they hit max range though that would create some rules issues itself.



There is a strange duality in spells like this. They are a MAJOR hinderance to many, many bad guys that have no caster levels. But a minor annoyance to the party with, usually, many caster levels.

rv

 

[Meeki]

While humorous and fun to imagine, I don't think this would work. Don't you have to have a line of effect to the target location? 100% concealment would break that.

You could try to just toss them out as far as they will go (maybe) and hope they hit a bad guy before they hit max range though that would create some rules issues itself.



There is a strange duality in spells like this. They are a MAJOR hinderance to many, many bad guys that have no caster levels. But a minor annoyance to the party with, usually, many caster levels.

rv

GOSH such a party pooper.. FINE we'll go with archmage with shapable spell and just enlarge fireball on top of him leaving his own square out. There that should be better!

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

While humorous and fun to imagine, I don't think this would work. Don't you have to have a line of effect to the target location? 100% concealment would break that.

You could try to just toss them out as far as they will go (maybe) and hope they hit a bad guy before they hit max range though that would create some rules issues itself.



There is a strange duality in spells like this. They are a MAJOR hinderance to many, many bad guys that have no caster levels. But a minor annoyance to the party with, usually, many caster levels.

rv

Line of Effect is not Line of Sight. Line of Effect is broken by a wall of glass, Line of Sight is broken by dense fog.