AOE spells on large+ creatures

[Ishmell]

As far as I understand it an aoe spell (lets say fireball) that hits a group of creatures is going to do the same amount of damage to a medium creature (occupying 1 square) and a large creature (occupying 4 squares). Even though the large creature would be hit by 4x as much of the fireball as the medium creature.

I understand why this is as far as mechanics and balance goes, but how do you explain this in the way of flavor.

[Rickmeister]

Explosion + brace for impact?

[Skylancer4]

Most creatures don't actually take up 4 full squares of the grid, just like a medium creature doesn't take up a full square. Grid squares are approximations dealing with numerous factors and not always indicative of actual size.

[HaraldKlak]

Being fully engulfed in fire is equally bad no matter how big you are.

For example: Throw me into a burning house, and it is going hurt pretty much. Throw a cat into the same house, and I am certain it is going to hurt just as much.

I think the reverse is much more difficult to explain flavor-wise. The gargantuan dragon, where you hit the tip of its tail with the fireball takes as much damage as the human engulfed in flames.

[jerrys]

it takes a longer time to cook a 20 lb turkey than a 10 lb turkey.

heat transfer is like the surface area (r-squared); heat capacity / hit points is like volume/mass (r-cubed). so a larger creature takes longer to cook in the same sized fireball. He takes more damage total, but relative to his size/mass it's less damage.

(aww yeah, i just busted out the "cow is a sphere")