Croat-guy's page

So, to sum:

RE: Swarms.
Web is only superficially similar to spider-web, and it's size is meant to entrap medium creatures and not fine creatures. Therefore, swarms are legitimately immune to the web effect. While I understand and sympathize, what of the spell Entangle? Should swarms be vulnerable to vines and grass? Personally, I'm more inclined to side with Azhrei's reasoning, yet allowing that logic may open the door to more broken situations mentioned by Warforged Gardener. A difficult call, indeed. I believe the final DM call was to say that in the specific case of swarm + web, the grappled condition applies.

RE: Line of effect.
Vision impairment does not effect the accuracy of area-of-affect spells. Blind players may select a square and reliably be able to cast that spell in that square. I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that mechanic. I agree that it is the proper way the rules should be understood, but it doesn't sit well with me. There just seems to be something wrong with a blind wizard being able to accurately cast fireball.

Though, I suppose at that point you must simply keep a close eye on metagaming. Although the blind wizard may be able to cast fireball accurately, the character should not have any knowledge of where enemies may be - despite the player knowing full well. A difficult balancing act when only one party member is blind.

The discussion was prompted by an ambush with a spell caster Drow hiding in the trees. Round one, Summon Swarm (hence the Web dispute); round two, obscuring mist; round three, Fire Storm hitting one group inside the mist, another outside. Though, I believe the group inside the mist didn't move during round 2, so it's conceivable that the Drow simply cast where s/he last saw the group. Confusion was had all-around, and the DM believed he was in the wrong and apologized. Apparently, the apology was unnecessary.

That is the consensus?

Ex-Druid (deceased), temporary Monk (deceased) and current Shadow Assassin from Polish-Jack's group in this thread.

So the other night me and my fellow adventurers were minding our own business when we were suddenly and inexplicably assailed by swarms - wasps to be specific. Neat. The clever history-major (a wizard) cast Web (Core: 368). Our intrepid English-major DM, however, ruled that Web is a grappling effect, and that the swarm subtype is immune to grapple effects (Beastiary: 312-3). Therefore, the swarms of wasps were unaffected by the web. Further, the spell Entangle (Core: 278) does affect swarms. The group consensus was confusion at the concept of insects being immune to webbing, but vulnerable to vines and grass.

What say thee, venerable rules-lawyers of Paizo forums?

ps. We still haven't resolved the Hide in Plain Sight issue.

pps. There was another minor dispute between myself and the ex-DM local ruleslawyer (a cleric). If this isn't resolved it may come down to fist-fighting, and I'm not a very strong person. So please, for my sake, resolve our dispute: The rules state that in order to cast an area-effect spell, you must have a clear line of effect to the point of origin. However, "line of effect," by definition (Core: 215), "[is] not blocked by fog, darkness, and other factors that limit normal sight." So which is it? Does "clear" imply no fog? Or can you cast a fireball into darkness/fog/etc? Further, what are the implications for casting as a blind person? It seems nonsensical to be able to cast a point-of-origin spell to a specific location if you're blind. Yet, as per the rules, this seems allowable (this is particularly relevant because his character is blind past 60ft). Is there another section we've missed?

ppps. Shadow Assassin is pretty cool, albeit underwhelming in the damage department.

Well this guy is obviously an english major since he can't do math.

Within 10 feet of a shadow is not the same as being in 10 feet of shadow.

Heck even a philosophy major could have explained that.

A poly sci major would have recongized the majority opinion here and accepted defeat (or changed position with his constituents).

/cough

Either you're a memeber of our party and you're f#!&in' with me, or English, Philosophy and Poli Sci are notorious for being closely linked:

DM is a double major in English and Political Science.
I'm a double major in Political Science and Philosophy.

Ergo, we play during our collective janitorial night shifts.

Ps... I did roll a Shadow Assassin, alas they do not have HiPS - it clearly states I must be within dim light. (Ambiguous, get it?)

(Former) Druid from Polish-Jack's group here.

Not to be critical of the Paizo forum support but... Everyone's favourite English-Major DM read this thread, flew in to an unstoppable DM rage and vindictively killed my character! See what your forum-hate hath wrought?! The blood of the innocent PC is on your hands! For-shame!

I'm thinkin' of rollin' Shadow Assassin next.