How exactly does a horn of fog work? The item description reads as follows:
"This small bugle allows its possessor to blow forth a thick cloud of heavy fog similar to that of an obscuring mist spell. The fog covers a 10-foot square next to the horn blower each round that the user continues to blow the horn; fog clouds travel 10 feet each round in a straight line from the emanation point unless blocked by something substantial such as a wall." (And then there's just some more descriptive stuff and clauses irrelevant to my question) (DMG 259)
I'm getting several possible readings from this.
1: The horn makes a square of fog, which then slowly rolls across the map at 10 feet per round in a straight line so long as the character continues to blow. (Or does it move regardless of the blowing of the horn?)
2: The fog spreads around the horn blower in all directions equally at a rate of 10 feet per round (Thus, the cloud has a 10-foot radius on the first round, a 20-foot radius on the second, 30 on the third, and so on).
3: The horn creates a 10-foot square of fog that slowly moves across the field at 10 feet per round, as in reading 1, but it creates a separate 10-foot square each round it is blown, originating in an adjacent 10-foot square of the caster's choice and heading off in a direction of the caster's choice, resulting in several 10-foot fog clouds slowly wandering around in various directions.
I think reading 3 is correct, but I think I like reading 2 more. Some insight, please?
I think reading 3 is correct, but I think I like reading 2 more. Some insight, please?
After reading the horn's listing a couple of times your 3rd description seems the right one. I can see where that'd also be easier to track on a battlemat since you'd just need a 10'sq movable token for each cloud you create instead of redrawing the fog cover each round.
That said, it would make for an easy enough swap-out to make it do what your 2nd description would. I like that effect: more of a fog machine, less a fog "gun".
- Chris Shadowens
...fog clouds travel 10 feet each round...
Right there's what puts the finger on #3 for me. Which pretty much makes the item sort of lame, at least visually. Suddenly you go from blowing a horn and making some eerie mist cloud up the field to being the little engine that could or something. *puff puff puff*
Rewrite it Saern. Make it cool again.
Yes, Xellan, yes I will! ... when I get the time....
I would use reading number three.
And thanks for setting up this thread and answering a question that would have eventually come up in our game. :-)
-Roth
I would use reading number three.
And thanks for setting up this thread and answering a question that would have eventually come up in our game. :-)
-Roth
Can you play it as a regular instrument?
Can you play it as a regular instrument?
My two cents: You can try, but it will still only make "a deep, foghorn-like noise".
Not sure it's worth bumping a 4-year-old thread for that, but what the hey. :-)