Question: Sorcerer Starsoul Bloodline Power - Minute Meteors

[DarkFlite]

Area is listed as 5' across by 30' high, range 30'.

This seems like a large area at first glance, but it really comes down to a single target doesn't it? (Assuming you can't line up one or more flying targets, which seems unlikely but not impossible.)

Unless I'm reading it wrong - a 5' width is a single square, not 4 squares (a 5'square could cover the center of 4 map squares) or 9 squares (with a 5' radius effect.)

The potential for setting your roof aflame makes this an annoying attack considering its the most potent offensive ability at low levels.

[fdnickerson]

The point of origin is always measured from a grid intersection, so in this case it would touch 4 squares.

[HaraldKlak]

Actually the range and area doesn't really make any sense..

Range wrote:

a spell's range is the maximum distance from you that the spell's effect can occur, as well as the maximum distance at which you can designate the spell's point of origin. If any portion of the spell's area would extend beyond this range, that area is wasted.

So with a range og 30 ft (which cannot increase), the only way you can utilize the full area of the spell, is casting it directly above yourself (or below if flying).

As soon as you cast it at range, the area of effect is going to be significantly smaller. At 30 ft even, it is only going to be a single square that is affected.

For the size of the thing, I read the "5-foot column" as meaning a single square. There is no clear proof, but I think there have to be a reason for an entirely different wording than just a 5-ft radius cylinder, which is the normal game term for that effect.

[mdt]

I think the intent was for it to be a 6 square line.

5 feet across is an odd measurement, it isn't the normal way a spell is marked for area. Usually it's 'one 5 ft square' or '20 foot diameter'.

I had actually imagined this ability as the ability to summon meteors into the 5ft square next to you, and in a line out 30 ft, and that the meteors started 30 ft up. So, the area would be 5 ft by 30 ft by 30 ft.

So theoretically, you could hit 1 x 6 x 6 = 36 squares (although most of them would be in the air).

0000000000
00X******0
0000000000

So, in the above, X is the sorcerer, and * is the squares he affected (looking down from above).

0000000000
000******0
000******0
000******0
000******0
000******0
00X******0
==========

In the above, X is the sorcerer, * are the squares he affected, and = is the ground. This is the side view.

[jlighter]

SRD wrote:

Minute Meteors (Sp): At 1st level, you can summon a rain of tiny meteorites as a standard action to fall in a 5-foot column, 30 feet high, with a range of 30 feet. The meteors inflict 1d4 points of fire damage + 1 per 2 sorcerer levels. A Reflex save negates this damage. The save DC is equal to 10 + 1/2 your sorcerer level + your Charisma modifier. You may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier.

I'm not seeing any justification for it covering an area of 5x30x30 in a vertical plane. Sorry, mdt. It specifically calls out a column being the shape of the effect. "A 5-foot column" is odd wording, though. Based on the wording, I'm only seeing two ways to interpret it:

A column 30 ft. high, placed anywhere in a 30 ft. radius from the Sorcerer, with a 5 ft. diameter.

A column 30 ft. high, placed anywhere in a 30 ft. radius from the Sorcerer, with a 5 ft. radius.

The end question being, do the meteorites impact 4 squares or 1 square? 9 squares isn't an option. Radius effects appear to always be based on targeting a grid intersection unless otherwise specified, as with the Cleric's Channel Energy ability, a Splash Weapon, or a Light spell (radius centered on object). I'd tend to think it only impacts one square, given that the word radius is not specifically called out, but I could be convinced of 4 squares.

[mdt]

jlighter wrote:

SRD wrote:

Minute Meteors (Sp): At 1st level, you can summon a rain of tiny meteorites as a standard action to fall in a 5-foot column, 30 feet high, with a range of 30 feet. The meteors inflict 1d4 points of fire damage + 1 per 2 sorcerer levels. A Reflex save negates this damage. The save DC is equal to 10 + 1/2 your sorcerer level + your Charisma modifier. You may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier.

I'm not seeing any justification for it covering an area of 5x30x30 in a vertical plane. Sorry, mdt. It specifically calls out a column being the shape of the effect. "A 5-foot column" is odd wording, though. Based on the wording, I'm only seeing two ways to interpret it:

A column 30 ft. high, placed anywhere in a 30 ft. radius from the Sorcerer, with a 5 ft. diameter.

A column 30 ft. high, placed anywhere in a 30 ft. radius from the Sorcerer, with a 5 ft. radius.

The end question being, do the meteorites impact 4 squares or 1 square? 9 squares isn't an option. Radius effects appear to always be based on targeting a grid intersection unless otherwise specified, as with the Cleric's Channel Energy ability, a Splash Weapon, or a Light spell (radius centered on object). I'd tend to think it only impacts one square, given that the word radius is not specifically called out, but I could be convinced of 4 squares.

Huh,

That's what happens when you don't go recheck the ability and answer from memory. :) I skimmed them all, and thought it was a wierd ability at the time, guess I just remembered it wrong.

Having reread it, I'd go with option A. It affects one 5 ft square and has a 30 ft high column. Not sure about targeting it on an intersection, short of Dev response, I'd say it's up to the GM.

Having said that, I remember a spell in 3.5 that was bascially the same, it dropped stones in a 5 foot area. I had players targeting intersections to get 4 squares, and I gave the NPCs a bonus on their saves if this was done, since the spell wasn't affecting the entire 5 foot square they were in.

[fdnickerson]

jlighter wrote:

The end question being, do the meteorites impact 4 squares or 1 square? 9 squares isn't an option. Radius effects appear to always be based on targeting a grid intersection unless otherwise specified, as with the Cleric's Channel Energy ability, a Splash Weapon, or a Light spell (radius centered on object). I'd tend to think it only impacts one square, given that the word radius is not specifically called out, but I could be convinced of 4 squares.

I have always assumed that the "column" in the wording described a cylinder since thats the spell area that most closely resembles the effect described.

SRD wrote:

When casting a cylinder-shaped spell, you select the spell’s point of origin. This point is the center of a horizontal circle, and the spell shoots down from the circle, filling a cylinder. A cylinder-shaped spell ignores any obstructions within its area.

From this I've been assuming that you use the spell area diagram of a 5 ft radius circle centered on an intersection. Of course, the only reason I've been assuming a five foot radius instead of a five foot diameter is that spell areas are generally measured in radii.

[Thurazor]

To my understanding, this would be great to target a Horse and Rider (or Goblin Dog and Goblin, etc...) Unless you are looking to ask your enemies to stand on each other's heads and then blast them.

[Gobo Horde]

Easy, you just lay down with your feet against the wall and you blast all the enemies in a line! Its akin to standing on your head and the celing becomes the floor :D

[Gobo Horde]

Now that just got me thinking about the reverse gravity spell XS

[DrDeth]

It's a single square, unless you happen to have targets above or below on the vertical. Once you read the other sorc bloodline powers, and or the wiz powers, it becomes obvious.

But it can;t hurt to FAQ this.