Wall of Ice placement

[Nalz]

Hello all,

We were playing the Skull and Shackles AP last night and my Oracle of Waves wanted to use 'Wall of Ice' to temporarily keep some monsters away from the party. (I am being as vague as possible to avoid potential spoilers.) Anyways, I am normally pretty good on rules and always try to know exactly what my spells do so I don't bog down the game on my turn - therefore, I was extremely embarrassed when I had to stammer momentarily and look up the spell to figure out how to actually place it on the map.

Thankfully, I have a lovely GM and he just rolled with it - saying that we would try to figure it out after the game was over. So, here I am, seeking your help in clarifying how this spell actually works.

I can see two possibilities for how a Wall of Ice is placed:

1) Despite being inches thick, it occupies actual squares on the map - blocking creatures from entering those squares and ensuring that creatures on each side of the wall are ten feet apart.

A diagram may make my meaning clearer (x = creatures, w = wall of ice; each is assumed to be in a separate 5 foot square): xwx

This approach means that creatures with reach (such as our opponents) have an advantage when attacking through the wall as they do not have to enter it and take the cold damage. This was also how we played it during last night's game.

2) The Wall of Ice exists along the grid - this means that two creatures can basically be standing next to each other (in adjacent 5 foot squares), but separated by the wall.

Diagram (x = creatures, i = wall of ice; wall of ice is on the grid and, therefore, not in its own square): xix

This approach means that smaller creatures (or those without reach weapons) can hide behind a Wall of Ice and attack a creature that breaks through (assuming it was foolish enough to stand right next to the wall).

Two more questions:

1) What happens (using either model) when the Wall of Ice is created along a diagonal?

2) I assume that creature that begins its turn in the 'sheet of frigid air' takes damage as if they were passing through it. While this isn't explicitly called out in the spell, it seems like a reasonable assumption. Is it?

I did find one other thread that addressed this question (except it dealt with Wall of Fire), but I still figured I would ask. I apologize if this question is repetitive.

Thank you very much for any help you can offer,
Nalz

[Kayerloth]

I've always treated it like #2 above placing it like any other wall on the map ideally along the grid line but if not then treating any creature occupying the space like I would if it was a normal brick and mortar wall located along a diagonal (and probably squeezing anyone entering the square containing the wall)

As to your 2) >> If they were there the previous round and took damage at that time I'd probably not hit them again with damage unless they were still there after their turn was finished. Basically the Wall and the remaining frigid air could only effect them once each full turn.

[Nalz]

Awesome, thank you Kayerloth! I will present this to my GM and see what he says.

[Dave Justus]

The 'grid' doesn't really exist. It is used as a tool to help keep track of things, but your characters don't in fact see grid lines when they look in the world and are able to move just 2 feet if they like.

As such, you should have your wall on a grid line if you want it to be parallel to one of the directions represented by the grid. This indicates which squares on on which sides of the wall.

IF you make it not parallel, you should consider any each square to be on the side of the wall that has most of it's area in. For example if 25% of a grid square is northwest of the wall, and 75% is southwest, you that grid square would be considered 'southwest' of the wall. For this reason, don't make your wall diagonally bisect grid squares, place it in such a way that it is clear which squares and on which side of the wall.

[Kayerloth]

Totally agree with the above ... I always tried to draw my maps to avoid such issues. But that's the GM's call as long as they are prepared for weird shape walls they certainly tend to feel and look more real when mapped out.

Or your GM could freak you out by having you enter a dungeon where everything does have grid marks and maybe even numbers and letters for the x,y and z coordinates :p