So if someone is the target of a spell that allows a reflex save but in a room where the area takes up the whole space - do they still save for half damage?
Say a fireball in a small prison cell or within some kind of contained space created by a spell?
Logic dictates there is nowhere to really hide or avoid
But I am pretty sure the rules do not rule out a save for half (or full in the case of a rogue)
And using the above example - if a sorcerer was trapped in a cell could they target the door with a fireball and hope it burnt through as long as they were prepared to take (at least half) damage?
(GM question - so I am not trying to game the system if that matters...)
Logic doesn't work in Golarian. If you can only move 10ft or whatever in a round and a fireball puts you in the middle, you can't possible move out from under the fireball, but you can still get a reflex save without penalties.
It isn't about completely getting out of the way for the attack. If you want logic, fireball isn't a perfect 40ft circle of even coverage. There are going to be areas you can get into or way you can shield yourself better from a spell without having to move from your 5ft square (which is a lot of space btw).
I thought as much - I always interpreted the saves at least partially to a luck / fate idea
It’s not that logic doesn’t work, rather, there is no logic that the game system allows that will deny a character a chance to save their butts. They can even be immoble and still get a save, albeit one significantly penalized.
There's no reason to believe a fireball completely fills up the globe of its area. Dodging into the "gaps" where there is less effect is entirely plausible.
I thought as much - I always interpreted the saves at least partially to a luck / fate idea
That meshes with the reasoning behind this FAQ.
Yep, that FAQ pretty much settles any questions I have about when you get to roll a save.