Thunderstomp Question

[Tzimus]

There is no specification in thunderstomps description that it must continuously be through the floor. And that the enemy is in contact with the floor.

Could it travel up a wall to a floor above where the target is in contact with the floor?

Was used as such in a recent game, the dm accepted it but caused a rough conversation after the session.

[VoodistMonk]

I think keeping on the same plane as where the foot falls makes the most sense and keeps dumb interactions/shenanigans from occuring...

Although, if you were to somehow stomp on the ceiling of the 1st story, I would allow it to affect those on the 2nd floor.

[Diego Rossi]

AoN - thunderstomp wrote:

Target one creature

You need to target the creature, i.e. have LOS and LOE to it.

The spell doesn't give you LOS, so, unless you have a way to see through the floors it can't target someone on another floor.

LOE is a bit more open to interpretation. The spell never states that the attack travels through the floor or ground, but it can be interpreted as doing that.
On the other hand, if your group decides that it travel through the ground, that will be true for all the effects, including calculating the distance the spell travels following the ground, and not as a straight line. Things like a ditch can shorten the effective range of the spell, with that interpretation.

[Ryze Kuja]

Thunderstomp wrote:

Thunderstomp

School evocation [earth]; Level bloodrager 1, druid 1, magus 1, ranger 1, sorcerer/wizard 1

CASTING

Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S

EFFECT

Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target one creature
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance yes

DESCRIPTION

You stomp your foot or strike your weapon against the ground or floor, creating a ripple of power that you can use to trip a creature. Attempt the combat maneuver check to trip the target, but instead of your base attack bonus you can use your caster level, and instead of your Strength modifier you can use your spellcasting ability score modifier (Intelligence for magi and wizards; Wisdom for druids and rangers; Charisma for bloodragers and sorcerers). This does not provoke an attack of opportunity. This spell has no effect if you cannot reach the ground or floor, or if your target is not in contact with the ground or floor.

You need to strike the ground and your target must be also touching the ground, and the ripple of power travels through the ground to that target, and if that wasn't the case then the spell would allow you to affect targets that are not touching the ground. I read "ripple of power" in this context like a "wave of power" traveling through the ground. Echoing what Diego Rossi said, it has a Target of One Creature, meaning that you do indeed need both LoS and LoE.

As far as allowing it to travel up a wall to another floor, RAW/RAI probably not. But personally I'd say as long as the path is contiguous, it's fine because it's a ripple/wave traveling through the ground and having it go up the wall isn't infeasible.

[Tzimus]

So to clarify a bit more.

Enemy A was leaving a window and had gone up to the roof. In the understanding they were standing on the roof, the player used it for contiguously travelling through the floor, up the wall and to what was then considered the floor where Enemy A was now standing. If LOS was lost, probably a concealment status from Player A (50% miss chance) might have been a good route?

Secondly, thank you all for your thought out answers and input. I will bring this to the DM for at least a little more clarity from others experiences and perspectives.

[Ryze Kuja]

If the target is on the roof, then LoS is lost and the spell can't be cast. If the spell "target" is "one creature" or "2+ creatures", then you have to have LoS and LoE to them. If you have some way of seeing through walls/floors/roofs, such as Passwall or Gloves of Reconnaissance (an argument could be made for Tremorsense in this situation too), then that's a different story.