AoE SU / SP abilities and spells, effected by walls / barriers?

[Santobon]

Would SU/SP abilities and (Spells) that are AoE, be blocked by walls/barriers? There has been a discussion if healing channel can work past a wall that is a foot thick.

Given:
Healing Channel is listed as “You can heal yourself and your allies. You can spend 1 Resolve Point to channel this energy. Healing yourself with channeled energy is a move action, healing an ally you touch is a standard action, and healing all allies within 30 feet is a full action. This energy restores 2d8 Hit Points and increases by 2d8 at 3rd level and every 3 levels thereafter.” (Core 86)

And Line of Effect states: " If a weapon, spell, ability, or item requires an attack roll and has a range measured in feet..." (Core 271)

Since Healing Channel doesn't require an attack roll, it isn't privy to Line of Effect.

However, because Healing Channel states "...healing all allies within 30 feet" (Core 86). I'd argue that the area for healing channel, when used as a full action, is a Sphere and the point of origin is the caster.

The book states for spheres: "A sphere-shaped effect expands from its point of origin to fill a spherical area. Spheres can be bursts, emanations, or spreads." (Core 268). Since I already stated I see the full action of healing channel, be a sphere. That mean it’d fall under the rules of: Burst, emanations or spreads.

The rules listed for Burst, emanation and Spread (Core 268) list nothing about being able to penetrate walls/barriers. In fact for Burst it states: “It doesn’t affect creatures with total cover from the burst’s point of origin…” (Core 268). With both Emanation and Spread first stating “A emanation/spread effect extends out like a burst, but…” (Core 268).

Therefore:
I’d rule SU/Sp abilities and spells that are AoE, unless said otherwise, cannot penetrate walls/barriers.

Does any of this make sense? If not, what are your thoughts?

And for the example, would you say Healing Channel is a Burst or Spread? I'd say its Burst.

Because:
Not emanation: since emanation spells/items last longer then 1 round/action.
Not Spread: Because Spread says " You select the point of origin." (Core 268) Since you can't select the point of origin for Healing Channel, it's not spread.

[Nefreet]

Walls generally block any effect that doesn't specifically bypass walls.

See Line of Effect for specifics.

Healing Channel would not work past a solid wall, for all of the reasons you listed.

There is a stipulation allowing for GM Discretion, though, so say your Mystic was on the other side of a curtain; I as a GM could rule they can affect anyone hiding behind the curtain. Another GM might say otherwise. But if it was a foot of concrete, that should be a no-go.

[Santobon]

Nefreet wrote:

Walls generally block any effect that doesn't specifically bypass walls.

See Line of Effect for specifics.

Healing Channel would not work past a solid wall, for all of the reasons you listed.

There is a stipulation allowing for GM Discretion, though, so say your Mystic was on the other side of a curtain; I as a GM could rule they can affect anyone hiding behind the curtain. Another GM might say otherwise. But if it was a foot of concrete, that should be a no-go.

That makes sense, I guess I was too "narrow" when consider line of effect only applying to rolled attacks/ability's.

And I agree, I'd make the same case for a curtain.

[Nefreet]

Yeah it's not only "attacks".

I see the word "and" that you're probably focusing on in the first sentence, but there is much more described in that link than just d20 rolls.

[Santobon]

Nefreet wrote:

Yeah it's not only "attacks".

I see the word "and" that you're probably focusing on in the first sentence, but there is much more described in that link than just d20 rolls.

Yeah, I think I was just getting tunnel vision at this point. I have a few players who are really big into RAW and not RAI. Well, only RAI if it helps them some how. So I wanted to make sure my bases were covered. I try not to go with the "I'm the GM and that's why."