Author Topic: Does the surface of a body of water break line of effect?  (Read 2141 times)

Offline rot42

  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 106
  • I'm new!
    • View Profile
Does the surface of a body of water break line of effect?
« on: March 09, 2012, 11:48:07 AM »
Does the surface of a body of water break line of effect? A wall of ice would and a fog cloud would not, but is the resistance to penetrating liquid water sufficient to prevent a spell effect from entering? Could I Fireball the piranha swarm and Ray of Stupidity the shark before going swimming? What about a pool of lava? Can I Incorporeal Nova the ghosts hiding in it?

Offline Kethrian

  • Legendary Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2232
  • Night Owl
    • View Profile
Re: Does the surface of a body of water break line of effect?
« Reply #1 on: March 09, 2012, 12:54:00 PM »
I've never considered it to, mostly because it would not stop an arrow or thrown rock.  Plus, if you think about it, water (not ice) has no hardness or HP.
What do I win?
An awesome-five for mentioning Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness.

Offline CaptRory

  • Hero Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 541
  • Could Get Lost in a Straight Hallway
    • View Profile
Re: Does the surface of a body of water break line of effect?
« Reply #2 on: March 09, 2012, 03:30:36 PM »
I would say "No" but with conditions.

If you were throwing a Fireball into a Lake, I would say the lake would change how the fireball behaves. It wouldn't set things on fire but it would probably cause a huge volume of water to insta-boil or maybe even flash to steam. Or both. But I'd leave damage and the area of the effect unchanged. I'd say that weaker fire effects would just be snuffed out unless you think they're hot enough to actually burn underwater.

Hitting something with a Ranged Touch Attack or something underwater, you might rule that the target underwater has some measure of concealment. Water is very good at screwing with perception, moreso when the water is dark and brackish and has stuff floating in it.


Lava is another matter, it's not just water, it's molten rock and stuff. So you could argue that it would block line of effect. And even if not, you can't see through it. It's not Kool-Aid Lava they have in the Mario Games.

Offline Kethrian

  • Legendary Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2232
  • Night Owl
    • View Profile
Re: Does the surface of a body of water break line of effect?
« Reply #3 on: March 09, 2012, 04:56:24 PM »
Oh, the DMG (I think, maybe it was SW) explains that magic fire has a 50% chance of functioning underwater.  Mundane fires (such as EX abilities) do not work underwater at all.
What do I win?
An awesome-five for mentioning Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness.

Offline X-Codes

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • ****
  • Posts: 2001
  • White, Fuzzy, Sniper Rifle.
    • View Profile
Re: Does the surface of a body of water break line of effect?
« Reply #4 on: March 09, 2012, 08:24:40 PM »
For rays, no, it does not break line of effect.

For projectile weapons, their range increments are reduced IIRC to 10' in water.  As such, every 10' of water the arrow travels through applies a cumulative -2 attack/damage, and you can only shoot through 100' of water.

Offline rot42

  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 106
  • I'm new!
    • View Profile
Re: Does the surface of a body of water break line of effect?
« Reply #5 on: March 09, 2012, 11:30:50 PM »
I found more detail in the Rules Compendium under Underwater Combat (I was looking under "water"), which basically agrees with what is being said here (only [Fire] spells are blocked from entering, other spells are unaffected except for taking the same attack penalty as other ranged attack rolls). Thank you kindly, all.