Arc of Effect (3.5e Variant Rule)
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Arc of Effect[edit]
The concept of line of effect is one of the fundamental principles of ranged attacks in Dungeons and Dragons. It determines whether or not a ranged attack can strike a potential target, based on what could or could not be in the way. It works great for things like arrows and magical rays, which travel in a (more or less) completely straight line; however, not all projectiles work like that. Some projectiles are more affected by gravity than others, and there are cases where you might want to throw a projectile over a barrier to hit something on the other side. Enter arc of effect, a variant of line of effect specifically designed for things that are meant to be lobbed, like splash weapons and boulders.
What is Arc of Effect?[edit]
Arc of effect is just like line of effect, except that it has height, meaning that it is not interrupted by obstacles on the ground if it has sufficient height to clear them at that point on the line, but is interrupted by ceilings and other obstacles in midair if its height at that point on the line matches the position of the obstacle.
An arc of effect's maximum height is stated in its description. It ascends from its point of origin up to the peak point, then descends from the peak point to the end of the line. Unless otherwise stated, an arc of effect's peak point is the halfway point of the line. (For instance, a 100-foot-long arc of effect with a 100-foot height will be 100 feet high at the location 50 feet away from the arc of effect's point of origin, unless its description says otherwise.) If an arc of effect specifies a different peak point, it will describe what distance away from the point of origin is the peak point.
Unlike a line of effect, which hits anything along its length, an arc of effect only hits things that are at the same height as it. To take the example of the 100-foot long, 100-foot high arc of effect, something 50 feet away from the arc's point of origin will not be hit unless it exists 100 feet up in the air (either due to sheer height or being suspended above the ground in some fashion, such as levitation or flight). An arc of effect will always hit something on the ground at the end of the line, and most attacks governed by arc of effect will allow the length of the arc to be more-or-less freely adjustable so that you can aim them at any ground-bound target or location (assuming that stuff in the air doesn't get in the way). Generally, you can also freely choose the maximum height, as long as it doesn't exceed the maximum value. (Line of effect doesn't do either because it doesn't need to.) Some arcs of effect have a horizontal distance completely independent of the height; you can choose a value freely for each within their own maximum parameters. For others, the vertical and horizontal distance are dependent values; if you increase one, you must also increase (or decrease) the other by a proportional amount, given in the description.
Arc of Effect and Nonstandard Gravity[edit]
Unless an arc of effect's source specifically states otherwise, an arc of effect is influenced by heavy or light gravity in much the same way as falling damage. Basically, if heavy or light gravity applies a multiplier to falling damage and/or the falling distance required to sustain falling damage, apply the opposite multiplier to the maximum height of an arc of effect. In other words, heavy gravity reduces the maximum height of an arc of effect (if falling damage is doubled, an arc of effect's maximum height is halved), while light gravity increases the maximum height of an arc of effect (if falling damage is halved, an arc of effect's maximum height is doubled). This does not alter the horizontal distance of an arc of effect unless it is dependent on the vertical distance.
Limitations[edit]
There is no such thing as arc of sight, as vision does not work that way.
If a projectile is not affected by gravity at all (such as a magical ray), or has enough velocity to not succumb to gravity over a distance relevant to the current combat environment (such as an arrow fired within a small room), use line of effect instead. Remember that even if you have line of effect, it can be difficult to aim if you lack line of sight.
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| Luigifan18v |
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| Author | Luigifan18 + |
| Identifier | 3.5e Variant Rule + |
| Rating | Unrated + |
| Summary | A slightly different type of line of effect that can potentially bypass obstacles on the ground... and can also potentially be blocked by obstacles in the air. It's all a matter of height. + |
| Title | Arc of Effect + |
