No Line of Effect

[AdamSmasher]

Can you use a conjuration (Creation) or... well... any conjuration spell i you don't have line of effect to the space?

I have a wizard staring at someone on the other end of a glass wall and I want to Web him... or Black Tentacles him... or catch him in a Wall of Stone.

[The Deej]

No. See p.176 of the PHB under "line of effect". Even mentions conjurations (specifically summoning).

Or, see: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicOverview/spellDescriptions.htm

Scroll down to line of effect.


Of course, if the spell says that line of effect isn't needed, then no problem. Or if there is a corner to go around and the effect is a 'spread'.

[Jack_Simth]

Can you use a conjuration (Creation) or... well... any conjuration spell i you don't have line of effect to the space?

I have a wizard staring at someone on the other end of a glass wall and I want to Web him... or Black Tentacles him... or catch him in a Wall of Stone.
Not normally, no.

However, if you're working with an area effect spell that can damage objects, the wall doesn't stop line of effect if the spell destroys the wall. So Lightning Bolt, Fireball, Shout, Cone of Cold, Freezing Sphere, Delayed Blast Fireball, Prismatic Spray, Greater Shout, Sunburst, or Meteor Swarm could still get him... if you deal enough damage to destroy the glass.

[Dr_Horrible]

Not normally, no.

However, if you're working with an area effect spell that can damage objects, the wall doesn't stop line of effect if the spell destroys the wall. So Lightning Bolt, Fireball, Shout, Cone of Cold, Freezing Sphere, Delayed Blast Fireball, Prismatic Spray, Greater Shout, Sunburst, or Meteor Swarm could still get him... if you deal enough damage to destroy the glass.

Actually, only some spells that do damage penetrate walls and continue.

Fireball states: "If the damage caused to an interposing barrier shatters or breaks through it, the fireball may continue beyond the barrier if the area permits; otherwise it stops at the barrier just as any other spell effect does."

So as per the normal rules, and that last clause, spells, even those that do damage, fail at a barrier, unless they have the first clause.

So actually only Fireball/Lightning/delayed fireball actually penetrate barriers, and sunburst doesn't even do damage to walls, only creatures.