Cloud(Over)Kill

[Brock Samson]

Perhaps this has been discussed in the past and I've simply not seen any of the fun/awful stories, but has anyone else noticed the GIGANTIC range of Cloudkill? It lasts 1 minute/level (twice easily if you extend), and spreads 10ft/ROUND. If you're caster level 10 then you've just KILLED EVERYTHING WITHIN 1,000 FEET (2,000 if you extend), and yes that has 3 HD or less, and those with 3-6 HD only have a very good chance of dying.

Still, that means if you're lucky and you're out in the middle of nowhere and your buddies have all gotten some protection from your Cloudkill that you've still killed every single living insect/rodent/etc..., you've literally blighted the area better than a Blighter does.

Now say you're in a city and you do this.... all commoners in a 1,000-2,000 ft radius of you are just DEAD.

Why have I not heard hilarious stories of this yet?

[Terazul]

Probably because it just moves, not spread.


Unlike a fog cloud, the cloudkill moves away from you at 10 feet per round, rolling along the surface of the ground.

Figure out the cloud’s new spread each round based on its new point of origin, which is 10 feet farther away from the point of origin where you cast the spell.

Emphasis mine, which is probably the confusion. It doesn't get any larger than its initial 20 ft radius (40 ft diameter), you just figure out where that new circle is each turn.

[Brock Samson]

Annnnddd..... now I'm just thinking:

"Cloudkill: The Silent (City) Killer"

[Brock Samson]

Well.... if that's the case then nevermind! But it says nothing about the actual direct in which the cloud moves, can you determine that then?

[Augmental]

There's also the fact that Cloudkill can't pass through walls - heck, make that pretty much any solid object. Walls, tower shields, lead sheets; all of those and more stop this spell in its tracks, protecting anyone behind them. And 10 feet of expansion per round isn't much when the average human commoner has a base land speed of 30 feet. I doubt that any sane person who isn't an adventurer is going to hold their ground when a yellow-green cloud is moving towards them with noticable speed, especially after they see it kill someone.

[Kuulvheysoon]

You might want to read Terazul's SRD quote again - specifically, the first paragraph of it.



Unlike a fog cloud, the cloudkill moves away from you at 10 feet per round, rolling along the surface of the ground.

Figure out the cloud’s new spread each round based on its new point of origin, which is 10 feet farther away from the point of origin where you cast the spell.

Emphasis mine.

[Johel]

Best pest control ever...
Every city must have at least 1 wizard casting it every day in the sewers.

[Averis Vol]

last time it got used on me i moved away and cast wind wall, pushing it back towards the caster :smallbiggrin: i took the first two con damage unfortunately :smallmad:

[ericgrau]

There's also the fact that Cloudkill can't pass through walls - heck, make that pretty much any solid object. Walls, tower shields, lead sheets; all of those and more stop this spell in its tracks, protecting anyone behind them. And 10 feet of expansion per round isn't much when the average human commoner has a base land speed of 30 feet. I doubt that any sane person who isn't an adventurer is going to hold their ground when a yellow-green cloud is moving towards them with noticable speed, especially after they see it kill someone.
It's a spread not an emmanation so it goes around tower shields and the like, as long as 20 ft. is long enough to wrap around it.

[Ernir]

The Wizard in one of my campaigns managed to get rather notorious among the Drow after casually Cloudkilling off one of their battalions.

Which had its consequences almost a year and a half later (IRL), when they managed to actually catch him.

[Swooper]

It's a spread not an emmanation so it goes around tower shields and the like, as long as 20 ft. is long enough to wrap around it.
You're thinking of burst.

An emanation spell functions like a burst spell, except that the effect continues to radiate from the point of origin for the duration of the spell. Most emanations are cones or spheres.
Actually, emanation is the most accurate area description of cloudkill, but since it's an effect spell rather than an area spell it doesn't apply. But I digress.

What I'd wonder about regarding cloudkill is: If a solid object blocks the path of the point-of-origin but the cloud can wrap around it (imagine a 5' stone wall in an open field), does that stop the spell? RAI I'd guess it doesn't, but RAW?

[Draz74]

Best pest control ever...
Every city must have at least 1 wizard casting it every day in the sewers.

Great idea, until some bug or rat turns up with a mutation that makes it immune to poisons. Suddenly, you killed off all its competition without hurting it a bit. Suddenly, it will start breeding out of control in record time.

... and this is starting to sound like a viable plot hook, so I guess I shouldn't criticize. :smallamused:

[Swooper]

Great idea, until some bug or rat turns up with a mutation that makes it immune to poisons. Suddenly, you killed off all its competition without hurting it a bit. Suddenly, it will start breeding out of control in record time.
This reminded me of...

But of course, what the eagle does not realize is that it is participating in a very crude form of natural selection.
One day a tortoise will learn how to fly.
:smallamused:

[Augmental]

It's a spread not an emmanation so it goes around tower shields and the like, as long as 20 ft. is long enough to wrap around it.

Okay, so maybe a tower shield/lead sheet can't stop cloudkill in its tracks even partially, but would the person directly behind it be safe? What if there's a person in the square right behind the person holding the tower shield/lead sheet? Would they be safe? What if a line of, say, three 1st level warriors pulled out tower shields and put them together with few or insignificant gaps? What about five, seven, and so on and so forth? Would there be any "safe spots" where the cloud doesn't reach behind them? Would having to squeeze through small gaps reduce the potency of the cloud? How large would a building's side have to be to keep the cloudkill from wrapping around?

[CoffeeIncluded]

Okay, so maybe a tower shield/lead sheet can't stop cloudkill in its tracks even partially, but would the person directly behind it be safe? What if there's a person in the square right behind the person holding the tower shield/lead sheet? Would they be safe? What if a line of, say, three 1st level warriors pulled out tower shields and put them together with few or insignificant gaps? What about five, seven, and so on and so forth? Would there be any "safe spots" where the cloud doesn't reach behind them? Would having to squeeze through small gaps reduce the potency of the cloud? How large would a building's side have to be to keep the cloudkill from wrapping around?

It's a poison gas attack. I'm not sure, but I'd probably rule that if a bunch of people penned in the cloudkill with tower shields, then the cloudkill would seep through the cracks, but more slowly (perhaps half damage?).

[Swooper]

The cloud can probably pass over the shield-wall as well.

[CTrees]

FYI, Invisible Cloudkill is hilarious. :xykon: SURPRISE!

[ericgrau]

Okay, so maybe a tower shield/lead sheet can't stop cloudkill in its tracks even partially, but would the person directly behind it be safe? What if there's a person in the square right behind the person holding the tower shield/lead sheet? Would they be safe? What if a line of, say, three 1st level warriors pulled out tower shields and put them together with few or insignificant gaps? What about five, seven, and so on and so forth? Would there be any "safe spots" where the cloud doesn't reach behind them? Would having to squeeze through small gaps reduce the potency of the cloud? How large would a building's side have to be to keep the cloudkill from wrapping around?

By RAW... no short of a 40' wide tower shield, it'll take any 20' path through any opening.

By real life... probably no as well. It's easy for gasses to quickly seep through cracks and I doubt they'd be impeded. Maybe if there was a strong wind and the soldiers stood upwind of it you might rule that the cloud wouldn't spread sideways fast enough. But not for a cloud moving at 10 feet per round (1 mph).

Which brings up a better solution for those soldiers: walk away.

[Coidzor]

FYI, Invisible Cloudkill is hilarious. :xykon: SURPRISE!

Heh. Nice. And still more plausible than The Happening.

[Augmental]

Yeah, walking away is probably the best solution for... well, pretty much anyone with less than 3 HD, and most people with 3 to 6 HD.