Circle of Dreams - Hearth of Moonlight and Shadow

[Contrast]

Considering a new character and was reading through the Circle of Dreams and I'm having a bit of difficulty getting my head around the Hearth of Moonlight and Shadow feature.

So it creates an invisible sphere that grants total cover. This somewhat confused me until I reread total cover and noted it doesn't actually specify that means it blocks sight, just that it makes you unable to be directly targeted.

So if I'm understanding this right, people could still see you (though not natural light sources and you'd get a bonus to stealth) but they'd find themselves unable to attack/cast spells at you. No other visual effects. Once someone steps inside the sphere, they can target you as normal but no-one inside can target things outside.

Correct?

[the_brazenburn]

Imagine the Gungan force fields from Phantom Menace.

That's basically what this is.

[Millstone85]

So it creates an invisible sphere that grants total cover.The sphere does not grant total cover. The sphere is blocked by total cover.

[Contrast]

The sphere does not grant total cover. The sphere is blocked by total cover.

Ah, clearly I'm failing at reading comprehension today.

Though this raises more questions - where is the sphere originating from (should it be blocked from above, below, radiating outwards, etc)? I guess radiating outwards? Does that mean someone standing holding a torch in front of them with their back to the central point would be fully illuminated and visible?

Slightly weird way to phrase it as well - if I had an empty door frame on its own that wouldn't block the effect but if that door frame was part of a fence it would allow people to see through the effect?

[Millstone85]

Slightly weird way to phrase it as wellOh yes, it is very much game jargon.


where is the sphere originating from (should it be blocked from above, below, radiating outwards, etc)? I guess radiating outwards?I think it follows the rules for a spherical area of effect.
Sphere
You select a sphere's point of origin, and the sphere extends outward from that point. The sphere's size is expressed as a radius in feet that extends from the point.
A sphere's point of origin is included in the sphere's area of effect. So yes, radiating outwards.


Does that mean someone standing holding a torch in front of them with their back to the central point would be fully illuminated and visible?A creature counts as half cover, not total cover.
A target with half cover has a +2 bonus to AC and Dexterity saving throws. A target has half cover if an obstacle blocks at least half of its body. The obstacle might be a low wall, a large piece of furniture, a narrow tree trunk, or a creature, whether that creature is an enemy or a friend. So that torch would be included in the sphere.


if I had an empty door frame on its own that wouldn't block the effect but if that door frame was part of a fence it would allow people to see through the effect?The "sphere" would look like this:

fence
point of origin
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

Or something. I would have to read the rules for AoE on a grid.