How does ‘Enlarge Spell’ affect Area of Effect

area-of-effectdnd-3.5efeatsspells

I would like to understand the impact of the feat Enlarge Spell on spells such as:

Laogzed's Breath

Level: Clr 3, Sor/Wiz 3
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Area: Cone
Duration: Instantaneous

As stinking cloud, except as noted above and that the nauseating vapors persist for 10 rounds.

Holy Storm

Conjuration (Creation) [Good, Water]
Level: Cleric 3, Paladin 3
Components: V, S, M, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 20 ft.
Area: Cylinder (20-ft. radius, 20 ft. high)
Duration: 1 round/level (D)

You call upon the forces of good, and a heavy rain begins to fall around you, its raindrops soft and warm. A driving rain falls around you. It falls in a fixed area once created. The storm reduces hearing and visibility, resulting in a -4 penalty on Listen, Spot, and Search checks. It also applies a -4 penalty on ranged attacks made into, out of, or through the storm. Finally, it automatically extinguishes any unprotected flames and has a 50% chance to extinguish protected flames (such as those of lanterns). The rain damages evil creatures, dealing 2d6 points of damage per round (evil outsiders take double damage) at the beginning of your turn.

Material Component: A flask of holy water (25 gp).

I want to know if the areas of effect would be affected or not in each case. Does Enlarge Spell have an impact on the areas covered by these spells?

Best Answer

First, closely read the text.

ENLARGE SPELL [METAMAGIC] Benefit: You can alter a spell with a range of close, medium, or long to increase its range by 100%. An enlarged spell with a range of close now has a range of 50 ft. + 5 ft./level, while medium-range spells have a range of 200 ft. + 20 ft./level and long-range spells have a range of 800 ft. + 80 ft./level. An enlarged spell uses up a spell slot one level higher than the spell’s actual level.

Spells whose ranges are not defined by distance, as well as spells whose ranges are not close, medium, or long, do not have increased ranges.

Laogzed's Breath has its range listed as "close", which allows it to be altered by Enlarge Spell. Holy Storm has range "20 ft", which is neither close, medium, nor long. As such, Holy Storm cannot be affected by Enlarge Spell.

Despite the name, Enlarge Spell doubles range not area. Range is "the maximum distance from you that a spell's effect can occur, as well as the maximum distance at which you can designate the spell’s point of origin." Area is the part of the map within that range which is affected by the spell.

Although they are separate concepts, sometimes area is defined by range.

Some spells like fireball have a specifically defined area: you pick any point within range that you can see, and fire spreads for 20 feet in all directions around that point.

Other areas are bounded by range instead. For example, with "cone" area you must pick a corner of your square as the origin, and the spell fills a quarter-circle starting at that point and proceeding in a direction of your choice.

Laogzed's Breath can be affected by Enlarge Spell. The area of a cone is proportional to the square of the radius. In this case, doubling the range doubles that radius, which quadruples the area.

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