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I had a player recently cast Storm Sphere into a room and then immediately slamed the door shut.

A 20-foot-radius sphere of whirling air springs into existence centered on a point you choose within range. The sphere remains for the spell’s duration. Each creature in the sphere when it appears or that ends its turn there must succeed on a Strength saving throw or take 2d6 bludgeoning damage. The sphere’s space is difficult terrain.

Until the spell ends, you can use a bonus action on each of your turns to cause a bolt of lightning to leap from the center of the sphere toward one creature you choose within 60 feet of the center. Make a ranged spell attack. You have advantage on the attack roll if the target is in the sphere. On a hit, the target takes 4d6 lightning damage.

While I allowed the spell to take hold, I felt that the bonus action ability to target a creature would be hindered by the obstruction rules while the door was shut.

To target something, you must have a clear path to it, so it can’t be behind total cover.

We play D&D-5E RAW but the wording leaves me wondering, so I am looking for some feedback.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Hi Haavok and welcome to the site. Thanks for clearly quoting the spell and then tagging the question - but there is one more thing we need. Please add a tag for the game or rules system you are asking about. It might be possible to figure that out based on your quote, but it shows you properly setting up the question for us! \$\endgroup\$ Commented 2 days ago
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    \$\begingroup\$ 2014 it seems, after that last edit! Just need someone to approve that 2014 tag addition edit. \$\endgroup\$ Commented 2 days ago
  • \$\begingroup\$ Sorry very new, I thought I was posting in a 5E section. \$\endgroup\$ Commented 2 days ago
  • \$\begingroup\$ This question is similar to: Can you activate a spiritual weapon while inside the effect of Otiluke's Resilient Sphere?. The first answer there seems to answer the question here. The last header in that is about whether you can attack using it while behind total cover. The answer there was "it depends on where the attack originates". Another answer also mentions Call Lightning, which works similarly. \$\endgroup\$ Commented 2 days ago
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    \$\begingroup\$ Here's another even older one, though indirect and buried inside other sections: rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/76500/… -> "I think that in the case of this spell it is the cloud, rather than you, that must have the clear path". For Call Lightning. \$\endgroup\$ Commented 2 days ago

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You can attack the target

When you're making the attack using the spell's effect, you're the attacker1, but the attack is treated as originating from the center of the sphere, as stated in the spell's description, not from where you're standing.

So if the target is in the same room as Storm Sphere, the closed door doesn't give them total cover (PHB, p. 196) from the sphere or the lightning-bolt attacks, so they're still a valid target.

However, you still follow the normal rules for attacking a target you can't see2 (PHB, p. 194):

Unseen Attackers and Targets

When you attack a target that you can't see, you have disadvantage on the attack roll. This is true whether you're guessing the target's location or you're targeting a creature you can hear but not see. If the target isn't in the location you targeted, you automatically miss, but the DM typically just says that the attack missed, not whether you guessed the target's location correctly. [...]

You don't know where the enemies are the moment you use the bonus action to attack. They might have moved around in the meanwhile. You should declare the attack, choose a location (whether the last known location of an enemy or some spot within range of the spell), and roll the attack with disadvantage. The DM will tell you if you hit (and roll for damage) or miss, but not if you guessed the location correctly. This is similar to attacking an invisible target.

1 See What is the attacker for Spiritual Weapon? The caster or the weapon? for a detailed explanation.

2 Similar interaction using Spiritual Weapon: When attacking with Spiritual Weapon, what must be concealed from the target for me to gain advantage?

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  • \$\begingroup\$ The second part needs better elaboration (especially because OP is a new user), to make it clear that the attack through the closed door has severe drawbacks. If I may, I'll suggest an edit. \$\endgroup\$ Commented 2 days ago
  • \$\begingroup\$ @MindwinRememberMonica yeah, thanks! \$\endgroup\$ Commented 2 days ago
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    \$\begingroup\$ Smiles in CC-BY-SA. \$\endgroup\$ Commented 2 days ago
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    \$\begingroup\$ Wouldn't you also have advantage because the target cannot see you (as you are the attacker behind a closed door and not the sphere), cancelling the disadvantage (but not the guess-a-square part)? \$\endgroup\$ Commented yesterday
  • \$\begingroup\$ @FortTell That crossed my mind, to be honest, but since it was a bit off-topic, I didn't comment on that part, just leaving the rule. Mindwin handled it well. In any case, I think RAW you're right. \$\endgroup\$ Commented yesterday
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"We play D&D-5E RAW but the wording leaves me wondering". Perhaps truer words were never spoken, at least regarding D&D.

Fortunately, the rules also note that all situations are not covered and put the DM in charge:

The D&D rules help you and the other players have a good time, but the rules aren’t in charge. You’re the DM, and you are in charge of the game. . . . The rules don’t account for every possible situation that might arise during a typical D&D session. . . . How you determine the outcome of this action is up to you.

Tarod's very good answer provides a pretty reasonable approach. But it is not the only approach.

If you feel "that the bonus action ability to target a creature would be hindered by the obstruction rules while the door was shut" then that is fine.

It's not that you do not understand the rules and there are subtle elements at play that you do not understand, it's that the rules are ambiguous and were just not written to cover every situation.

Heck, in many cases they just aren't even that carefully written, it seems like. Also, perhaps writers chose to keep things simple and allow the interpretation to be up to the DM. Maybe both are true.

What is definitely true is that the DM is in charge of interpreting the rules, and should interpret them in a way that works for that table, that DM, and that game, in a way makes it the most fun.

So, given that you've discovered a situation not covered in the rules, if allowing the spellcaster to direct the bolts behind closed doors is the most fun, go for it. If not, disallow it.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ +1. I appreciate the advice you're giving here. And thanks for the kind words! \$\endgroup\$ Commented 2 days ago

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