Area Spells

Area Spells are spells are are cast on a surface rather than a specific target; Regular Spells, such as fireball, that can cover an area are not area spells. The plus side for the wizard is their effective skill isn't reduced by Magic Resistance with the downside that spells that are resistible double the Magic Resistance of anything that could be effected by the spell.
==Comparison between diagram and text==
By the diagram the standard formula works out to be 3r^2 - 3r + 1
"The area of effect of a spell cast over a one-yard radius is a single hex. The area of effect of a spell cast over a two-yard radius is a central hex and all adjacent hexes. The area of effect of a spell cast over a three-yard radius is a central two-yard area of effect plus the ring of hexes adjacent to that." (sic)Basic Set pg 239, GURPS Magic pg 13 would on the surface create a disconnect given hex 1 yd acrossBasic Set 384 is 0.8660 yd2Area of Hexagon given inradius Calculator: (3/2)*sqrt(3)*(((2*0.5)/sqrt(3))^2) especially when one looks at the pattern:
TextRadius	TextArea; A=πr2	pictured hexes, yd2	surroundinghexes	area per surrounding hexnumber of hexes per a 2010 rule change
1 yd 	3.142 yd2 	1 hex, 0.866 yd2 	6 	0.379 yd2; round down to 1 hex
2 yd 	12.57 yd2 	7 hexes, 6.062 yd2 	12 	0.542 yd2; round up to 19 hexes
3 yd 	28.64 yd2 	19 hexes, 16.45 yd2	18 	0.677 yd2; round up to 37 hexes
4 yd 	50.27 yd2 	37 hexes, 42.75 yd2	24 	0.7595 yd2; round up to 61 hexes
As demonstrated by the above the diagram is far more forgiving than the yard radius part of the text especially when one factors in the 2010 rule change which was related by DouglasCole in the Extended Speed/Range Table thread:
Speed/Range formula: 2 - 6*log(Distance in Yards)
Size formula: 6*log(length in yards) - 2
Round to nearest integer.
==Important Note==
The one exception to the SM is an area spell's height which, unless specified otherwise, is four yards (SM 2) tall. Basic p. 239Magic p. 11
==See also==
*Area Spell Mastery
== Notes ==
==References==
*Basic Set pg 239
*Hexagon Calculator
*Area of Hexagon given inradius Calculator
Category:Rules