Of all sorcerer and wizard spells, Evard's black tentacles has one of the coolest effects: a clutch of tentacles suddenly erupts from the ground, flailing and grasping for anything within reach. Unfortunately, this is also one of the more complicated spells to resolve, since the DM has to quickly determine the number, placement, and stats of numerous tentacles.
To help speed up resolution of this spell, we developed the following tool. Just choose the caster's level, click "Place," and presto—a handy little diagram showing the location and number of tentacles within each 5-ft grid. We recommend printing off a dozen or so different diagrams ahead of time. Then, when the spell is cast, the caster simply picks the center of effect, draws from a stack of prepared diagrams, and you're good to go.
Copyright © 2002 by R. Dorman