Reverse Gravity: I don't understand it

[Iron_Chef]

Reverse Gravity says you make a number of creatures in one 10 ft. cube/2 levels "fall upwards" attaining maximum height in 1 round. They take damage if they impact with something as if they'd impacted with it falling downward normally, otherwise, they oscillate at the max height until the spell ends.

QUESTION #1
What is the maximum height a target creature can "fall" up?
The PHB doesn't tell me. The range the spell can be used at is Medium, but I'm assuming that is different than the max height.

QUESTION #2
If a target creature hit something before reaching this (unspecified) max height, does this end the spell for them, causing them to immediately fall downward?
The PHB isn't clear on this point, either. My guess is they remain at the point of impact until the spell ends.

QUESTION #3
Do the target creatures take normal falling damage when the spell ends? Thus, a target creature who impacted with something at the spell's max height would take double damage: once for falling up, and again for falling down when the spell ends.
This appears to be what the PHB and common sense are implying.

QUESTION #4
The spell states that a Reflex save is allowed if a target creature has an immobile object to anchor itself to... what exactly does this mean?
Common sense would indicate that said object must be within arm's reach of the target creature (5 ft. for a medium size creature). Common sense would also seem to point to allowing the target creature that impacts with something while falling up an additional Reflex save if there is another immobile object within reach of the point of impact (this could conceivably BE the point of impact, such as a stalactite on a cavern ceiling that the creature rammed into or next to).

This seems like an awfully powerful spell. It allows no save, no spell resistance and will devastate anything that cannot fly or levitate its way out of the fall damage. Advice, please! Thanks.

 

[Pax]

Reverse Gravity says you make a number of creatures in one 10 ft. cube/2 levels "fall upwards" attaining maximum height in 1 round. They take damage if they impact with something as if they'd impacted with it falling downward normally, otherwise, they oscillate at the max height until the spell ends.

QUESTION #1
What is the maximum height a target creature can "fall" up?
The PHB doesn't tell me. The range the spell can be used at is Medium, but I'm assuming that is different than the max height.

One round is six seconds; you coudl calculate actual maximum distance based on that.

I believe I've seen somewhere or other here a good rule fo thumb: falling for one round covers 200' of vertical distance.

QUESTION #2
If a target creature hit something before reaching this (unspecified) max height, does this end the spell for them, causing them to immediately fall downward?
The PHB isn't clear on this point, either. My guess is they remain at the point of impact until the spell ends.

No, it doesn't end the spell; for the area specified, gravity is reversed.

Example: you face enemies in a castle's Grand Hall, where the ceiling is 50' up (truly a grand hall). You cast Reverse Gravity; everyone in the area of effect falls upward ... and hits the ceiling. Theyhave, functionally, fallen 50'; they take damage appropriately.

They are, however, still on the ceiling ... and will be until either the spell duration runs out, or, they step outside the functional area of effect (which is, roughly, everything from the designated AoE, and 200' upwards from there).

QUESTION #3
Do the target creatures take normal falling damage when the spell ends? Thus, a target creature who impacted with something at the spell's max height would take double damage: once for falling up, and again for falling down when the spell ends.
This appears to be what the PHB and common sense are implying.

Absolutely. Continuing the above example: after spending however-long on the ceiling, when the Reverse Gravity ends, they fall 50' back to the floor ... taking damage again.

QUESTION #4
The spell states that a Reflex save is allowed if a target creature has an immobile object to anchor itself to... what exactly does this mean?
Common sense would indicate that said object must be within arm's reach of the target creature (5 ft. for a medium size creature). Common sense would also seem to point to allowing the target creature that impacts with something while falling up an additional Reflex save if there is another immobile object within reach of the point of impact (this could conceivably BE the point of impact, such as a stalactite on a cavern ceiling that the creature rammed into or next to).

Somethign within reach that is attached to the floor, wall, ceiling -- something that NO amount of strength could move. A wall might count (though a climb check AND a reflex save might be appropriate then). A doorknob might help; a stalagmite would work; etc. Note that the save shoudl only negate the falling; the reversed gravity is still in effect, and they would seem to be dangling over a looooong drop ...

This seems like an awfully powerful spell. It allows no save, no spell resistance and will devastate anything that cannot fly or levitate its way out of the fall damage. Advice, please! Thanks.

Falling damage isn't horrible. Also, a monk caught by this, with a nearby wall, would benefit fully form their Slow Fall ability. And if you don't HIT anything on the way up -- you take no damage at all; that means it's less useful outdoors. Indoors, most ceilings are probably 10' or less, so, damage should be comparatively minimal.

Somethign to consider: when presented with an underground chasm and a low roof, Reverse Gravity has noncombat uses too -- cast it such that you can walk on the roof to cross the chasm (two 10' falls is a LOT better than one half-mile drop ... !!).

 

[Iron_Chef]

Lifting bunches of targets off the ground and holding them in mid-air would be an excellent tactic to set them up for the kill or to avoid altogether, so this spell isn't as weak as the initial reply led me to believe. It does require a bit more thought and planning to use effectively, and with ceiling heights so variable, it can be sadly lacking as a damage spell. Using it as a way to traverse pits/chasms and/or avoid ground-based enemies/traps is clever, however...

 

[doktorstick]

Lifting bunches of targets off the ground and holding them in mid-air would be an excellent tactic to set them up for the kill or to avoid altogether, so this spell isn't as weak as the initial reply led me to believe.

Keep in mind that since gravity is reversed for them, they edge of reverse gravity or the ceiling (if indoors) is the floor to them. They can fight just as well as your party can from the "ground". A DM might give them a slight penalty to skills (-2) for having the landscape turned awry.

My point is... if you think you are going to throw them up in the air and ping shots or spells at them, you best consider that they will do the same (if they have ranged weapons or spells).

/ds

 

[Tabarnak Smokeblower]

Question 1: Can't the creatures only fall "up" in the designated area of effect?

For example, a 20th level wizard will have an area of effet of 10 10-foot cubes. He could stack these cubes and the affected creature(s) would fall 100 feet "up".

The spell also states that the spel causes "objects and creatures to fall upward and reach the top of the area in 1 round". So, what ever the height the affected creatures and objects might fall "up", they always reach their maximum falling distance in a round.

In the previous example, the creatures would reach the top of the 100-foot high column of reversed gravity, IMO, just before the caster acts again on his next round, which means that the affected creatures will have a chance to cast some kind of spell while they are falling.

Also, if there isn't a solid surface 100 foot in the air (or less), the affected creatures will bob up and down at a 100-foot height until the spell ends.

Question 2. No the spell doesn't end. The creature can "stand down" on the ceiling, and will be able to act "normally" until the spell is over and it falls back down again.

Question 3. Yes

TS

 

[Iron_Chef]

Thanks for the help, everybody! I decided against getting the spell.

 

[Jalkain]

Re: Re: Reverse Gravity: I don't understand it

Somethign to consider: when presented with an underground chasm and a low roof, Reverse Gravity has noncombat uses too -- cast it such that you can walk on the roof to cross the chasm (two 10' falls is a LOT better than one half-mile drop ... !!).

That's a novel idea, although presumably the extent of the chasm would have to be within the spells range, otherwise you'd get a nasty suprise halfway across...

 

[Pax]

Re: Re: Re: Reverse Gravity: I don't understand it

That's a novel idea, although presumably the extent of the chasm would have to be within the spells range, otherwise you'd get a nasty suprise halfway across...

It's a 7th level spell for Sorcerors and Wizards, so yoru caster level will be at least 13 when you can cast it. You get one 10-foot-cube per two caster levels, so you will have at least 6 of them.

If the ceiling is within 10' of the ground where you start, you can manage, then, a 10-foot-wide path, sixty feet long, with a single casting of the spell. That would, with 10-foot "take off and landing" zones, cross a 40-foot-wide chasm.

How many underground chasms do you know of, which have neither a good path down yoru side and up the other, nor a pre-existing bridge, which are more than fourty feet across?

Push comes to shove, 5-foot entry/exit zones woudl work, and you could manage a 50' chasm.

It's also good for an elevator of sorts -- rig it so the person "falls" up to the right floor, where their position stabilises, and they can grab a handle or whatnot to pull themselves out of the RG effect.