Freedom of Movement vs. Ropes, Chains, and Manacles [Archive] - Wizards Community

Freedom of Movement vs. Ropes, Chains, and Manacles [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
sorites
03-05-08, 04:14 PM How does Freedom of Movement affect someone who is bound by ropes, chains, or manacles?

The spell description says it allows you to "move and attack normally for the duration of the spell, even under the influence of magic that usually impedes movement."

(I posted this over in Magic & Spells too, but I'm not getting a lot of responses, so I threw down here too. Hope that's not a problem.)
rimble
03-05-08, 04:32 PM Personally, I prefer a restrictive ruling on Freedom of Movement so I don't have to adjudicate every little thing that comes up. I like:

1) You're immune to magic that impedes movement. (some adjudication still required, depending on spell)

2) You can't be grappled.

3) You can move normally (Swim at your full-speed) under water. No, you can't ignore the current.

No idea how popular that view is, but I'm really not interested in debating whether someone should be immune to wind, gravity, weeds, or a jail cell (hey, it's impeding my movement!) while we're at the table.
Wih
03-05-08, 10:43 PM The Sage would most likely say that the chains etc would not impeded the character for the duration of the spell:
Freedom of movement is one of those tricky spells that has a lot of open-ended wording that might lead to confusion. The spell becomes much more manageable if you just look at it as something that ignores any physical impediment to movement or actions. If you assign this restriction, then it makes sense that freedom of movement works against solid fog, slow, and web; each of these spells puts something in the way of the creature that stops them from moving/acting, or specifically targets the creature’s physical movement.
Full article here (http://wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4ask/20080226a).
Personally I would say that you can move and attack normally - this does not extend to slipping out of chains and ropes - just means that they do not impede or restrict your movement for the time you're in them and under the influence of the spell (so someone bound and gagged would still be able to cast spells, draw a sword and fight with it, yell instructions to team-mates etc).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
sorites 03-05-08, 04:14 PM	How does Freedom of Movement affect someone who is bound by ropes, chains, or manacles? The spell description says it allows you to "move and attack normally for the duration of the spell, even under the influence of magic that usually impedes movement." (I posted this over in Magic & Spells too, but I'm not getting a lot of responses, so I threw down here too. Hope that's not a problem.)
rimble 03-05-08, 04:32 PM	Personally, I prefer a restrictive ruling on Freedom of Movement so I don't have to adjudicate every little thing that comes up. I like: 1) You're immune to magic that impedes movement. (some adjudication still required, depending on spell) 2) You can't be grappled. 3) You can move normally (Swim at your full-speed) under water. No, you can't ignore the current. No idea how popular that view is, but I'm really not interested in debating whether someone should be immune to wind, gravity, weeds, or a jail cell (hey, it's impeding my movement!) while we're at the table.
Wih 03-05-08, 10:43 PM	The Sage would most likely say that the chains etc would not impeded the character for the duration of the spell: Freedom of movement is one of those tricky spells that has a lot of open-ended wording that might lead to confusion. The spell becomes much more manageable if you just look at it as something that ignores any physical impediment to movement or actions. If you assign this restriction, then it makes sense that freedom of movement works against solid fog, slow, and web; each of these spells puts something in the way of the creature that stops them from moving/acting, or specifically targets the creature’s physical movement. Full article here (http://wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4ask/20080226a). Personally I would say that you can move and attack normally - this does not extend to slipping out of chains and ropes - just means that they do not impede or restrict your movement for the time you're in them and under the influence of the spell (so someone bound and gagged would still be able to cast spells, draw a sword and fight with it, yell instructions to team-mates etc).