Feather Fall Talisman Question [Archive] - Wizards Community

Feather Fall Talisman Question [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Syltorian
02-06-08, 06:14 AM Does a Feather Fall Talisman (S:CoT p.170) help you if you go overboard in an airship, stumble over the border in Skyway, get pushed off a high tower, or fall from any other place that is higher than 60 feet? The reason I am asking is that it is CL 1st item, and so the once-only feather fall spell should work as if cast by a first level wizard/sorcerer (that is, for a single round and 60 feet), correct? Or is it safe to disregard the rules at this point, and assume that it will get you down safely whatever distance you fall?
Amaril
02-06-08, 08:26 AM You're supposed to activate the item as an free action (not necessarily on your turn) before hitting the ground, not when you start falling.
naturax
02-06-08, 10:15 AM Yeah I read somewhere you're supposed to make a DC 10 WIS check to time it correctly, basically waiting until you get within 60 feet of the ground before turning it on.
Syltorian
02-06-08, 12:58 PM You're supposed to activate the item as an free action (not necessarily on your turn) before hitting the ground, not when you start falling.

Thanks, Amaril. That makes sense. And it also makes the item as useful as I hoped it would be. This basically also makes the 1 round/level of feather fall redundant, unless you try to play safe (in-game).

Yeah I read somewhere you're supposed to make a DC 10 WIS check to time it correctly, basically waiting until you get within 60 feet of the ground before turning it on.

You know, that does ring a bell somewhere... though I cannot remember where I came across that before. Thanks for bringing it back to mind.
Gurv
02-07-08, 06:28 AM You know, that does ring a bell somewhere... though I cannot remember where I came across that before. Thanks for bringing it back to mind.
The item works like the spell, and as such can be activated as a free action even when it isn't your turn (aka immediate action).

The part about the DC 10 Wis check is on page 36 of S:CoT, under the "Falling" heading.

On a slight tangent, it isn't just in Sharn that timing feather fall can be difficult. As I recall, a character falls 150 feet in the first round and 300 feet on each succeeding round. If you're less than 5th level, you must cast the spell less than a round before impact, or else you'll be too high when it ends!

I also use this as a house rule when the PCs are really, really high: I note what number in the initiative order it is when a character begins a fall. On that initiative the next round, he is 150 feet lower than he began. I then subtract 10 from that number. On each following round, the character has dropped 150 feet on each of those points in the initiative order. This allows characters to react as the guy falls rather than have him plummet out of sight in a single instant. For more exacting situations, just divide the round into more segments and have figure the fall at each point in the initiative.
Amaril
02-07-08, 06:48 AM The item works like the spell, and as such can be activated as a free action even when it isn't your turn (aka immediate action).Technically, it's not an immediate action, as you are only allowed one immediate action per round. Being a free action that can be taken out of turn means you still have an immediate action available.

Having said that, casting feather fall is labeled as an immediate action, so it's entirely up to a DM to determine.
Syltorian
02-07-08, 12:54 PM The part about the DC 10 Wis check is on page 36 of S:CoT, under the "Falling" heading.

Great, thanks!

I also use this as a house rule when the PCs are really, really high: I note what number in the initiative order it is when a character begins a fall. On that initiative the next round, he is 150 feet lower than he began. I then subtract 10 from that number. On each following round, the character has dropped 150 feet on each of those points in the initiative order. This allows characters to react as the guy falls rather than have him plummet out of sight in a single instant. For more exacting situations, just divide the round into more segments and have figure the fall at each point in the initiative.

That sounds like an interesting houserule. I'll have to remember that one, for those airship fights. One question, though: I assume you also have who wears a ring of feather falling, or under a feather fall effect longer than one round, drop 30 feet at Initiative and Initiative -10 each round?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Syltorian 02-06-08, 06:14 AM	Does a Feather Fall Talisman (S:CoT p.170) help you if you go overboard in an airship, stumble over the border in Skyway, get pushed off a high tower, or fall from any other place that is higher than 60 feet? The reason I am asking is that it is CL 1st item, and so the once-only feather fall spell should work as if cast by a first level wizard/sorcerer (that is, for a single round and 60 feet), correct? Or is it safe to disregard the rules at this point, and assume that it will get you down safely whatever distance you fall?
Amaril 02-06-08, 08:26 AM	You're supposed to activate the item as an free action (not necessarily on your turn) before hitting the ground, not when you start falling.
naturax 02-06-08, 10:15 AM	Yeah I read somewhere you're supposed to make a DC 10 WIS check to time it correctly, basically waiting until you get within 60 feet of the ground before turning it on.
Syltorian 02-06-08, 12:58 PM	You're supposed to activate the item as an free action (not necessarily on your turn) before hitting the ground, not when you start falling. Thanks, Amaril. That makes sense. And it also makes the item as useful as I hoped it would be. This basically also makes the 1 round/level of feather fall redundant, unless you try to play safe (in-game). Yeah I read somewhere you're supposed to make a DC 10 WIS check to time it correctly, basically waiting until you get within 60 feet of the ground before turning it on. You know, that does ring a bell somewhere... though I cannot remember where I came across that before. Thanks for bringing it back to mind.
Gurv 02-07-08, 06:28 AM	You know, that does ring a bell somewhere... though I cannot remember where I came across that before. Thanks for bringing it back to mind. The item works like the spell, and as such can be activated as a free action even when it isn't your turn (aka immediate action). The part about the DC 10 Wis check is on page 36 of S:CoT, under the "Falling" heading. On a slight tangent, it isn't just in Sharn that timing feather fall can be difficult. As I recall, a character falls 150 feet in the first round and 300 feet on each succeeding round. If you're less than 5th level, you must cast the spell less than a round before impact, or else you'll be too high when it ends! I also use this as a house rule when the PCs are really, really high: I note what number in the initiative order it is when a character begins a fall. On that initiative the next round, he is 150 feet lower than he began. I then subtract 10 from that number. On each following round, the character has dropped 150 feet on each of those points in the initiative order. This allows characters to react as the guy falls rather than have him plummet out of sight in a single instant. For more exacting situations, just divide the round into more segments and have figure the fall at each point in the initiative.
Amaril 02-07-08, 06:48 AM	The item works like the spell, and as such can be activated as a free action even when it isn't your turn (aka immediate action).Technically, it's not an immediate action, as you are only allowed one immediate action per round. Being a free action that can be taken out of turn means you still have an immediate action available. Having said that, casting feather fall is labeled as an immediate action, so it's entirely up to a DM to determine.
Syltorian 02-07-08, 12:54 PM	The part about the DC 10 Wis check is on page 36 of S:CoT, under the "Falling" heading. Great, thanks! I also use this as a house rule when the PCs are really, really high: I note what number in the initiative order it is when a character begins a fall. On that initiative the next round, he is 150 feet lower than he began. I then subtract 10 from that number. On each following round, the character has dropped 150 feet on each of those points in the initiative order. This allows characters to react as the guy falls rather than have him plummet out of sight in a single instant. For more exacting situations, just divide the round into more segments and have figure the fall at each point in the initiative. That sounds like an interesting houserule. I'll have to remember that one, for those airship fights. One question, though: I assume you also have who wears a ring of feather falling, or under a feather fall effect longer than one round, drop 30 feet at Initiative and Initiative -10 each round?