Boots of Levitation activation [Archive] - Wizards Community

Boots of Levitation activation [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
kreniigh
07-12-07, 03:38 PM As far as I can tell, activating Boots of Levitation is a standard action. This means that they can never be used by a character to prevent damage from a fall (unless the character had an action readied to activate them in case he fell).

Since the DMG was written before rules for swift and immediate actions were created, it's not possible to tell if the writers would have made it such. Many newer items have swift/immediate activation if it makes sense that they would.

Am I correct in saying that strict interpretation remains that it's a standard action? Do people play this way?

thanks
Dalthbar
07-12-07, 03:42 PM Yes, it's a standard action, but in the few times that someone's fallen and has boots of levitation, we let it function like feather fall's activation (an immediate action) - but only when in such a dire circumstance.
zorgling25
07-12-07, 03:43 PM You are correct.
Feather fall existed before swift and immediate actions. Enough said.
Empiro
07-12-07, 03:46 PM They're still a standard action, and I'd argue that it's not the intent of the boots to save you from falls.

Many of the new items are balanced by having times per day while the boots are at will.
primemover003
07-12-07, 03:58 PM If you want to CYA from falling you buy a Ring of Feather Fall... Boots of Levitation are more for the times you need to go up, not stopping you from going down.
kreniigh
07-12-07, 04:06 PM There's also the screwy D&D time/physics, in which a fall of any height takes no time... I can see where a 10' pit opening suddenly under you could be a 'no time to react' situation, but someone getting knocked off a 700-foot cliff could surely say a single word.

I can see skydiving instructors in d20 having a unique #1 rule -- "always ready an action to pull your ripcord before you jump!" Because otherwise, thud, you're dead.
Dalthbar
07-12-07, 04:11 PM The reason we allow it is due to the wonkiness of turn-based game play.

If you're flying and someone casts dispel magic on you, you fall off of your turn. If all you need to do is say a command word, it's kinda dumb that you can't do this simply because it's "not your turn" even though you continue to fall while it's not your turn.

It's clearly house rule, but the impact it has on the over-arching game is VERY minuscule.
primemover003
07-12-07, 05:57 PM There's also the screwy D&D time/physics, in which a fall of any height takes no time... I can see where a 10' pit opening suddenly under you could be a 'no time to react' situation, but someone getting knocked off a 700-foot cliff could surely say a single word.

I can see skydiving instructors in d20 having a unique #1 rule -- "always ready an action to pull your ripcord before you jump!" Because otherwise, thud, you're dead.
Falling does take time... it's just that you need to be higher than 500 ft for it to take more than one round to fall. According to the Rules of the Game articles on movement a non flyer falls 500 feet the first round and 1000 feet per round after that. Flyers stall then fall at 150 feet the first round and then 300 feet per round after.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
kreniigh 07-12-07, 03:38 PM	As far as I can tell, activating Boots of Levitation is a standard action. This means that they can never be used by a character to prevent damage from a fall (unless the character had an action readied to activate them in case he fell). Since the DMG was written before rules for swift and immediate actions were created, it's not possible to tell if the writers would have made it such. Many newer items have swift/immediate activation if it makes sense that they would. Am I correct in saying that strict interpretation remains that it's a standard action? Do people play this way? thanks
Dalthbar 07-12-07, 03:42 PM	Yes, it's a standard action, but in the few times that someone's fallen and has boots of levitation, we let it function like feather fall's activation (an immediate action) - but only when in such a dire circumstance.
zorgling25 07-12-07, 03:43 PM	You are correct. Feather fall existed before swift and immediate actions. Enough said.
Empiro 07-12-07, 03:46 PM	They're still a standard action, and I'd argue that it's not the intent of the boots to save you from falls. Many of the new items are balanced by having times per day while the boots are at will.
primemover003 07-12-07, 03:58 PM	If you want to CYA from falling you buy a Ring of Feather Fall... Boots of Levitation are more for the times you need to go up, not stopping you from going down.
kreniigh 07-12-07, 04:06 PM	There's also the screwy D&D time/physics, in which a fall of any height takes no time... I can see where a 10' pit opening suddenly under you could be a 'no time to react' situation, but someone getting knocked off a 700-foot cliff could surely say a single word. I can see skydiving instructors in d20 having a unique #1 rule -- "always ready an action to pull your ripcord before you jump!" Because otherwise, thud, you're dead.
Dalthbar 07-12-07, 04:11 PM	The reason we allow it is due to the wonkiness of turn-based game play. If you're flying and someone casts dispel magic on you, you fall off of your turn. If all you need to do is say a command word, it's kinda dumb that you can't do this simply because it's "not your turn" even though you continue to fall while it's not your turn. It's clearly house rule, but the impact it has on the over-arching game is VERY minuscule.
primemover003 07-12-07, 05:57 PM	There's also the screwy D&D time/physics, in which a fall of any height takes no time... I can see where a 10' pit opening suddenly under you could be a 'no time to react' situation, but someone getting knocked off a 700-foot cliff could surely say a single word. I can see skydiving instructors in d20 having a unique #1 rule -- "always ready an action to pull your ripcord before you jump!" Because otherwise, thud, you're dead. Falling does take time... it's just that you need to be higher than 500 ft for it to take more than one round to fall. According to the Rules of the Game articles on movement a non flyer falls 500 feet the first round and 1000 feet per round after that. Flyers stall then fall at 150 feet the first round and then 300 feet per round after.