3.5 Can you cast Feather Fall at anytime during your fall? [Archive] - Wizards Community

3.5 Can you cast Feather Fall at anytime during your fall? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Harmor
09-24-04, 04:14 PM As we all know Feather Fall can be cast as a Free action AND can be cast on someone else's turn.

But I would like to know if its ok to activate the spell during anytime during the fall?

For example:

Lets say I jump off a 120-foot cliff. But instead of activating right away to fall 60-feet per round (2 rounds to get to the bottom while archers who are following me are firing at me), I want to activate it when I'm 10-feet off the ground. That way I will land and be able to move.

What do you guys think?

Reflex check or something?
Heron_Marked_Blade
09-24-04, 04:25 PM I'd allow it. But the spellcaster would actually have to cast the spell. If he had a ring of feather fall, the effect would kick in as soon as he fell 5 feet off the cliff.
Shadowfax7
09-24-04, 04:47 PM IMO it depends on how far you fall in 1 round prior to casting FF.

For example, if you fell 120 ft. w/o FF, then you would hit the bottom before being able to cast FF. It depends on what the rules say about distance fallen in a round, there are several interpretations on this subject - some scientific (gravity formulas), some using the rules of a flying creature falling which off the top of my head I believe is 150 ft./round ?? or for the first round and then 300 ft./round ??
smrtgmp
09-24-04, 04:56 PM concidering it can be cast out of turn, I think it would be fine. I would probably allow it.
Seeker95
09-24-04, 05:25 PM As Heron noted, and smrtgmp commented, the answer is yes.
You can cast feather fall at any time during your fall.
But an item that "activates" feather fall does so as soon as you fall more than 5' unless the description says otherwise.
Methos of Aundair
09-24-04, 05:51 PM Quoted from the SRD (Feather Fall)

You can cast this spell with an instant utterance, quickly enough to save yourself if you unexpectedly fall. Casting the spell is a free action, like casting a quickened spell, and it counts toward the normal limit of one quickened spell per round. You may even cast this spell when it isn’t your turn.

The underlined statement states you could cast it instantly. In a way you could say the verbal component is you screaming.
kSquared
09-24-04, 05:56 PM In a way you could say the verbal component is you screaming.

PC: "Bombs awayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!"
Harmor
09-24-04, 06:59 PM Correct me if I'm wrong, but one of the Skip William articles around stalling in flight said that the first round you fall 150-feet and the second and subsequent rounds you fall 300-feet.

Thanks guys for helping me clear this up.
Heron_Marked_Blade
09-24-04, 07:28 PM Correct me if I'm wrong, but one of the Skip William articles around stalling in flight said that the first round you fall 150-feet and the second and subsequent rounds you fall 300-feet.For a flyer or a winged creature, yes. However:

A nonflyer (or flyer falling through the air) freefalls rather than stalls. A creature in freefall drops 500 feet the first round and 1,000 feet each round thereafter. While in freefall, a creature can attempt a single action each round. It must make a Dexterity or Strength check (creature's choice, DC 15) to avoid dropping any item it tries to use. Spellcasting is possible, but doing so requires a Concentration check (DC 15 + spell level) and if the spell has a material component, the creature must first check to see if it drops the component.You can find more information in his Rules of the Game: All About Movement (Part Five) (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20040706a) article on the main website. Hmm, if you wait until you're right above the ground to cast feather fall, I'd probably require a Concentration check (DC 15 + SL = 16) for you to pull it off. It's one thing to cast the spell before you've really started falling, and another to be staring at the ground rushing up at you and maintain your focus.
Methos of Aundair
09-24-04, 07:43 PM Originally posted by Heron Marked Blade

... and another to be staring at the ground rushing up at you and maintain your focus.

I've skydived before and honestly you do not look at the ground to figure out when your going to touch down, it totally screws you up. (Read: I pulled the lines too soon and ended up taking a hard landing) :). Our trainer stated to more accurately know your distance from the ground to look out across the horizon. By looking directly below you as you get closer to the ground confuses your distance perception.

Just thought I would point that out.

EDIT: I would consider the falling distance per round as a free action :D
makeshiftwings
09-25-04, 03:12 AM Haven't you guys seen those "Extreme Sorcerers" on FOX? You know, where two mages jump off a cliff at the same time, and whoever casts Feather Fall last is the winner? :D
smrtgmp
09-25-04, 04:23 AM Thats a good quote heron. We actually had an incident in our last session in which that information would have come in very handy. I'll have to give a link to this thread to my DM.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Harmor 09-24-04, 04:14 PM	As we all know Feather Fall can be cast as a Free action AND can be cast on someone else's turn. But I would like to know if its ok to activate the spell during anytime during the fall? For example: Lets say I jump off a 120-foot cliff. But instead of activating right away to fall 60-feet per round (2 rounds to get to the bottom while archers who are following me are firing at me), I want to activate it when I'm 10-feet off the ground. That way I will land and be able to move. What do you guys think? Reflex check or something?
Heron_Marked_Blade 09-24-04, 04:25 PM	I'd allow it. But the spellcaster would actually have to cast the spell. If he had a ring of feather fall, the effect would kick in as soon as he fell 5 feet off the cliff.
Shadowfax7 09-24-04, 04:47 PM	IMO it depends on how far you fall in 1 round prior to casting FF. For example, if you fell 120 ft. w/o FF, then you would hit the bottom before being able to cast FF. It depends on what the rules say about distance fallen in a round, there are several interpretations on this subject - some scientific (gravity formulas), some using the rules of a flying creature falling which off the top of my head I believe is 150 ft./round ?? or for the first round and then 300 ft./round ??
smrtgmp 09-24-04, 04:56 PM	concidering it can be cast out of turn, I think it would be fine. I would probably allow it.
Seeker95 09-24-04, 05:25 PM	As Heron noted, and smrtgmp commented, the answer is yes. You can cast feather fall at any time during your fall. But an item that "activates" feather fall does so as soon as you fall more than 5' unless the description says otherwise.
Methos of Aundair 09-24-04, 05:51 PM	Quoted from the SRD (Feather Fall) You can cast this spell with an instant utterance, quickly enough to save yourself if you unexpectedly fall. Casting the spell is a free action, like casting a quickened spell, and it counts toward the normal limit of one quickened spell per round. You may even cast this spell when it isn’t your turn. The underlined statement states you could cast it instantly. In a way you could say the verbal component is you screaming.
kSquared 09-24-04, 05:56 PM	In a way you could say the verbal component is you screaming. PC: "Bombs awayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!"
Harmor 09-24-04, 06:59 PM	Correct me if I'm wrong, but one of the Skip William articles around stalling in flight said that the first round you fall 150-feet and the second and subsequent rounds you fall 300-feet. Thanks guys for helping me clear this up.
Heron_Marked_Blade 09-24-04, 07:28 PM	Correct me if I'm wrong, but one of the Skip William articles around stalling in flight said that the first round you fall 150-feet and the second and subsequent rounds you fall 300-feet.For a flyer or a winged creature, yes. However: A nonflyer (or flyer falling through the air) freefalls rather than stalls. A creature in freefall drops 500 feet the first round and 1,000 feet each round thereafter. While in freefall, a creature can attempt a single action each round. It must make a Dexterity or Strength check (creature's choice, DC 15) to avoid dropping any item it tries to use. Spellcasting is possible, but doing so requires a Concentration check (DC 15 + spell level) and if the spell has a material component, the creature must first check to see if it drops the component.You can find more information in his Rules of the Game: All About Movement (Part Five) (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20040706a) article on the main website. Hmm, if you wait until you're right above the ground to cast feather fall, I'd probably require a Concentration check (DC 15 + SL = 16) for you to pull it off. It's one thing to cast the spell before you've really started falling, and another to be staring at the ground rushing up at you and maintain your focus.
Methos of Aundair 09-24-04, 07:43 PM	Originally posted by Heron Marked Blade ... and another to be staring at the ground rushing up at you and maintain your focus. I've skydived before and honestly you do not look at the ground to figure out when your going to touch down, it totally screws you up. (Read: I pulled the lines too soon and ended up taking a hard landing) :). Our trainer stated to more accurately know your distance from the ground to look out across the horizon. By looking directly below you as you get closer to the ground confuses your distance perception. Just thought I would point that out. EDIT: I would consider the falling distance per round as a free action :D
makeshiftwings 09-25-04, 03:12 AM	Haven't you guys seen those "Extreme Sorcerers" on FOX? You know, where two mages jump off a cliff at the same time, and whoever casts Feather Fall last is the winner? :D
smrtgmp 09-25-04, 04:23 AM	Thats a good quote heron. We actually had an incident in our last session in which that information would have come in very handy. I'll have to give a link to this thread to my DM.