Casting Orb Spells into Anti-Magic Fields

[bestone]

Of course, there's always the argument that, as non-magical "objects" (as per the description of [Creation]), they behave as mundane items after summoned. That swirling cloud of electrons you just summoned? Sure, it would have enough momentum to reach the target, but since it ceases to be magical, it just grounds through you and you take the damage. Orb of Acid? Orb of Fire? Sure, but be careful not to shoot into the wind! Orb of Cold? Well, "cold" merely means lack of heat if you take away the magic, so there's nothing to propel--it just makes you a bit chilly as it disperses.

Orb of Force and Orb of Sonic make sense though.

We actually ran into an argument about this in game. The spell's description however would suggest that the spell propels them to make contact. BUT! the players did come up against a bbeg wizard they had a previous encoutner with, and knew liked to throw orbs around. So they readied actions to wind wall. The ruling came down that the acid orb, created by the spell, would have been light enough and blew right back in the face of the bbeg.

Maybey not %100 kosher rules wise, but it was funny, and made sense to us none the less.

 

[matthewajg]

It seems to me that even though the orb of fire or acid may be non-magical because of the creation descriptor, some magical force is needed to hurl and guide the orb towards its target, otherwise gravity would make it fall the moment it appears...or an orb of fire would burn thew oxygen in the immediate area and wink out without fuel to sustain it. A magical effect is propelling the orb, and that would be negated by the Anti-magic field, causing the orb to disperse or fall to the ground in the square it enters the field. However, because it did have some velocity when entering the field, one might rule that acid would do splach damage to surrounding squares, or that any creature in the square that the orb dissipates in might take damage as normal. Either way, it seems quite clear that even if one rules that a creation effect is not negated by an Anti-magic field, that magical energy (even if unnamed) would be necessary to propel and guide it into the field...which would be negated immediately upon entering the field.

 

[javcs]

Physics is a house-rule.

Don't remember who said that originally, but it's still true.

 

[Notmousse]

A good idea, but can be squashed with a simple retort. All the kinetic energy the orb has is released upon creation. It is instantly shot forth at full speed, with no further magical assistance.

 

[glass]

Orb of Force and Orb of Sonic make sense though.

You think a nonmagical orb of magical force makes the most sense?


glass.

 

[Deset Gled]

Just for completeness, here is the rules text detailing why Orbs work in an AMF:

Conjuration:
Each conjuration spell belongs to one of five subschools. Conjurations bring manifestations of objects, creatures, or some form of energy to you (the summoning subschool), actually transport creatures from another plane of existence to your plane (calling), heal (healing), transport creatures or objects over great distances (teleportation), or create objects or effects on the spot (creation). Creatures you conjure usually, but not always, obey your commands.
A creature or object brought into being or transported to your location by a conjuration spell cannot appear inside another creature or object, nor can it appear floating in an empty space. It must arrive in an open location on a surface capable of supporting it.

Subschool: Creation
A creation spell manipulates matter to create an object or creature in the place the spellcaster designates (subject to the limits noted above). If the spell has a duration other than instantaneous, magic holds the creation together, and when the spell ends, the conjured creature or object vanishes without a trace. If the spell has an instantaneous duration, the created object or creature is merely assembled through magic. It lasts indefinitely and does not depend on magic for its existence.

As many people have already mentioned, I think the Orb spells are just silly, and make no sense even in a magical world. Permanent globes of pure force cluttering the ground after a battle is just wrong, as is the idea of throwing a non-magical ball of electricity or cold.

Another thing I have occasionally wondered about is why the orbs don't damage the caster. Per the rules of Conjuration, the orbs have to be supported by the caster's hand when they are created; they cannot be created in mid air. Seems to me that holding a ball of actual fire in your hand would be a good way to remove that pesky knuckle hair.

 

[Henry]

I know Hypersmurf and the rest are correct, but for me, that has got to go on the Top 10 List of the Most Counter-Intuitive Things I've Ever Seen in D&D.

 

[green slime]

You think a nonmagical orb of magical force makes the most sense?


glass.

LOL

 

[green slime]

I know Hypersmurf and the rest are correct, but for me, that has got to go on the Top 10 List of the Most Counter-Intuitive Things I've Ever Seen in D&D.

Yes. So much so, those orb spells just shouldn't be, or need to be revised, IMO.

 

[DreadArchon]

You think a nonmagical orb of magical force makes the most sense?

Yeah, I'd argue that it was some sort of gravitational anomaly or planar rift or somesuch. It may or may not make sense in real-world physics, but I could see it happening with in-game "physics."