magic and physics? do they mix?

[Kranton Zo`erth]

take a simple spell.....

gust of wind.....now take said spell and have it go off in a confined space(say a scroll tube)....do i get the desired effect of compressed air? think it could launch small items oh.....say 20 ft maybe?
trying for a new item....I realize this would be house rules...just running over some of you to see how it fares in a general forum.

Thanks,
Kranton Zo`erth

 

[AuraSeer]

No. It's magic. A spell does only what the description says, not what real-world physics would make that imply.

Gust of wind makes wind, not compressed air. If you cast it in a confined space, the wind is smaller but no more powerful.

 

[Wombat]

Magic & Physics might well mix, but rarely well or for long. If you think through all the physical and chemical implications of the spells out there, eventually your head will really, really hurt.

 

[devoblue]

A fireball in a corridor does not send shockwaves along its length, and a lightning bolt into a pool of water does not damage those standing in the water, out of the bolts path.

Not only will changing spells to behave according to real world physics make your head hurt, you will inevitably get to a point where a player has a more correct/power gaming interpretation than you that leads you into real trouble.

"..so if I cast 5 delayed blast fireballs, followed by a teleport, I should be able to convert this dungeon into a a BBEG covered in rubble.."

 

[Aaron L]

Magic BREAKS physics. You use magic when you can't accomplish something whithin the bounds of physics. As was said, magic does ONLY what the spell says it does... there are no side effects. A spell isnt caused by natural phenomena, it is an effective that comes about by breaking the laws of nature. A spell has no logical concequences, it breaks the rules of logic by creating an effect whithout normal cause.

 

[CalrinAlshaw]

It's totally up to you man. Or your DM. For example, I've seen an item created, basically, a diving suit ala Camptain Nemo, where you summon an air elemental to give the object 24 hours of compressed breathing air. (Lets not go into the facts of pressure while under water and such...)

Anyhow, as for "Gust of Wind" having that effect? I'd say no, that spell MOVES air, doesn't CREATE air.

Calrin Alshaw

 

[Umbran]

As a GM, I'm far more likely to allow creative spell uses when the creativity is "I cast spell X, it has it's normal effects, but because of the situation that has interesting consequences" than "I cast spell X so as to get a completely different effect than normal".

 

[Kranton Zo`erth]

Actually, I went back and read the spell....
First line of the description - " This spell creates a severe blast of wind (approx. 50 mph) that originates from you, affecting all creatures in its path."

So, it does create air....and I was thinking of using an item to cast the effect.....but I guess I should run that one by my DM.

 

[Umbran]

So, it does create air....

Does a window fan create air? No. It creates motion of air.

One can view the spell similarly. It is not at all clear how the spell would function underwater, or in a vacuum.

 

[Kranton Zo`erth]

First line of the description - " This spell creates a severe blast of wind (approx. 50 mph) that originates from you, affecting all creatures in its path."

So, it does create air....

I am going by spell description.....and was referring to an earlier post......
sorry...guess i should have put the quote from the other......new here...and message boards in general.

Gust of wind falls under evocation, which means to call forth(summon) something from nothing.....

Either way.... was just looking to get an outside perspective on my idea. thnaks for the input.