Major Otiluke's Resilient Sphere issues

[Demogorge]

Our party has way too many problems with figuring out how to work this spell. The description is just too vague. If someone is aware of a ruling on this or an interpretation that would clarify it, please help. Otherwise I will try to ask the Sage about it. I think it can be compared to other Evoc [Force] spells, but we don't have very much experience with those. I regret this being so long, but we spent about an hour discussing it and a lot of issues came up.

1) Moving it - This is the most important one. The spell description says it can be moved from outside and inside according to the rules for pushing "heavy" objects. Since "heavy" is a variable based on Strength, does this mean:

a) the "mass" of the sphere is proportional to whoever is inside/outside it trying to move it? Does a 3 Str character have as much ability to move the sphere as a 20 Str character?

b) It's proportional but a max load, not just heavy. Meaning at least 2 people are needed to move the sphere, but they can be 2 characters with 3 Str.

c) Forget the "heavy". The Sphere has some static weight that needs to be house-ruled.

2) Gravity - If you cast an ORS on a floating creature, does gravity pull the sphere down, or is it a floating sphere?

3) Structure - The spell description says that nothing can pass through the sphere, inside or out, though the subject can breathe normally. The contradiction is that it says nothing can pass through, then says air passes through (breathe normally).

a) I assume spells cannot get through, but can heat/cold get through like from a fireball? or mundane burning wood?

b) If air can get through, can the "cloud" spells seep in?

c) I assume a Dimension Door can get you in or out. Does the sphere extend into the Ethereal plane? Or is it a solid sphere that you can Blink/Ghost Form out of?

Thanks for the help!

 

[pontus]

1. I think the weight of the sphere is the sum of the weight of the objects, creatures and air in the sphere.

2. I believe it floats. It's a big bubble filled mostly with air. If you want to make sure, calculate the weight of the sphere (assume the walls weigh nothing) and see if it has a higher density than water.

3. Nothing can get through the sphere, not even air. If the character can breathe normally then it must mean that what air is in the sphere is kept magically refreshed. The blink spell can not get past the sphere, as the sphere is a Force effect.

 

[bret]

1. You parsed the phrase totally wrong. You are looking for the rules for pushing heavy objects on page 142 to determine how much weight can be pushed. In other words, you can push it provided it isn't over 5x Maximum load for the character doing the pushing.

The weight should be the total weight of the contents. Figuring a human, that would be about 250 lbs or more depending on equipment carried. If you try to push around a small elemental, you are dealing with something much heavier. In any case, the weight of the sphere should be neglible so I would just call it zero.

2. I would have the sphere be affected by gravity. It would interfere with winged flight and be inconvenient for anyone entrapped, but wouldn't cause an immediate crash landing.

3. I would rule that nothing harmful can get through. Let them cast ORS around a member of the party to get past a Lava flow, seems reasonable. Stinking cloud or other gaseous spells have no effect, and gaseous form doesn't allow you to sneak in or out.

The duration is only 1 minute per level, so running out of air should not be a problem.

Since teleport, dimension door and such can get through the Wall of Force, I would rule the same applies to ORS.

 

[Grayswandir]

I agree that the weight of the sphere is the total weight of its contents. Since nothing can pass through the sphere, neither can air - but with a duration of one minute per foot diameter of the sphere, I'm pretty sure the sphere contains enough air for the occupant(s) to breathe for the duration. As a force effect, the sphere does extend onto the Ethereal plane and so the occupant cannot simply cast ethereal jaunt and pass through, though a teleport spell would suffice.

 

[Demogorge]

sage clarification

Thanks for the help guys, my questions were completely addressed here, but I went to the Sage also to get an official ruling.

The Sage affirmed that the sphere has zero weight by itself but is equal to the weight of it's contents. He also said if cast on a flying creature it would just float/sit there. But it can be moved by a flying creature if they can fly backwards (maneuverability good or perfect) and can carry the weight of the sphere's contents. Piling guys/objects on top of the sphere will effectively keep anyone from moving it.

 

[green slime]

How on earth does a flying creature stay up there, when the sphere is an impermeable force effect, with weight?

The total weight of the sphere is the weight of the contents. Say we have a soaring albatross up there, flapping its wings, to stay aloft.

--Zip--- It gets trapped in O's Resilient Sphere, and no air can pass in or out. So flapping wings will provide no support. But the weight is still present, thus it should plumit to the earth.

But instead it hangs there waiting to get bumped in a direction. If it gets bumped in a downward direction, how soon does it stop? as soon as the force pushing it is removed? Whe

I'm so pleased I don't have to deal with effects as strange as this in RL...