Switching places with a grabbed creature

[True_Blue]

Recently I was DMing a group through Keep on the Shadowfell and the PC's came across a Gelatinous Cube. One of the PC's, the barbarian, was grabbed and pulled into the Cube's space. While grabbed, she is dazed and takes ongoing 10 acid damage. Another PC, an eladrin swordmage, has a power that lets her teleport and switch places with another PC.

The eladrin swordmage asked me if she would be able to use the power, (its a second level utility power), and switch places with the Barbarian. I let her Swordmage go ahead and do it, but with the caveat that since she is switching places, *she* is now grabbed and at the beginning of her turn she would be dazed and taking ongoing 10 acid damage. She was ok with this, so she used the power. She was now grabbed, dazed and taking ongoing 10 damage.

I ruled it that since she was now dazed, and had already used a standard action, her turn ended. Now on her next turn, she took 10 acid damage, but then she used her Fey Step to teleport out of the grab.

Would any of you had handled this differently, or not allowed her to switch places with the barbarian? Technically, I dont think a PC can teleport to a place that is not legal, and in the middle of a Gelatinous Cube would not be legal, but it seemed like the intent behind it was better than the technical rules for it. It makes sense that she should be able to switch places with the Barbarian, and suffer the consequences.

I'm just curious if maybe I missed something or others would have done anything differently.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

I don't actually know of a rule which says that you can't teleport anywhere you have LoS to. You do NOT need LoE, so as long as we grant that a GC is transparent enough that you have LoS to its insides, then it works. Again, the rules don't state that LoS is broken between the grabbed character and things outside, so I believe what you did is legal by RAW.

Now the part about the eladrin acquiring the grabbed condition, etc. is definitely creative interpretation. I think if you went by the most rigid interpretation of the rules the eladrin would just be 'inside the cube' and not necessarily suffering any conditions. However, I think the way you did it is exactly what I'd have done. It was a good plan. The character was discomfited slightly and took 10 damage. I doubt that was really a big deal and it fit with the action in-game. Lots of people will try to tell you it is ZOMG! BAD to play fast and loose with mechanics. Forget it. Mechanics describes what's going on. As long as the players understand it within the context of the story then go for it. That's my 2 cents worth anyway...

 

[Truename]

I'm just curious if maybe I missed something or others would have done anything differently.

I think it was a great ruling. I love for my players to improvise, so whenever they suggest something, I ask myself these questions:

1- Is it cool and heroic?
2- Is it specific to the situation?
3- Will the result be a bit more powerful than using a power?

If yes, allow it!

Also, I never take away their attack roll, even if I ask for an additional check. For example, if one of my players wants to swing on a chandelier and land on a bad guy's head, I'll say, "Use whatever power you think is appropriate and also make an Acrobatics check. If the Acrobatics check succeeds, you can knock him prone or do 1d6 extra damage, your choice. Otherwise, no extra damage, but you still get to make your attack."

 

[DracoSuave]

Yeah, RAW, it won't work because teleportation doesn't allow you to enter an occupied square.


However, Rule of Cool says you made the right call anyways.