Converting Planescape monsters

[Cleon]

That makes sense to me.

Given that they're immune to gravity, shouldn't they have no weight?

They might be able to vary their personal weight by manipulating gravity.

Regardless, they should still possess mass.

 

[freyar]

Mass, but not weight, which is the response of mass to gravity.

 

[Shade]

Updated the feats and skills.

I'll leave you two to debate "weightier" matters.

 

[Cleon]

Mass, but not weight, which is the response of mass to gravity.

Surely mass doesn't create weight in response to gravity. Weight is a force created by gravity acting on mass. Of course, gravity is itself created by mass.

Not sure how much real-world physics we should be sinking to.

Anyhow, how about.

A typical ni'iath is 5 feet long and weighs 100 pounds when at rest, but it can use its gravity manipulation powers to assume any weight between 200 pounds and weightlessness.

 

[freyar]

In Newtonian physics, weight is the gravitational force experienced by an object. (Hence, a given mass has about 1/6 its usual "earth weight" when it is on the moon.) Ni'iaths are completely immune to the gravitational force. Whether that in itself is sensible scientifically, it means that they have no weight by the definition of the term. I have to insist on this one. If they weigh 100lb, they'd fall to the ground.

 

[Cleon]

In Newtonian physics, weight is the gravitational force experienced by an object. (Hence, a given mass has about 1/6 its usual "earth weight" when it is on the moon.) Ni'iaths are completely immune to the gravitational force. Whether that in itself is sensible scientifically, it means that they have no weight by the definition of the term. I have to insist on this one. If they weigh 100lb, they'd fall to the ground.

I thought they could vary their weight (and the direction the weight fell towards), which is how they moved?

Anyhow, if you want them weightless I'd tolerate something like:

A typical ni'iath is 5 feet long. Their gravity manipulation powers mean they are effectively weightless, although they have a mass equivalent to about 100 pounds.

 

[freyar]

Here's the quote: "They are completely immune to the effects of gravity, and use the two fanlike fins on either side of their head to “swim” through the air. They have no grasp of the concept of “up” or “down”, being able to orient themselves in either vertical direction without flipping themselves around." So they don't seem to move by gravity manipulation, I think.

Well, anyway, what you propose seems reasonable, at least if you'll change "pounds" to "slugs."

 

[Cleon]

Here's the quote: "They are completely immune to the effects of gravity, and use the two fanlike fins on either side of their head to “swim” through the air. They have no grasp of the concept of “up” or “down”, being able to orient themselves in either vertical direction without flipping themselves around." So they don't seem to move by gravity manipulation, I think.

Well, anyway, what you propose seems reasonable, at least if you'll change "pounds" to "slugs."

Offhand, I can't recall ever seeing anyone actually using the slug unit of mass.

Besides, describing mass in pounds is fine in everyday use. It's no worse than using kilogrammes as a unit of weight, which people do all the time despite the unit of weight being the Newton.

I suppose we could change it to pounds per foot/second² if it really bothers you...

 

[freyar]

Eh, it's probably ok as is.

 

[Cleon]

Eh, it's probably ok as is.

Back to the pound with it, then!