D&D 5E Wherein we discuss spells and other magical things.

[Reynard]

My thoughts:


1) Kinetic energy is still energy.

2) if you can't be damaged by attacks- kinetic energy delivered by a blunt, pointed or edged weapon- why should damage from falling off a cliff be treated differently? The source is different, but the nature is the same.

The sphere only stop energy from outside the sphere. The force with which the person splats against the wall of the sphere originates inside the sphere. For example, if a wizard were to cast fireball while inside the sphere, they would not be protected from the damage.

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[Dannyalcatraz]

The sphere only stop energy from outside the sphere. The force with which the person splats against the wall of the sphere originates inside the sphere.

According to the spell, the inability to transfer energy operates in both directions: kinetic energy from outside cannot enter, kinetic energy from inside cannot exit. Force in either direction is magically dispersed to zero*.

Nothing---not physical objects, energy, or other spell effects---can pass through the barrier, in or out, though a creature in the sphere can breathe there. The sphere is immune to all damage, and a creature or object inside can’t be damaged by attacks or effects originating from outside, nor can a creature inside the sphere damage anything outside it.

(Emphasis mine.)

Under your interpetation, we treat it differently if the occupant strikes the sphere with a weapon or with his body. We do not ask if weapon strikes against the inner or outer surface of the sphere result in the nullified energy bouncing back on the weapon's wielder. The strikes simply have no effect.





* with the exception of being able to roll the sphere like a hamster.

 

[Reynard]

* with the exception of being able to roll the sphere like a hamster.

I don't think it's an exception. I think it is illustrative of the way the physics works in the sphere. Kinetic energy in the sphere operates normally. That includes inertia.

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[Dannyalcatraz]

I don't think it's an exception. I think it is illustrative of the way the physics works in the sphere. Kinetic energy in the sphere operates normally. That includes inertia.

It is an exception because the force exerted inside the sphere is being transferred to the outside world, creating motion. It is behaving exactly as a hamster ball would.

If the energy were not being transferred outside the sphere, the occupant could run around the inside like motorcycle riders in the Sphere of Death without actually moving the sphere.

To clarify: to move, the sphere has to exert force on the environment. The only source of force to do so when "hamstering" is the sphere's occupant. Therefore force is being transferred across the sphere's barrier.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

It states that the sphere is weightless. I'd say that it doesn't build up enough energy from falling to damage the occupant.
It might be possible to damage the occupant if you're big enough to pick up the sphere and rattle it, but thats a rather edge case and up to the DM.

 

[Lanefan]

It states that the sphere is weightless.

The sphere may be weightless but what's inside it is not: as what's inside it can walk (or hamster) normally that tells me gravity works in there as usual and thus the person inside will fall, and drag the sphere down.

I'd say that it doesn't build up enough energy from falling to damage the occupant.

The terminal velocity might be less due to the sphere's wind resistance, is the only benefit I can see...unless wind resistance doesn't apply due to the no-kinetic-energy-transfer rules, meaning terminal velocity will be infinite (!) as the person falling - protected by the sphere - is offering up no wind resistance either.

It might be possible to damage the occupant if you're big enough to pick up the sphere and rattle it, but thats a rather edge case and up to the DM.

There's a scene in (the first Avengers?) where Thor is inside a capsule falling from the sky; the capsule is tumbling as it falls and Thor's getting pasted as he rattles around inside, he then has to bail out before the whole thing hits the ground. That's how I envision a falling sphere working, except you can't bail out.

Lan-"splat"-efan

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

The sphere may be weightless but what's inside it is not: as what's inside it can walk (or hamster) normally that tells me gravity works in there as usual and thus the person inside will fall, and drag the sphere down.

I'm taking that phrase to mean the entire sphere, contents included. Given my guess as to the level of RL physics that the writers wanted to bother with, I'd interpret it as "negligible weight": enough to fall gently and stay on the surface of the world rather than get flung off into space by the natural rotation force.
As a construct of pure force, the sphere itself wouldn't have any weight.

As such, I believe the terminal velocity of the sphere and its inhabitant wouldn't be enough to cause damage: the sphere does seem to have a level of friction, so wind resistance would apply.

The terminal velocity might be less due to the sphere's wind resistance, is the only benefit I can see...unless wind resistance doesn't apply due to the no-kinetic-energy-transfer rules, meaning terminal velocity will be infinite (!) as the person falling - protected by the sphere - is offering up no wind resistance either.

The person inside is offering no wind resistance because they are enclosed by the sphere. The wind resistance will be that of the sphere.

 

[Warmaster Horus]

Enough real-world physics. It's a magic ball. When you're in it you can't take damage from eternal threats of any kind. In my game I'd say falling would be scary and but not damaging. If I decided to include falling damage I'd probably tie it to a dex save (say half falling damage -1d6 per 20 feet to a max of 10d6- or none if a save is made, DC height/10).

 

[Charles Rampant]

More important question: the sphere is weightless, but appears not to confer that status on the person inside, so it's as heavy as the person, but they don't wriggle. How far can a Storm Giant toss that, and what's the most amusing thing that could happen as a result?I'm thinking that it'd certainly be worth considering whether the Giant can hit a nearby volcano caldera for 100pts and a plot hook.

 

[Oofta]

Unless the sphere suddenly develops seatbelts and airbags, you take falling damage. It's not the fall that hurts, it's the sudden stop at the end.

Hmm ... resilient sphere + bad guy + trebuchet = dead bad guy?