Can I kill someone with a Folding boat?

[Dandu]

I'd say the simplest rule is that you cannot fold the boat if something or someone is still aboard.

Think elevator doors: they won't close if something's inbetween. It's a simple safety measure that wouldn't be unreasonable for a folding boat, magic or not.

Elevator doors in first world countries after the 1950's (or something like that) won't close if there's something in the way.

In other places and times, however...

 

[ValhallaGH]

In other places and times, however...

"Dang it! That was my favorite arm! Stupid elevator. ... Oh, and someone get me to a doctor."

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

I'd say the simplest rule is that you cannot fold the boat if something or someone is still aboard.

Think elevator doors: they won't close if something's inbetween. It's a simple safety measure that wouldn't be unreasonable for a folding boat, magic or not.

That's a good point, and certainly in line with some other magic effects that are explicitly noted as not doing harm.

I guess it just depends on how one views the role played by safety measures and such in creating a magic item in D&D land. You mentioned elevators; well I've been in some reeeeeally dodgy elevators in other countries that had no safety features at all (even ones with no door/gate... just occurred to me that some may not have even had brakes *shudder*).

Hehe... that tempts me to make the folding boat ruling based on its "make and model". Old, cheap, rickety ones are dangerous, but the sleek new models are not-- kind of like how airbags used to only be installed in high-end cars

Honestly, as long as the ruling's consistent, I don't really have a problem with it, no matter which way it goes.

 

[coyote6]

If I thought of it, or if a player asked, I'd probably give the victims a Ref save to get to the dock before they got dunked. It's DC 15 to grab the edge if you fail a Jump check to clear a gap, so that sounds like a good start.

 

[Odhanan]

DM's call.

 

[TarionzCousin]

If I were DM'ing this scenario, here's what would occur:

PC: When they're all on the boat and we're in the water I fold them up in it!
DM: Okay, the boat folds up.
PC: What happened to the bad guys?
DM: You don't know. They disappeared into the folded boat.

[sblock]I would give the bad guys some minor damage and have them live, very angrily appearing when the magic boat was next unfolded. [/sblock]

 

[Jhaelen]

Hehe... that tempts me to make the folding boat ruling based on its "make and model". Old, cheap, rickety ones are dangerous, but the sleek new models are not-- kind of like how airbags used to only be installed in high-end cars

Intriguing.

This reminds me that it's a pity we don't have rules for enchantment mishaps in D&D 3e. A couple of random tables to determine flaws and twists for magic items could work wonders to bring back the wonders of magic...