Does Blink give you an 97% chance of walking through a wall?

[Noumenon]

Blink:

While blinking, you can step through (but not see through) solid objects. For each 5 feet of solid material you walk through, there is a 50% chance that you become material. If this occurs, you are shunted off to the nearest open space and take 1d6 points of damage per 5 feet so traveled. You can move at only three-quarters speed (because movement on the Ethereal Plane is at half speed, and you spend about half your time there and half your time material.)

The question is, does shunting end your movement. If it doesn't, then if you are standing next to a wall with 30 feet of movement, you can try moving through it five times, saving five feet of movement to step to the other side. The chance you fail all five times is only 1/32, leaving you safe on the other side of the wall 97% of the time (taking an average of 6.25 damage). True?

 

[the Jester]

I would rule that yes, shunting ends your movement.

 

[Vegepygmy]

If it doesn't, then if you are standing next to a wall with 30 feet of movement, you can try moving through it five times, saving five feet of movement to step to the other side. The chance you fail all five times is only 1/32, leaving you safe on the other side of the wall 97% of the time (taking an average of 6.25 damage). True?

Not really true. If the wall is less than 5 feet thick, there is no chance that you are shunted off (you automatically succeed at passing through). If the wall is thicker than 5 feet, there is a chance you will be shunted to the nearest open space. In that case, I would simply rule that any distance traveled counts against your total movement for the round.

 

[Noumenon]

Not really true. If the wall is less than 5 feet thick, there is no chance that you are shunted off (you automatically succeed at passing through). If the wall is thicker than 5 feet, there is a chance you will be shunted to the nearest open space. In that case, I would simply rule that any distance traveled counts against your total movement for the round.

So what you're saying is that

While blinking, you can step through (but not see through) solid objects. For each 5 feet of solid material you walk through, there is a 50% chance that you become material.

means

While blinking, you can step through solid objects (walls, furniture, people, etc) at will. If you try to step through 5 feet or more of continuous solid material, though, there is a 50% chance that you become material.

That seems like a correct interpretation. I was making a mental analogy to Meld Into Stone, but not all walls are that thick. But that's a really big deal! I mean, basically no house, door, fence, ship, or inn has any protection against fifth-level wizards just walking through walls at will, probably charged up with true strike. I thought that ability required something like stoneshape, passwall, or etherealness.

This ruling is universe-changing as regards the kind of dwellings people must have to protect themselves and their belongings. Batcaves and hobbit-holes for everyone!

 

[Vegepygmy]

So what you're saying is that...

Yep!

I thought that ability required something like stoneshape, passwall, or etherealness.

Well, blink is a kind of etherealness.