Does teleportation negate falling damage?

[keterys]

What 'conservation of momentum' is there to track? Someone fell 5 squares, they take damage. There's nothing to track, there's no science to do, there's no simulationism to consider.

 

[BendBars/LiftGates]

But it can't be (d), because you can Fey Step straight up. That can't be accomplished by shifting to the Feywild, moving 25 feet upward, and returning to Earth.

 

[Andre]

...to run and jump at a portcullis teleport 5 squares and then jump the remaining 3 squares of the 40ft moat on the other side.

This idea is so cool, I'd rule it this way just because...

 

[GoLu]

But it can't be (d), because you can Fey Step straight up. That can't be accomplished by shifting to the Feywild, moving 25 feet upward, and returning to Earth.

Oh. What if the feywild is actually full of ladders?

 

[Derren]

Warning, logic inside!

If teleportation would preserve the momentum, then teleporting long distances on the N/S axis would be impossible. Because of the rotation of the planet, someone standing at the equator moves a lot faster than someone standing on the pole. So when someone teleports on the N/S axis he would move, depending on the distance, several hundred mph faster or slower than the ground below him which basically means instant splat.

 

[Lanefan]

There's one simple answer that, while making things a bit less exciting, would do away with all these problems:

Just rule that you cannot teleport (or feystep, or whatever) at all if you are already in motion relative to your surroundings.

The "relative to your surroundings" clause is to cover the movement of the planet through space; its rotation; etc. It also covers doing such things on, say, a moving ship at sea..."your surroundings" would in this case be the ship.

So, if you're falling: no teleport. If you're running: no teleport. If you're flying and not hovering in one place: no teleport. And so on.

And, of course, magic items may exist that break this rule.

Lanefan

 

[Saeviomagy]

Warning, logic inside!

If teleportation would preserve the momentum, then teleporting long distances on the N/S axis would be impossible. Because of the rotation of the planet, someone standing at the equator moves a lot faster than someone standing on the pole. So when someone teleports on the N/S axis he would move, depending on the distance, several hundred mph faster or slower than the ground below him which basically means instant splat.

Assuming a spherical planet, if you teleport ANYWHERE you're stuffed.

You teleport along the E/W axis. Your momentum is preserved. Suddenly you are travelling at an angle to the surface of the planet.

Are we conserving energy too? Does your entire body heat up by a few fractions of a degree if you teleport downwards? How far downwards results in a temperature change significant enough to brain your damage?

What about the speed of the earth around the sun? Or the sun on it's galactic arm? Often not worth worrying about in a fantasy world, but do you really want to have to?

Personally I'd prefer to rule teleport (ANY teleport) as follows.

If you arrive on a surface, your speed is matched to that surface.

If you arrive in midair, your speed remains what it was previous to the teleport.

I find that this preserves maximum coolness (ie - the jump-teleport through grate-continue jump), while being simple (noone takes damage that wouldn't otherwise be inflicted, no wierdness, no calculations to do with the specific gravity on an unusual plane) and not at all overpowered (in the example the eladrin could simply use a bit of rope to accomplish the same thing. Instead he's burning an encounter power for the sake of roleplaying. Hardly a bad thing).

 

[Derren]

How far downwards results in a temperature change significant enough to brain your damage?

I don't know. But you should probably turn off the air conditioning.

 

[Keltheos]

How about 'whatever interpretation works best for your game and gaming group'?

 

[mrcatman]

How about 'whatever interpretation works best for your game and gaming group'?

(chuckle) We already ruled he could do it. I was just curious if we missed a rule, or if there was agreement in the community one way or the other.

Thank you all very much for your opinions. Seems like there are enough votes for or against it. I think we'll stick with teleportation negates any former momentum. Reasons being:

1) we like to say "yes" whenever possible
2) it makes for fun uses of powers
3) bad guys can do it too
4) as pointed out by someone else here, if it isn't the PCs turn, he can't invoke this particular power, so he'll fall normally in that case -- useful if enemies use powers with forced movement and knock the teleporter off an edge, for example
5) we can always change it if it gets out of control
6) Githyanki racial power (which you can be as a PC it seems) lets you telekinetically fly 5 squares (encounter power, move action), AND you can use it on yourself or an ally -- granted, we're assuming this power halts former momentum too, but it IS mentally controlled, telekinetic, and the fluff description (grin, yea I know) says "safely."
7) our group thinks dwarf racial minor action surge & gnome racial invisibility & doppleganger racial at will minor change shape (yea, we've got one) are superior choices in comparison to other racials; so this levels the playing field for Eladrin in our eyes.