Freedom Of Movement vs. other spells

[AuraSeer]

Let's say someone has Summoned a Large Earth Elemental, which is standing in a ten foot corridor. You have no ranks in Tumble.

If you have Freedom of Movement active, can you move past the Elemental blocking the corridor without resorting to Bull Rush or Overrun? He is the effect of a magic spell, and his presence prevents your movement through those squares.

What if you are Stunned as the result of a magical effect - for example, Power Word Stun? Is there a difference between "magic that usually impedes movement" and "spells and effects that restrict movement"?

From my reading of freedom of movement, it looks like yes to both questions. The spell is worded so broadly that it would seem to trump either of those effects. Yet I wonder if I'm missing something, which is why I'm asking the question in the first place.

Such a permissive interpretation would mean this spell is extremely powerful, and probably unbalanced, but that doesn't mean it is wrong. There have been other 4th-level spells that were even more brokenly strong under their intended interpretations (q.v. polymorph).

 

[Hypersmurf]

From my reading of freedom of movement, it looks like yes to both questions. The spell is worded so broadly that it would seem to trump either of those effects.

Now, while Stunned you can take no actions, but Freedom of Movement permits one to move and attack normally despite movement-impeding effects. If you allow the Stunned character to take actions that involve moving or attacking, would you also allow him to take a different action - for example, loading a crossbow or casting a spell? Even if we acknowledge Freedom of Movement's precedence when it comes to moving or attacking, does FoM override the Stunned condition's prohibition on taking actions that do not involve moving or attacking?

-Hyp.

 

[irdeggman]

Will freedom of movement allow you to walk through a wall because it will impede your movement?

How about walk through walls to get out of a room with a locked door?

Apply the same logic to force cage.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Will freedom of movement allow you to walk through a wall because it will impede your movement?

How about walk through walls to get out of a room with a locked door?

Apply the same logic to force cage.

Walls and doors are neither magical effects, grappling, nor underwater. A Force Cage is a magical effect, which is the point Aura Seer is arguing. Freedom of Movement won't allow you to walk through a non-magical wall, whether or not it impedes your movement. If we have, on the other hand, a magical wall - a magical effect that impedes movement - the analogy with the non-magical wall doesn't apply.

-Hyp.

 

[irdeggman]

Walls and doors are neither magical effects, grappling, nor underwater. A Force Cage is a magical effect, which is the point Aura Seer is arguing. Freedom of Movement won't allow you to walk through a non-magical wall, whether or not it impedes your movement. If we have, on the other hand, a magical wall - a magical effect that impedes movement - the analogy with the non-magical wall doesn't apply.

-Hyp.

What if they are invisible walls? Walls of (insert magical type)?

And actually I suggested that people look more closely at the text from the spell and domain ability and IMO it is not all inclusive in its wording. And that both texts are very, very similar to the point of meaning the same thing, IMO.

 

[mvincent]

I had hoped that if I specifically pointed out my DM fiat, declaring that I am making the ability exactly duplicate the spell, people wouldn't get sidetracked into arguing about differences between the two. Clearly I was wrong.

Doh! I too didn't pick up that this is what you meant by "By fiat, I am assuming the Travel power to be exactly equivalent to the spell".