Reverse Gravity - the sky is the limit ?

[uzagi_akimbo]

Just a quick one - how far (e.g. what distance for purposes of damage and possibly spell effects) exactly does a target affected by the "Reverse Gravity" Spell drop - or rather how far does he fall upward ?

I assume a wide open place - e.g. a plain, large plaza or open water as the terrain for the combat.

To the extend of the spell's range ? Endlessly as long as he stays above the initially affected area and the spell lasts ? The spell's description does seem to indicate a certain maximum range ( a space measured in a number of maximum 10' cubes 1/2 levels - hence a 14th level caster would hurl people up 70' and have them hang there, or drop them at his leisure by dispelling the effect ?), but is not really clear about it.

 

[Shadowdweller]

To the extent of the spell's Area of Effect, (so long as this does not exceed the spell's Range, as is the case for all spells) which you'll notice is conveniently written in terms of a shapable volume. Outside of this space, gravity applies normally. So a person "falling upward" from the spell who travels beyond the limit of the spell starts falling in the opposite direction again....until re-entering the spell area. And eventually comes to a rest between the two (that is, the upper edge of the spell's volume).

 

[Piratecat]

In 1e and 2e, the person fell upwards for a minimum of 14 minutes, enough to dump them in the outer atmosphere. Nowadays they top out at around 100' feet. Man, talk about a letdown. . .

 

[EvilGM]

A target affected by Reverse Gravity is flung upward to the limit of the area (shapeable 10' cubes). Depending on how high you stack them, this could be as little as 10' or as much as 10' per 2 levels - or if they impact a solid surface.

It is best if they don't impact a solid surface, that way they just hang in the air, oscillating slightly (per the spell description) until the duration is over (1 rd/lvl). If they can't fly or levitate, they are screwed... no SR, and only a chance to save when it is possible to grasp something anchored to the ground.

 

[uzagi_akimbo]

Ok, this fits my reading of the spell, too, but some co-Gms had a slightly different impression. Guess I might have to rework the opponent with said power, because it is likely to rip the group facing the foe ( A Glabrezu Demon in an almost barren, open space, with a ground consisting only of loose sand and windblasted rock, so no handholds, Level 11 chars ) to shreds - if said foe acts according to his intelligence and flings up the tanks, to rip apart the casters while the fighters bop about, helplessly.
Of course, having the poor fools streaking up for 14 rounds and then facing a corresponding long fall back to the ground would have been really cruel.

 

[Severion]

To the extent of the spell's Area of Effect, (so long as this does not exceed the spell's Range, as is the case for all spells) which you'll notice is conveniently written in terms of a shapable volume. Outside of this space, gravity applies normally. So a person "falling upward" from the spell who travels beyond the limit of the spell starts falling in the opposite direction again....until re-entering the spell area. And eventually comes to a rest between the two (that is, the upper edge of the spell's volume).

Hmmm, new extreme sport. Stand on a sturdy trampoline, cast reverse gravity for max height, bob up and down in the aformentioned physicksie way. Then when he starts to oscilate, dispel magic down to the trampoline. Gonna have to try this later. hee hee

 

[EvilGM]

Give the fighters flying ability (magic items, spells) or at least make sure they have a decent ranged attack.

 

[Tom Cashel]

In 1e and 2e, the person fell upwards for a minimum of 14 minutes, enough to dump them in the outer atmosphere. Nowadays they top out at around 100' feet. Man, talk about a letdown. . .

Awwwwww, yeah.

I once had a 2e wizard of mine cast a Reverse Gravity on the middle of a huge volcano's magma pool. Due to the peculiar workings of the spell, I had a column of flowing magma stretching into the upper atmosphere, where it was solidifying...until I teleported about twenty miles away and ended the spell. BOOM!

I tell ya...fire giants may be immune to heat...but they are not immune to several million tons of magma, ore and rock falling out of the upper atmosphere.

...And it was more of a "nuke" that any edition's Meteor Swarm.

I don't play D&D anymore.

 

[uzagi_akimbo]

Give the fighters flying ability (magic items, spells) or at least make sure they have a decent ranged attack.

PC capability is player responsibility, not a GM's task ( we are pretty lenient on acquiring items which players want in the first place ) - they passed on/traded some flying items in the campaign, Are pretty much close combat focused and as for spells, we play by the rule that when a "fly" etc. gets dispelled, the character drops down so no "parachute floating" (which is basically a silly concept to begin with, IMHO ) - if you get dispelled, you better have a feather fall handy, otherwise, go straight to "splat".. Same goes for an item getting suppressed. A tactic they have used to great effect themselves, and hence are a bit wary off. I changed the opposition and shall wait and see - and try that "Reverse Gravity" splitting tactic at a higher level.

 

[Al]

Actually, of course, the character won't just "stop" at the top of the range, but will keep "falling" upwards until his speed reaches 0, and would then fall back downwards again until he hit the Reverse Gravity. He will thus oscillate between the two until he eventually comes to rest at the top of the spell area. Ignoring air resistance, and assuming that terminal velocity is not reached, then I am fairly sure that his initial oscillation will take him to twice the height of the spell (please correct me, I don't have the time to work it out properly!); alternately, if he falls upwards more than 200' (at which point DnD assumes terminal velocity is reached since damage is constant) he will fall an additional 200' from the top of the spell.