Stupid questions...

[Asmor]

This small sack appears normal and empty. However, anyone reaching into the bag feels a small, fuzzy ball. If the ball is removed and tossed up to 20 feet away, it turns into an animal.

So what happens if the ball is tossed more than 20 feet away?

For that matter, what happens if the ball is not removed but is still tossed up to 20 feet away?

 

[Particle_Man]

If it is not removed, then the bag is tossed, so no critters come out.

I would say the "up to 20 feet away" is more like a maximum range the fuzzy ball can be tossed, so basically it is impossible even for storm giants or gods to toss the fuzzy ball more than 20 feet away.

 

[Asmor]

If it is not removed, then the bag is tossed, so no critters come out.

I would say the "up to 20 feet away" is more like a maximum range the fuzzy ball can be tossed, so basically it is impossible even for storm giants or gods to toss the fuzzy ball more than 20 feet away.

That's no fun.

Here's my take: 20 feet is the ball's range increment. For every 20 feet beyond the first increment, you get -2 on your d% roll, just like an attack roll with ranged weapons.

Now, what do you suppose happens if you roll a negative number on your d%? Decisions, decisions... Whatever the result, it should be hilarious. (Note: "hilarious" is DM-speak for "catastrophic")

As for throwing the ball without removing the bag, I'm thinking that the animal still appears, but it only grows large enough that it fits in the bag, so you could summon, say, a mini lion or rhinocerous. Them's good eatin'!

 

[Ilium]

So what happens if the ball is tossed more than 20 feet away?

For that matter, what happens if the ball is not removed but is still tossed up to 20 feet away?

In the first case, it remains an indeterminate summoning, trapped in a quantum superposition of states (fuzzy ball) until the user gets within 20' to make a valid observation and collapse its waveform into a specific animal.

Usually a cat.

 

[FreeXenon]

I would say the "up to 20 feet away" is more like a maximum range the fuzzy ball can be tossed, so basically it is impossible even for storm giants or gods to toss the fuzzy ball more than 20 feet away.

This is why I love ENWorld.

 

[Asmor]

In the first case, it remains an indeterminate summoning, trapped in a quantum superposition of states (fuzzy ball) until the user gets within 20' to make a valid observation and collapse its waveform into a specific animal.

Usually a cat.

Now that's what I'm talking about. Speaking of quantum physics and felines, I really do have a cat named Schrödinger, and he loves playing in boxes. He's also made some startling discoveries in regards to string theory (for example, that a ball of string, properly distributed across the house in a random fashion and tangled around as much furniture as possible, is very difficult for his human pets to clean up).

 

[Oryan77]

So what happens if the ball is tossed more than 20 feet away?

Nothing happens at all unless you say the command words, "Pikachu, I summon you!"

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

So what happens if the ball is tossed more than 20 feet away?

Use the grenade weapon rules to determine if the ball lands on target. The range increment of a fuzzy ball is 20 feet. If the target is more than 20 feet away, the ball transforms into an animal when 20 feet from the caster and continues to fly towards the target. The damage from a thrown rhinoceros is pretty devastating.

For that matter, what happens if the ball is not removed but is still tossed up to 20 feet away?

You throw away your Bag of Tricks. The party rogue then picks it up and keeps it for himself.