Teleport + Prone + Acrobatics = ?

[Nemesis Destiny]

As a DM, I would allow this in my game under the following line of reasoning:

Risk vs. Reward.

No, you can't just teleport yourself upright, because that would be like getting something for nothing. Albeit, it isn't much, but it sounds at least like a feat-equivalent to me.

However, if you teleport yourself into the air, I would allow an Acrobatics (or maybe Arcana?) check (DC to be determined by experimentation) to land on your feet. If you fail, you take falling damage and are still prone. If you succeed, you essentially get to stand up for free.

Going the Arcana route, instead of teleporting into the air, you could flavour it as trying to re-orient yourself with mojo mid-teleport. If you botch the roll, the resulting damage (as though you'd fallen the 10 or 20 feet) represents the scrambling of your body by the magic's failure to stand you up.

Since it would now be a special case, you could even just set a flat value for the damage so that it stays relevant, say 5 per tier or whatever. With a 'cannot be reduced in any way' rider, of course.

That opens up another neat feat idea for arcane classes; Malicious Teleport (or maybe Scrambling Teleport?).

Benefit: Whenever you teleport a creature, you can choose to inflict 5 damage (per tier) on that creature as a free action.

This whole train of thought though brings up rampant potential for abuse, I suppose. You could theoretically argue that you should be able to cause an enemy to land prone, or re-orient your allies (with the same risks). I guess it would be no worse than teleporting something into the sky or into hindering terrain; they would get a saving throw if unwilling.

 

[Mengu]

When you fall, and you are trained in acrobatics, you can make an acrobatics check to reduce falling damage. When you teleport 10 feet in the air, you fall. I'd allow any teleporter trained in acrobatics to do this trick, if they take no damage from the fall, they land on their feet. It's cool. However I would not allow the untrained hop down rules to be applied in this case, because "The creature cannot make this check if it is prone."

 

[TDarien]

When you fall, and you are trained in acrobatics, you can make an acrobatics check to reduce falling damage. When you teleport 10 feet in the air, you fall. I'd allow any teleporter trained in acrobatics to do this trick, if they take no damage from the fall, they land on their feet. It's cool. However I would not allow the untrained hop down rules to be applied in this case, because "The creature cannot make this check if it is prone."

I think this is a good solution. However, if you teleport 10 feet above a square next to an enemy, you would provoke an OA when you left the "cube" one space above the one you land in (as it's still a space threatened by that enemy).

 

[I'm A Banana]

By RAW, it seems like it's probably okay. Teleporting doesn't have to be onto a solid surface, and you don't have to be standing up to teleport.

By storytelling, it seems like it should be okay. It's awesome.

By design instinct, it seems like it's probably fine. The "cost" for being prone is, basically, "spend a move action to end this effect." Teleporting powers are usually (a) harder to come by and (b) more expensive than a simple "move action." They're more limited in use (even the immediate reactions) and cost greater actions.

I would say that teleporting vertically still "eats" squares. So if you normally teleport 4 squares, but you teleport one up, you can still teleport 3 square in some other direction.

Hell, even if it was a bit abusive, what's the worst that could happen? Some trip-monkey monsters become slightly more of a cakewalk for you? OH NOES TEH GAME IS ROOND!

Tell your DM to heed the advice in the DMG: "Say Yes."

 

[OhGodtheRats]

I think this is a good solution. However, if you teleport 10 feet above a square next to an enemy, you would provoke an OA when you left the "cube" one space above the one you land in (as it's still a space threatened by that enemy).

....Which raised the other weird issue mentioned at the table.

Is Falling Forced Movement? Is it not in this case because you chose to Fall? Does Falling normally provoke Attacks of Opportunity?

If so, would that mean You could teleport an enemy up 2 squares so it takes falling damage AND provokes from every ally next to it as it crash lands?

God I hate rules.
-Jared

 

[TDarien]

I would say that teleporting vertically still "eats" squares. So if you normally teleport 4 squares, but you teleport one up, you can still teleport 3 square in some other direction.

I have to disagree with this. If you think about it the total number of squares of movement used is the greatest of all the axial components. So if your ending square is 3 squares north and 4 squares east of your origin square, it counts as moving 4 squares. Moving a distance vertically doesn't change this; i.e. if you teleport 5 squares north, 3 squares east, and 3 squares up, it's still movement of 5. Note that this assume moving in a straight line; if you're changing directions you obviously count each square, but moving 1 square north, 1 square east, and 1 square up, still counts as moving 1 square.

 

[I'm A Banana]

I have to disagree with this. If you think about it the total number of squares of movement used is the greatest of all the axial components. So if your ending square is 3 squares north and 4 squares east of your origin square, it counts as moving 4 squares. Moving a distance vertically doesn't change this; i.e. if you teleport 5 squares north, 3 squares east, and 3 squares up, it's still movement of 5. Note that this assume moving in a straight line; if you're changing directions you obviously count each square, but moving 1 square north, 1 square east, and 1 square up, still counts as moving 1 square.

....sounds like math to me!

But, right, "diagonal" squares should probably count for 1 as they do in the rest of 4e.

 

[TDarien]

....Which raised the other weird issue mentioned at the table.

Is Falling Forced Movement? Is it not in this case because you chose to Fall? Does Falling normally provoke Attacks of Opportunity?

If so, would that mean You could teleport an enemy up 2 squares so it takes falling damage AND provokes from every ally next to it as it crash lands

Hrrm. It seems in trying to avoid abuse of a ruling on one hand, I created a greater potential for abuse on the other.

I guess would have to say that falling does NOT in fact provoke OAs.

God I hate rules.
-Jared

You can say that again...

 

[Aulirophile]

Falling doesn't provoke OAs (Rules Compendium, relatively new rule).

 

[Ahrimon]

I'd say falling definately falls into the forced movement catagory so doesn't provoke opportunity attacks. Since all movement if forced or voluntary it would open up some rediculous rules lawerish situations that would get players pelted with dice. And rightly so.

DM: "A trap door opens below your feet and you fall 30 ft to the ground below."
Player: "I choose not to fall. Falling isn't forced movement so I'll just continue my move accross the open air."
DM: "And here's the pitch!"