Travel Domain: Escape a grapple?

[evilbob]

What can I say? You guys totally called this happening. My only edit is my email address.

...Maybe mine is an April Fool's Day joke.

It acts just like having freedom of movement during that time. Thanks.

***********************************************************
Steve
Wizards of the Coast Customer Service
Website: http://www.wizards.com
Game Support E-Mail: custserv@wizards.com
Game Support Phone: 1-800-324-6496
Monday through Friday, 9 AM - 6 PM PST
Corporate Phone: (425) 226-6500
Tech Support: (425) 687-2156
Please quote this e-mail in any reply.
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-----Original Message-----
*address deleted*
Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2004 12:01 PM
To: Wizards Customer Service
Subject: ERRATA, Player's Handbook, pg 188


Under the TRAVEL domain listed for Clerics, the following passage is
unclear:

"For a total time per day of 1 round per cleric level you possess, you
can act normally regardless of magical effects that impede movement as
if you were affected by the spell freedom of movement."

What is unclear is whether or not this ability allows freedom from all
effects, as the spell freedom of movement, or whether or not it applies
to only magical effects. Some people say that the phrase, "regardless
of magical effects that impede movement," implies that it only pertains
to magical effects. Others say that the ability is intended to function
as the spell freedom of movement, and that the wording does not exclude
normal effects. It came up in a fellow gamer's game when a low-level
cleric with the travel domain was able to immediately escape a grapple -
something granted by the spell, but contestably granted by the domain
power. Which way should this ability work?

Thank you,
Jason


For reference:
TRAVEL DOMAIN
Granted Powers: For a total time per day of 1 round per cleric level you
possess, you can act normally regardless of magical effects that impede
movement as if you were affected by the spell freedom of movement. This
effect occurs automatically as soon as it applies, lasts until it runs
out or is no longer needed, and can operate multiple times per day (up
to the total daily limit of rounds).
This granted power is a supernatural ability.

 

[evilbob]

OFF TOPIC:
To be fair, that table is in direct conflict with the text of sunder which specifies a melee attack. As the Sage states regarding table-text conflicts: The text takes precedence.

There's no conflict in the Travel domain description. And no reason to think the stated definition is wrong.

STILL OFF TOPIC: To be fair, I wasn't using that as an example that was trying to prove the Travel domain argument. I was trying to show that far-reaching over-reactions are silly.

(Also, I just read my previous post again and I IN NO WAY meant to imply that I was writing a joke - but I was saying that maybe the WoC people were joking with me. Since this discussion is all about interpretation, I thought I'd ask everyone to please not interpret my statement that way. )

 

[Caliban]

What can I say? You guys totally called this happening. My only edit is my email address.

Gee, what do you know? I knew they wouldn't let us down. :\

Let's forward their e-mails to each other, maybe we can arrange a cage match later.

 

[Falling Icicle]

It seems to me that if they wanted the domain power to work just like the Freedom of Movement spell and do everything that spell does and apply to everything that spell applies to, they could have just said "For one round per Cleric level per day you may treat yourself as if you are under the effects of a freedom of movement spell."

But they didn't say it like that. They, deliberately or not, inserted a clause that limits the applicability of this power to magical effects that impede movement. Now, you can deeply analyze all the hidden possible meanings of what "is" is, and what "regardless of" really means, and how English is such a "defunct" language, etc. To me, the best thing to do here is to try and understand what the developer meant. And as I said before, they could have made the rule much simpler and the sentence shorter by not putting in the "regardless of" clause. The only reasons they would have done this is either A) They have English issues or B) They intended to have the domain power be more limited in applicability than the Freedom of Movement spell.

I believe, in this case, it was the latter.

 

[evilbob]

Let's forward their e-mails to each other, maybe we can arrange a cage match later.

LOL
Yeah, I specifically titled my email with the word "Errata" so that if people keep writing in, they might get the idea to pass it along to the sage. I'd say this is of enough contention to warrant mention in the FAQ. (Or at least a longer response.)

 

[Artoomis]

ROFL. One Vote on each side from customer service (Chris answered two e-mails, Steve answered one).

Dear William,

In only works against magic effects that impede movement, and would not work for a regular grapple in this case. Good Gaming!

*******************************************
Chris
Wizards of the Coast - Customer Support
Website: <http://www.wizards.com>
Game Support Phone: 1-800-324-6496
Monday through Friday, 9 AM - 6 PM PST
Corporate Phone: (425) 226-6500
*******************************************
*Please quote this email in your reply*

Dear James,

The ability granted by the Travel domain only works against magical effects. It does not prevent a grapple like the regular spell does. Good Gaming!

*******************************************
Chris
Wizards of the Coast - Customer Support
Website: <<http://www.wizards.com/>>
Game Support Phone: 1-800-324-6496
Monday through Friday, 9 AM - 6 PM PST
Corporate Phone: (425) 226-6500
*******************************************
*Please quote this email in your reply*

It acts just like having freedom of movement during that time. Thanks.

************************************************** *********
Steve
Wizards of the Coast Customer Service
Website: <http://www.wizards.com>
Game Support E-Mail: custserv@wizards.com <mailto:custserv@wizards.com>
Game Support Phone: 1-800-324-6496
Monday through Friday, 9 AM - 6 PM PST
Corporate Phone: (425) 226-6500
Tech Support: (425) 687-2156
Please quote this e-mail in any reply.

 

[Nail]

Dear William,

In only works against magic effects that impede movement, and would not work for a regular grapple in this case. Good Gaming!

Huh. Customer service agrees with me.

(That $50 I slipped 'im must have done the trick!)

 

[Artoomis]

Huh. Customer service agrees with me.

(That $50 I slipped 'im must have done the trick!)

From Steve at customer serice:

It acts just like having freedom of movement during that time. Thanks.

Look - they agree with me, too!

 

[Scion]

So that must mean that both answers are wrong and that there is a third, yet to be mentioned, option that is completely correct

Maybe it actually works like spider climb but only whenever you are free of any enchantments that might hinder your ability to do a jig?

 

[Nail]

Look - they agree with me, too!

Shucks...I knew I forgot to bribe at least one of those folks!

To me, it looks like Steve (CustServ)'s email is an April Fool. It's even written poorly.