Unconcious = Willing?

[Swedish Chef]

The spell "Benign Transposition" has a target selection of "Two willing characters" and a save of "None".

Now, if a front line fighter goes unconcious during battle, and the cleric volunteers to be transposed in order for the mage to help stabilize the fighter, would the fighter be considered "willing"?

 

[Dracorat]

Usually the default stance is that all friendly characters are willing recipients of any spell cast by a friendly character (even potentially harmful ones) and all others are unwilling recipients.

However, there is no official (RAW) definition (to my knowledge at least) of what officially constitutes "willing".

 

[Pyrex]

Some spells restrict you to willing targets only. Declaring yourself as a willing target is something that can be done at any time (even if you’re flat-footed or it isn’t your turn). Unconscious creatures are automatically considered willing, but a character who is conscious but immobile or helpless (such as one who is bound, cowering, grappling, paralyzed, pinned, or stunned) is not automatically willing.

Emphasis mine.

Edit: Which means in addition to being able to cast Benign Transposition on an unconscious ally, you can cast it on an unconscious foe...

 

[Dracorat]

I stand corrected (and have learned something)

 

[Ciaran]

A good rule of thumb is to replace all instances of "willing" with "not actively resisting".

 

[Lackhand]

While I agree with the interpretation of my favorite orcish proverb ("The unconscious are always willing!"), this does raise some interesting questions.

If you're willing, do you get a saving throw against whatever the effect might be?
Signs point to no.

Doesn't that mean that you don't receive a save versus any effect -- fireball when unconscious (which is perhaps fair, since that's a little silly) -- when unconscious?
Relevantly, what about the Nightmare spell?

Discuss.

 

[Dracorat]

A fireball's target isn't "willing creature".

 

[shilsen]

[Orc dating 101]The unconscious are always willing[/Orc dating 101]

 

[Hypersmurf]

If you're willing, do you get a saving throw against whatever the effect might be?
Signs point to no.

There's a difference between "Willing creature" and "creature foregoing saving throw".

Most spells that affect "One willing creature" or whatever permit no saving throw.

I can be a willing creature, yet still roll Will saves to which I am entitled.

An unconscious creature is a valid target for Levitate (target: one willing creature), but he will still get to make a Will save against Inflict Light Wounds. Indeed, he must; in order to forego his save, he must elect to do so, and while unconscious, he isn't making any decisions.

The exception is Harmless spells, where you can choose to make a saving throw (if one is permitted), but the default is that you do not. So a conscious person can elect to make a saving throw against, say, Darkvision; but if they are unconscious, they cannot make that decision, and so the spell takes effect.

Regarding fireball in particular, and Reflex saves in general, I hold that an unconscious creature cannot make them; an unconscious creature is helpless, with an effective Dex of 0, and is therefore considered paralyzed, and cannot move.

Per the text of Evasion, a creature must have room to move in order to make a Reflex save.

And if a creature cannot move, then no amount of room is sufficient 'room to move', prohibiting Reflex saves.

This is not a universally held position, however

-Hyp.

 

[Dracorat]

Actually in regards to saving throws, it has been stated directly in the FAQ:

Exactly when can a character make a Reflex saving throw? The saving throw section on the Player’s Handbook
says Reflex saves depend on a character’s ability to dodge
out of the way. Does that mean you can’t make Reflex saves
if you can’t move?
A character can attempt a Reflex save anytime she is
subjected to an effect that allows a Reflex save. A Reflex save
usually involves some dodging, but a Reflex save does not
depend completely on a character’s ability to move around. It
also can depend on luck, variations in the effect that makes the
save necessary in the first place, and a host of other miraculous
factors that keep heroic characters in the D&D game from
meeting an untimely fate.
In most cases, you make Reflex saves normally, no matter
how bad your circumstances are, but a few conditions interfere
with Reflex saves:
• If you’ve suffered Dexterity damage or Dexterity
drain, you must use your current, lower Dexterity
modifier for your Reflex saves.
• If you’re cowering, you lose your Dexterity bonus (if
any). The maximum Dexterity bonus you can have
while cowering is +0, and that affects your Reflex
saves accordingly.
• If you’re dead, you become an object. Unattended
objects can’t make saving throws.
• If you’re entangled, your effective Dexterity score
drops by –4, and you must use your lower Dexterity
modifier for Reflex saves.
• If you’re exhausted, your effective Strength and
Dexterity scores drop by –6, and you must use your
lower Dexterity modifier for Reflex saves.
• If you’re fatigued, your effective Strength and
Dexterity scores drop by –2, and you must use your
lower Dexterity modifier for Reflex saves.
• If you’re frightened or panicked, you have a –2
penalty on all saving throws, including Reflex saving
throws.
• If you’re helpless, your Dexterity score is effectively
0. You still can make Reflex saves, but your
Dexterity modifier is –5. You’re helpless whenever
you are paralyzed, unconscious, or asleep.