Wall of Ice as an Ice Raft/Floatation Device ???

[Hackenslash]

Hello all,

Ok here's a good one that my PC's came up with. They had to cross a river (slow moving, but very wide) and were being pursued by some very nasty, Advanced Frost Giants. So even though I told them it was extremely cold and really wanted them to confront the Giants in a pitched battle (I had planned for this) They decided that they would all jump in and try and swim across. Well to my amusement and shock ! None of them had the swim skill and were just tring to wing it using strength scores. So I rolled and adjusted and generaly messed with dice rolls and after 5 minsutes had them all nearly drowning, dodgeing Boulders from aforementioned Frost Giants and tkaing subdual damage from Icy Cold water. The Party's Wizard then piped up that he had learnt wall of ice and could they just cast that in the water and then climb aboard and float to safety ? Well I must say I was not prepared for that amount of originallity from my group and was not sure if it could be done as it states in the PH that wall of ice needs anchors to set it correctly, but my players screammed accusations of party killer and generaly unfariness so i let them attempt it. I let the Wizard roll a highly modified concentration check (well his teeth were chattering and he was tring to stay afloat and doge rocks too) DC 28 and what does he do, roll a Natural 20 so that was that. I had to let him succeed and thus ended the next 4-5 adventures of the PC's being captured by Frost Giants and being used as slaves. I was going to have the Frost Ginats fish them out and take them back to their base camp to be used by the Chieftain in whatever menial and generaly nasty tasks he had in mind. Anyway what do you all think of that use for a Wall of Ice spell and should I have really allowed it. Would appreciate your thouughts.....Cheers !!!!

 

[kreynolds]

Anyway what do you all think of that use for a Wall of Ice spell and should I have really allowed it.

Nah. I'da killed 'em all.

 

[Pielorinho]

Great originality!

I would've told them that technically it wouldn't work, since a flat wall has to be anchored, but I woulda told them that they could tweak the idea to get it to work. And then I would've allowed any of these three ideas to work:

1) Create an upside-down hemisphere to act as a boat. Presto, you've got a boat with a minimum diameter of 14' -- not bad.
2) Create a bridge over the river, strong enough for PCs but not for frost giants.
3) Time the casting of the spell to coincide with a thrown boulder. Although the wall must be anchored, the boulder will land in such a way to break the wall free, allowing the raft to drift downriver.

Note that the last one is a little sketchy -- but I'd still allow it, because it's cool. I'd similarly allow other good ideas that the PCs came up with.

Daniel

 

[JChung2003]

I like the bridge idea. The description for wall of ice seems to have it in mind.

A vertical wall need only be anchored on the floor, while a horizontal or slanting wall must be anchored on two opposite sides.

I would use the "ice" rules when traversing the bridge: DC 15 Balance checks every minute while on the bridge.

I think the boat idea might work with the hemisphere, but that is a fragile boat, especially if you have frost giants throwing boulders at you. One solid hit and you are capsized for sure. You don't really have any way to steer either (no sails for gust of wind, no oars). You're basically in a barrel made of ice floating down the Niagara without a paddle... or something to that effect.

 

[Pbartender]

I agree with Pie here...

That players deserves a few bonus XP for a great idea. Though he still needs a good way to "anchor" the wall...

Really, all he'd need to do is create a vertical wall anchored to the riverbed. It then simply float to the surface where it could be used as a raft. Since the river water can readily be turned to ice itself, I would not consider it "an area occupied by physical objects or creatures".

The bridge is a nother good idea. What level was the wizard... At least 7th to cast that spell, which means he could make an ice bridge 70 ft long, 10ft wide and 7 inches thick.

The one disadvantage, of course, would be to make the characters make Balance checks every so often to stay of the ice raft/bridge.

 

[Pielorinho]

I would use the "ice" rules when traversing the bridge: DC 15 Balance checks every minute while on the bridge.

I think the boat idea might work with the hemisphere, but that is a fragile boat, especially if you have frost giants throwing boulders at you.

I might even allow them to shape the bridge enough that it has a slight lip on it, allowing folks who fail their balance checks not to fall into the river.

As for the boat, it's definitely fragile, and it's definitely hard to steer. However, my philosophy is to reward clever thinking and to reward ideas that lend the game a cinematic feel. In this case, I'd probably fudge a little bit, so that boulders landed close to the boat, making it rock wildly, but so the PCs would narrowly escape as the river's currents carried them downstream.

Daniel

 

[Shard O'Glase]

I'm cool with it. I'd likely just rule that for an ice wall spell which is made up of water, liquid is a solid enough anchor. Then again I think they specifically had rules for this in 2e with underwater combat, and I liked it a lot then.

 

[kreynolds]

I don't have a problem with clever thinking. In fact, I definately encourage it, but the initial thinking is what would have gotten them killed in my game.

They would have asked "Can I do this?" (the floating place of ice thing)
I would have said "Try it."
It wouldn't have worked. (spell would have failed) They would wade the river. They would the suffer whatever ill effects came about from their decision.

With that said, however, if lack of experience with D&D is hampering the players, meaning the player with the wizard couldn't come up with anything else because he hasn't been playing for long, I might throw him a hint or two. I'd still kill 'em if they jumped into that river though.

 

[rkanodia]

I might even allow them to shape the bridge enough that it has a slight lip on it, allowing folks who fail their balance checks not to fall into the river.

"Hellllp! The bridge is slippery, and it has no guard rails!"

"Whoops! Form of an ice bridge...with guard rails!"

*rails smack the guy in the face, sending him over*

"AHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhh... !"

The New Adventures of the Wonder Twins make me so happy.

 

[Pielorinho]

The New Adventures of the Wonder Twins make me so happy.

Ahh, the wonder-twins, with a boy only one step up from Aquaman.

Daniel