What does On The Ground mean to you?

[DM_Jeff]

Mountain Hammer and many other of the "Stone" school things from Book of Nine Swords relies on the character being "on the ground", which I have come to learn is a pretty vauge reference.

So far, I have nixed folks trying to use it while:

1) fighting on the roof of a Eberron Lighting Rail 15 feet over the ground.
2) on a boat at sea.
3) on floor 89 of a tower in Sharn.
4) and on the roof of a stone tower 30 feet off the ground in Cormanthyr.

So what does "on the ground" mean to you? How do you judge it? Any further clarification from WotC? Does it include the underdark or just "the level plane with the planet"? thanks in advance folks!

-DM Jeff

 

[irdeggman]

To me these mean in contact with the earth, since the reference is from "Stone" and similar in Races of Stone.

For example - the dwarf cleric racial substitution level "Earthen Spell Power"

"When she is in contact with the ground. . ." which follows "draws power from the earth".

There are other similar references in that book.

 

[IanB]

I would think it is going for a sort of mythological "in contact with the earth" sort of thing, like Antaeus.

I think I would tend to rule, then, that it means in contact with either the actual earth, or with a stone floor. So, underground would be OK; on a wooden floor would not.

That might be too restrictive on a major class feature though, and would lead to weird things like badguys who were familiar with the PC's capabilities covering their entire dungeon with shag carpet, so I might be sort of lenient with the floor covering thing, as long as they were at or below ground floor.

 

[moritheil]

That might be too restrictive on a major class feature though, and would lead to weird things like badguys who were familiar with the PC's capabilities covering their entire dungeon with shag carpet, so I might be sort of lenient with the floor covering thing, as long as they were at or below ground floor.

I can totally see an OOTS gag coming out of that restriction!

 

[lukelightning]

Unless otherwise specified as "natural earth" or "stone" or whatever, I'd say any immobile supporting surface is the ground. I'm not familiar with the details of the Book of Nine Swords, but the core rules are filled with examples that show that the ground just means a supporting surface, e.g. tanglefoot bags stick you to the ground. I'd say that you'd be hard pressed to say that you can't use it on someone on the deck of a boat.

If the Stone School abilities seem to require contact with the natural ground, as opposed to just a surface, I'd say that a boat is right out...the water between the boat and the ground cuts you off. For a building....well, if you rule out using powers in a building then you are really limiting someone. Can they use the power standing on a carpet? I'd probably compromise and say that if the building is made of stone or earth then the ability can be used...it "conducts" the quality needed to utilize the power.

 

[frankthedm]

Depends on the source / description of the power. If any references to callining on elemental earth or what not, damn right you are boned out at sea!

 

[blargney the second]

I think lukelightning's "immobile supporting surface" makes the most sense.
-blarg

 

[DM_Jeff]

Depends on the source / description of the power. If any references to callining on elemental earth or what not, damn right you are boned out at sea!

These responses are great, thanks. Honestly, the guy on the top of the three-story STONE tower I felt bad for, I really felt in my gut it should "conduct" but to me it's abusing the "on the gorund" spirit. But I'm sticking with my theory. Standing on top of a big 10-foot boulder that is on the ground is OK because it's natural. The carpet thing has me wondering however, but if there was a carpet or wooden floor that doesn't sound like "ground" to me.

My last Bo9S player who had these powers and who always plays by the rules used to roleplay his PC "dragging his sword along the earth to draw sparks" in a very anime-inspired visual to let everyone know, me and other players, that he was "in contact with the ground" before attacking.

-DM Jeff

 

[Random Axe]

I would think it is going for a sort of mythological "in contact with the earth" sort of thing, like Antaeus.

I think I would tend to rule, then, that it means in contact with either the actual earth, or with a stone floor. So, underground would be OK; on a wooden floor would not.

That might be too restrictive on a major class feature though, and would lead to weird things like badguys who were familiar with the PC's capabilities covering their entire dungeon with shag carpet, so I might be sort of lenient with the floor covering thing, as long as they were at or below ground floor.

I agree, you would HAVE to be somewhat lenient with a floor covering like that, because what about the PC's boots? They technically prevent his feet from contacting the actual ground itself too, but we don't make that an issue because our collective definition of "ground contact" has to be at least loose enough to mean "generally on the ground"...

 

[lukelightning]

I'd feel royally screwed if my abilities won't work on the third floor of a building. I'd scrap my character and make a new one.