D&D 5E Wherein we discuss spells and other magical things.

Reynard

aka Ian Eller
Supporter
I have a spell question, but I figured it might be more worthwhile to create a single thread to ask such things since there always seems to be a new question popping up.

Anyway, my question: Would a character in a Resilient Sphere take falling damage? I get that no physical or magical effects can pass through the sphere, but what about inertia. If one is in a sphere and it rolls off a cliff (or, in the case I expect to deal with soon, is suddenly caught in a reverse gravity zone) when it lands is it reasonable and within the intent of the spell to have the individual inside splattered all over the inside. Is the sphere fixed in place relative to the individual inside, or is it for all intents and purposes a separate object with its own velocity? It has no mass but it does say the creature inside can run it like a hamster ball, so I am inclined to say yes, the creature would suffer falling damage (but not any extra damage from spikes, lava or lavaspikes).

For reference.
 

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It looks to me like the trapped fool ought to suffer falling damage.

If my players objected I'd probably let the fool have resistance to the damage - and might just go that way right from the start.
 

I'd go with falling damage.

Side story from my game: PC in resilient sphere, tries to hamster his way out of the combat zone, gets around a corner, meets a couple more giants, giants soon realize how sphere works and start playing football...

Good times. :)
 

I'd go with falling damage.

Side story from my game: PC in resilient sphere, tries to hamster his way out of the combat zone, gets around a corner, meets a couple more giants, giants soon realize how sphere works and start playing football...

Good times. :)

American or EuropeanEverywhere-but-American?
 




My thoughts:
Nothing---not physical objects, energy, or other spell effects---can pass through the barrier, in or out, though a creature in the sphere can breathe there. The sphere is immune to all damage, and a creature or object inside can’t be damaged by attacks or effects originating from outside, nor can a creature inside the sphere damage anything outside it.

1) Kinetic energy is still energy.

2) if you can't be damaged by attacks- kinetic energy delivered by a blunt, pointed or edged weapon- why should damage from falling off a cliff be treated differently? The source is different, but the nature is the same.

So I would say the sphere's inhabitant is immune to damage from "inertial effects."

That doesn't make them immune from vertiginous effects, though. The poor Ottiluke'd sod may have escaped physical trauma from the giant's soccer session, but may have puked themselves a rainbow. And if the person inside passed out from dizziness...well:
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

As I understand it, it's damn tough to concentrate when you're unconscious.

If the protected caster inside has a fear of heights, it may also inhibit his ability to maintain concentration on the sphere as he goes over the bluff.
 
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