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

[Lanefan]

In step one, the train hits the ORS with enough force to send the ball flying 0-60mph in an instance. We know reading the spell the inhabitant takes no damage.

If the occupant was somehow strapped in or immobilized with relation to the sphere this would be correct. And yes, the occupant takes no damage directly from the train. The damage taken comes from the inside walls of the sphere.

But in the equations, that hit is no different from the one that reduces the ORS from 60-0mph. The forces incurred are identical. If the math is the same, the results are the same.

Again quite right, as far as it goes. And again, when you fall in a sphere you're not being damaged by the ground itself (the sphere absorbs that), you're being damaged by the inside of the sphere. Just like if you're in a fridge dropped off a cliff...it's not the actual ground that directly hurts you, it's the inside of the fridge when it stops and you - for the tiniest length of time - don't.

Now I suppose one could rule that the in-side of the sphere is magically padded somehow so as to be unable to damage the occupant no matter what abuses the sphere takes, but that to me is a bit too generous.

Lan-"off the temple, over the stockyard, ricochet off the palace's south wall - nothin' but net"-efan

 

[jaelis]

Spells, almost by definition, break rules of reality- or in the alternative- work with rules unavailable to those who don't have access to it. The reason why the occupant can roll the ball is because the spell's designer thought things through and designed it to work that way.

Yes. But you are using realistic physics arguments to support your position. Seems to me that only has any merit if you'e willing to apply them consistently.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Yes. But you are using realistic physics arguments to support your position. Seems to me that only has any merit if you'e willing to apply them consistently.

Which I am.

 

[jaelis]

I guess I don't understand what you are saying then, sorry.

 

[Oofta]

Which I am [applying the laws of physics].

Except you aren't. Either the sphere and it's occupant can be moved (transferring velocity from outside the sphere to the occupant aka transferring kinetic energy) or it can't. If the occupant magically has no mass he could not hamster ball the sphere. He can, therefore he does.

D&D uses simplistic language. Energy in the D&D terms is lightning, fire, necrotic and so on. If literally no energy of any kind can be transferred to the occupant they would float weightless in the center of impenetrably black sphere until the spell ends.

 

[Lanefan]

Except you aren't. Either the sphere and it's occupant can be moved (transferring velocity from outside the sphere to the occupant aka transferring kinetic energy) or it can't. If the occupant magically has no mass he could not hamster ball the sphere. He can, therefore he does.

D&D uses simplistic language. Energy in the D&D terms is lightning, fire, necrotic and so on. If literally no energy of any kind can be transferred to the occupant they would float weightless in the center of impenetrably black sphere

Careful...this is giving me some really interesting ideas for variants on this spell!

until the spell ends.

At which point the occupant is dazzled by the bright light, disoriented, and - depending where the sphere has moved to in the meantime - possibly subject to a host of other problems of which falling may be but one.

Lanefan

 

[jaelis]

impenetrably black sphere

Wouldn't be black, that would be absorbing energy. Should be either mirror (for specular reflection) or white (for diffuse)

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

There is no "transfer" of energy from outside the sphere.

For the occupant to be damaged by the fall, there has to be.

Newton's 1st: "An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force."

When the ORS goes over a cliff, it's movement can only be affected by an unbalanced force. That is conveniently supplied by the ground.

The occupant has the same momentum as the ORS did, and normally, would follow the same rules. If the sphere were an unpadded concrete one, the physicist would say that the unbalanced force that stops the momentum of the occupant has the same source, the ground. The sphere acts as a conduit for the ground's application of an unbalanced force.

But the ORS explicitly prohibits this kind of transfer of energy.

The ORS isn't supplying the unbalanced force.

The inhabitant can't be the source of both the momentum AND the unbalanced force that stops him unless he's got thrusters.

The only source of the unbalanced force that stops the ORS and its inhabitant is the ground itself.

And the only difference between the ground impact and that of a weapon is amount.

 

[Oofta]

Wouldn't be black, that would be absorbing energy. Should be either mirror (for specular reflection) or white (for diffuse)

From the outside yes. From the perspective of the occupant it would be black (admittedly I didn't state it clearly). I would assume mirror like because to get diffuse reflection the surface needs to be fractured IIRC.

It would be an awesome sensory deprivation tank.

 

[jaelis]

I guess from the inside it would also be mirror-like, but of course it would be dark unless the enclosed character had a light source.