freefall spell

[taltamir]

featherfall can save your butt in a bind. But sometimes it is not good enough, you fall from a great hight and don't accurately estimate the rate of descent (aka, the moment at which you SHOULD cast it).. cat it too early, and it runs out and you fall. Cast it too late, and you splatter.

Worse though, is that you could be knocked unconscious and dropped off of something...

So how about a spell that lets you freefall, and then feather falls you just before hitting a hard surface? Like contingency featherfall, only without the contingency... (hopefully a relatively low level)?

I am thinking of a spell with duration of hours / level.... which will engage a feather fall just before you hit a hard surface and splatter.
What level should it be? how many times can it go off? unlimited amount during the duration? only once and then expended?

[olelia]

Feather Fall
Transmutation
Level: Brd 1, Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 immediate action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Targets: One Medium or smaller freefalling object or creature/level, no two of which may be more than 20 ft. apart
Duration: Until landing or 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless) or Will negates (object)
Spell Resistance: Yes (object)

The affected creatures or objects fall slowly. Feather fall instantly changes the rate at which the targets fall to a mere 60 feet per round (equivalent to the end of a fall from a few feet), and the subjects take no damage upon landing while the spell is in effect. However, when the spell duration expires, a normal rate of falling resumes.

The spell affects one or more Medium or smaller creatures (including gear and carried objects up to each creature’s maximum load) or objects, or the equivalent in larger creatures: A Large creature or object counts as two Medium creatures or objects, a Huge creature or object counts as two Large creatures or objects, and so forth.

You can cast this spell with an instant utterance, quickly enough to save yourself if you unexpectedly fall. Casting the spell is a immediate action, allowing you to cast this spell even when it isn’t your turn.

This spell has no special effect on ranged weapons unless they are falling quite a distance. If the spell is cast on a falling item the object does half normal damage based on its weight, with no bonus for the height of the drop.

Feather fall works only upon free-falling objects. It does not affect a sword blow or a charging or flying creature.

Emphasis Mine

Seeing as it is an immediate action I'm not sure what the point of a "freefall" spell would be seeing as you can already just cast it .000000001 seconds before hitting the ground. Unless..you already used your swift on something else.

[Volkov]

"Summon Parachute." :smallbiggrin:

[ericgrau]

Featherfall is an immediate action. Most other spells are not. But from extreme heights feather fall gives you your caster level in rounds to pull off one of many other solutions which you might not have time to use otherwise.

[AmberVael]

Unless..you already used your swift on something else.

Immediate actions use your swift action for the next round, so you'd have to have already used an immediate action.
So, say, you attempted to cast featherfall, and someone dispelled it. Well darn, looks like you're doomed now.

[Rainbownaga]

Or, alternatively, you were stunned or unconscious in mid air. No immediate actions if you're not able to act.