Iron Chef Optimisation Challenge in the Playground LXXXV

[Darrin]

It doesn't matter: Heliomance already ruled that subjective directional gravity triggers the ability as well.

But... that's really, really odd.

The "moving around in no gravity" rules are in the 3.0 Manual of the Planes... and nowhere else, apparently. When you're on the astral plane in 3.0, you have a flight speed equal to 10' x Int score with perfect maneuverability, and you move around by "thinking" the direction you want to move. Your maneuverability drops if you want to go faster than a single move action. A double move drops your maneuverability to "average", and running (x4) drops it to "clumsy". This flight stuff is necessary because otherwise without any other form of movement, you'd be stuck on the astral plane with no way to move around.

In subjective gravity, this "flight" ability doesn't exist. You just pick which way is down, and either walk on whatever surface is handy or fall that way (150' first round, 300' second+ round). You can change direction by making a DC 16 Wisdom check as a free action.

In the 3.5 DMG, the astral plane no longer has "no gravity", it's now "subjective gravity", and the flight rules for "no gravity" are no longer in the rules. The DMG does mention "force of will" but doesn't actually have rules for this.

So... if I understand Helio's ruling... Astral Dancers have a "flight" speed as per the 3.0 Manual of the Planes rules whenever they are in "no gravity" planes (where it's necessary to move around) and in "subjective gravity" planes, where it's not needed but hey at least "Improved Maneuverability" does *something* useful.

Hmm. I think I need to nail this down a bit...

1) Do Astral Dancers have "flight = 10' x Int score" at Astral Dancer 1 when in a no/subjective gravity environment? Or does this ability become active at Astral Dancer 3?

2) Do any other creatures have this flight ability or "force of will" when in no/subjective gravity environments? Essentially, do the 3.0 Manual of the Planes rules still exist in the 3.5 rules?

3) Do all planes with "no gravity" automatically have "force of will" movement? The MotP isn't clear on this... on the one hand, it only describes this movement under the entry for the Astral Plane, and the other "no gravity" planes either don't mention it or may mention another form of movement. The elemental planes apparently assume "force of will" is possible, but the Far Realms says movement is only possible by "swimming" through the thick air, and then Carceri says "But unlike other planes with the no gravity trait, force of will doesn’t provide a means of locomotion."

4) Ok, so... beating a dead equestrian here, but... subjective gravity. If "force of will" movement is present here, you've got two contradictory forms of movement: perfect flight (including hovering) and falling 150'/300' in a chosen direction. I am assuming that even though perfect flight allows you to hover in place, you can choose to deliberately fall if you want to?

5) Assuming #4 is true, let's say a creature is walking on a surface with subjective gravity. They fall into a 100' pit trap. Do they take falling damage, or can they instantly "hover" to escape all falling damage?