Re: SPELLJAMMER-L Digest - 3 Sep 2005 to 4 Sep 2005 (#2005-165)

>
> Some feedback:
>
> Fun spell, bit like a combination of a longer range Dimension
> Door, and a limited range Teleport, with rather different rules
> for the uncertain arrival point. And a fixed return point.
>
> It looks as though you are safer than a Dimension Door or
> Teleport, but cannot arrive indoors. The other restriction is
> that this can only be a transfer between ground and orbit
> (generally outside any atmosphere).
>
> This spell also allows more travellers than either Dimension Door
> or Teleport.
>
Actually, it allows the exact same number of travellers.  This line was
taken straight from the Teleport spell.

> So, plus side:
> * built-in safety (don't appear & instantly die)
> * more travellers
>
I don't think this is any more safe than teleport.  If you use the
variant
of the spell that goes to an unknown location, the only protection you
have is not materializing inside something solid or non-breathable.
You essentially have that protection with teleport, because you'd have
to be stupid to teleport to such a location by choice.
If you use the version to go to known location, the only protection you
have is that the spell won't work if the location has changed to the
point that it is no longer recognizable (as I elaborated above).

> On the minus side:
> * shorter range than a Teleport, probably 50mls
> * only between ground and orbit
> * not downwards to inside buildings
> * poor targetting of downwards travel
> * only upward from arrival point

> I would say that this looks like a varient Teleport. The built-in
> safety and extra travellers would normally kick this up a couple
> of levels to 7th. The only between ground and orbit (very limited
> conditions under which the spell will operate) claws you back a
> level to 6th, and the limits on travel should claw you back
> another level to 5th. I would guess this to be the base level of
> the spell "Shore Party".
>
So, in my view, you start with 5th level teleport, knock it down one
and a half levels for the restrictions in location and another half
level for the addition
of a somatic component.

> If this spell requires a (reusable at will) ritually prepared
> area in orbit to depart from, say prepared at a materials cost of
> at least 5,000gp, and which is the only place to which you can
> return from the ground, then a reasonably generous DM might let
> you decrease this spell another level to 4th. You might call this
> spell "Prepared Shore Party".
>
> I would say that the research work to create this spell is going
> to require a very good wizard, and likely one who specialises in
> transport magic. I would guess being at least 18th level would
> help; capable of two spell levels above casting 7th level spells,
> which the totally general-purpose version of this spell might be.
>
> An improved version of this spell, might allow the upwards
> transport from places other than the arrival point, making it a
> very good escape spell, at +1 level on "Prepared Shore Party", to
> 5th.
>
I like the idea of an 'Orbital Escape' spell, which I would envision as
a 4th level spell (a restricted Teleport that only goes to one
location).
>
> For improved fun, this spell might be allowed to be used to
> ritually prepare gemmed talismans, each worth at least 1,000gp,
> taking one day's work, each single use, which if placed on
> unresisting targets, allows them to be included in the upwards
> transport, even if not touching, as long as they are within
> twenty feet; this does not increase the total number transferred.
> Alternatively non-living materals might be transferred, on a
> 110lb per creature replaced, basis.
>
Yes, your idea is a good one.  An alternative would be to have a timed
crystal, which starts out clear and fills with, say, a blue color at a
rate
equal to shore leave time.  When the crystal turns solid blue, wham-o,
shore leave is over and you're back on the ship!

I think an "Orbital Crane" spell to move cargo would be useful, and
I thought about making it, but I cannot understand why Teleport Object
is a 7th level spell compared to Teleport, which is 5th.  I would
envision the "Orbital Crane" able to teleport (un)willing creatures as
well.
I think I should also spell out the conditions of permanency applied to
the
Shore Party spell, as someone else already suggested.  It would require
a 5000 gp podium, the functions of
which can be triggered by any operator who knows the keying sequence
(e.g. slide three levers downward smoothly, ala Star Trek.)  Any
creatures
teleported could be recalled by the same mechanism, provided they
return from the location to which they teleported.  Any use of the
podium
to transport creatures to an alternate location would prevent the recall
of persons teleported to a different location (although several sets of
people could be teleported to and recalled from the same location).

I will revise my spell description to cover the points you bring up and
any
others.  Does anyone know what it takes to get material committed to the
BtM site?

I should also mention my motivation for this spell.  In my campaign, the
reason Arcane are so mysterious is because they maintain spies in all
the spelljamming ports.  When there is any market for their wares, they
fly to the location with a spelljammer that has a Ship Invisibility
spell on it.
They then Shore Party down to the surface and conduct their business
transactions before returning to the ship.
--Dale--
> --
> Dreamer
> dreamer@??????.?????.??.uk
> http://www.romsys.demon.co.uk/
>
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> End of SPELLJAMMER-L Digest - 3 Sep 2005 to 4 Sep 2005 (#2005-165)
> ******************************************************************