Re: Life Preserver (new use for spell) - Was: New Spelljammer Spells

From: "Adam Miller" <night_druid3000@?????.com>
> --- David Shepheard <david_shepheard@???????.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Hi Adam,
>>
>> I just had some ideas for new uses for your Life
>> Preserver spell.

<snip - answered>

>> Because someone might want to cut a rope, you need
>> to decide how many hit points each rope has. I'd say
>> the same as a normal rope - whatever that is.
>
> Not much.  Probaby 1 hp.
>
>> 3) The spell would also be useful to a spell who
>> fell overboard themselves.  They could use the spell
>> on the ship and pull themselves in.
>
> Good point.

>> 4) The rope(s) could be used as emergency rigging,
>> holding up sails, if their rigging was cut, until
> they
>> could be tied off.
>
> Meh, I don't see these ropes doing that, because they
> vanish once brought fully aboard ship.

I didn't realise they vanished when brought back onboard. I must have read 
the spell description incorrectly.

It might need rewording anyway, so you could make the fact that it vanishes 
when brought back onboard more obvious (read - idiot proof LOL).

>> If you create a series of spells, then perhaps they
>> could all have names
>> with the word "Rope" in the title. The spell you
>> have already created could
>> become "Rope of Rescue" and the other uses I have
>> proposed could be sister
>> spells called "Rope of Grappling", "Rope of Rigging"
>> or "Rope of Boarding".
>
> That'd probably be the better route :)

I'd love for this to be a series of spells. (Although "Rope Spell of the 
Month" might be a bit *too* much! LOL)

>> The "Rope of Grappling" could automatically tie off
>> at both ends and then
>> pull together. Unlike other "Rope" spells, this one
>> could be given a
>> strength score.
>>
>> The "Rope of Rigging" could be a long duration spell
>> that replaces a broken
>> rope on a ship (or creates additional rigging). This
>> spell could have a rope
>> use score equal to the spellcaster's level.
>> Additional rigging would work in
>> the same way as the similar rule in the campaign
>> setting (I forget where it
>> was) extra rigging would probably require extra
>> sails.
>>
>> The "Rope of Boarding" could be targeted on people
>> about to board. A rope
>> would shoot from their hand to the rigging of the
>> opposing ship, and should
>> give them a minor bonus to a jump/tumbling check
>> when they swing across (the
>> rope "helps" them swing into a good place to land).
>>
>> If you want to be really crafty, then you could rule
>> that if a rope was cut
>> into two pieces, the smaller piece would vanish, but
>> the larger piece would
>> carry on working.
>>
>> I hope that some of this is useful. I think your
>> idea is too good to be just a single spell.
>
> Too good for a first level spell, definately.

Featherfall is a spell that rescues falling people:
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/featherFall.htm

It is a similar idea to your spell (and is in some ways more powerful - it 
rescues 1 person per level). That is 1st level. You could be ok if you keep 
that idea of the rope vanishing.