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Weightlessness/Masslessness

Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2023 10:57 pm
by Veknironth
Well, this is another fine example of one word ruining a perfectly good spell description. The spell goes on with a description of reducing the weight of an object, as the name of the spell implies. But then, in the final line it says that the mass is affected. Those are distinctly different things. Since the spell reduces damage from striking attacks, I'm assuming it's mass? Something with the same mass, but much less weight would just be easier swing right?

-Vek
"Did the author not know the difference?"

Re: Weightlessness/Masslessness

Posted: Wed Oct 11, 2023 3:27 am
by kiralon
I believe weightlessness and massless is counted as the same thing in palladium fantasy.
I imagine moving in weightless full plate would be odd.

Re: Weightlessness/Masslessness

Posted: Wed Oct 11, 2023 10:14 am
by Stone Gargoyle
My question would be if size and density of an object would be affected. Does reducing the mass make it easier to break or make it brittle. I realize the writer probably knows nothing of physics and I am just complicating the spell even more, but it would be nice to include those bits of information.

Re: Weightlessness/Masslessness

Posted: Wed Oct 11, 2023 10:00 pm
by drewkitty ~..~
Size....No

density.....well if this meant the object's displacement, then yes

Re: Weightlessness/Masslessness

Posted: Thu Oct 12, 2023 10:25 am
by Library Ogre
As I frequently say, Palladium books are not closely written. Trying to parse that level of word choice, beyond common usage, is going to lead to frustration.

Re: Weightlessness/Masslessness

Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2023 12:04 am
by Veknironth
Well, I wrote a long post here and realized that the only way this spell can possible work as mentioned is that it's reducing the mass of something. They just misused weight and mass as the same thing. That leads to my next useful question. It says the save is standard. To what does that apply? Living creatures? Atomatons? Animated dead? Inanimate objects? Inanimate objects on the person or creature that might have a chance to save if the spell was targeted to them?

What about Stone Gargyole's question of the mass being reduced affecting the density of an object?

-Vek
"I suppose Physics can be ignored since its magic."

Re: Weightlessness/Masslessness

Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2023 11:16 am
by Library Ogre
Veknironth wrote: Sat Oct 14, 2023 12:04 am Well, I wrote a long post here and realized that the only way this spell can possible work as mentioned is that it's reducing the mass of something. They just misused weight and mass as the same thing. That leads to my next useful question. It says the save is standard. To what does that apply? Living creatures? Atomatons? Animated dead? Inanimate objects? Inanimate objects on the person or creature that might have a chance to save if the spell was targeted to them?
My rule is "Living creatures and those things they possess". This avoids the "I didn't increase HIS weight, I just made his armor 500 pounds heavier" trick lots of people like to try. I consider it part of the person's aura defending those things inside their aura, which is going to include most gear.