The spell Float in Air

[darthauthor]

The 3rd level spell Float in Air (5) on page 96 of Rifts Book of Magic and also page 202 of the Rifts Ultimate Edition is that to which I am referring.

Questions about the spell and how it can be used and combs with it.

Question:
1. Can the caster use it on themselves and others to sky dive off an air plane?

2. Likewise, can a ley line walker rise or teleport up to the top of a tall ley line and use this spell to float down to Earth (for fun, to look cool, to sneak attack, etc.).

3. Can it be used as an attack?
Example, you are trying to catch someone you are chasing and casting this spell cuts their speed in half.
That or you just want them to have a -1.

4. Can you use it on yourself to cross a lake or river or hot lava or walk over a snow bank without snow shoes?

5. Likewise, would it pull you or someone you cast it upon out of quicksand? Or just avoid falling into it?

6. Would the use of this spell allow you to walk over landmines without setting them off?

7. Does the "Air" part of this spell disperse gas or smoke? For example, if an enemy used a smoke grenade or cloud of smoke spell and a caster used this spell would it free or protect the caster from the smoke?

[ShadowLogan]

1. Yes, "It can be used to slow someone's descent from a fall" (which skydiving qualifies as), I'm not sure why you think you couldn't.

2. See #1

3. Given the lack of a Saving Throw I would say no, you cannot use it as an "attack"

4. Yes, just be aware of the duration (10 melees per level, 1 melee = 15seconds OR 150seconds per level) and reduced movement rate (SPD = ft per second, remember you are now 1/2 your normal movement rate). This will require one to do the math and you will need to know the size of the body of fluid you are "walking over".

5. If one is in quicksand I would say no, it won't work in terms of getting one out (air currents the spell uses can't get under subject). It could be used to avoid falling into it potentially, but I wouldn't make it an auto success in terms of timing (depending on the situation a mage might not get the spell off in time). The spell Levitation (pg94) could lift someone out of quicksand.

6. Unless the land mind is proximity based (or remote activated) and doesn't require actual contact (ie step on it or trigger a tripwire) then yes, the text is clear "hovering about one or two foot (0.3-0.6m) above the ground" so no you would not set off a contact type of mine.

7. GM's call in terms of how effective the spell would be in dispersing gas/smoke. The air is moving to keep the subject aloft, so I could see it disrupting gas/smoke around the caster (Wind Rush, Level 7, is ideal for this job, perhaps even sonic based attack spells)

[drewkitty ~..~]

1 The text answers this question.
2 Same as #1.
3 ..... question being can it be used as a De'buff? yes. My GM VP: if used as aDe'Buff the target gets that standard save vs magic.
4 no, can't walk.Can it be used to not get wet while crossing liquids? yes. Having a means of propulsion makes the movement easier.
Lava notes:

Spoiler:

1: Lava is Always Hot! Saying Hot Lava is like saying Cold 'Dry Ice' or Cold Liquid Nitrogen. 2: The spell does not keep the target of the spell far enought away from the surface of the lava to avoid getting burnt unless the target is wearing EBA.

5: Option 2. If the char is in QS then the float in water will float the char to the top.If you don't understand why then you have homework to learn what QS is. mythbusters did an episod on QS.
6: If the LMs were pressure trigged, yes. Magnetic triggers would not be affected/fooled.
7: Up to each GM to answer this question to fit their games.

[darthauthor]

Drewkitty,

1. Thanks

2. Sky-diving is a big thing. It looks cool. It is espeically dramatic without a parachute. A cool headed spell caster can jump out. Cast it on someone falling. Cast it on themselves. Then helocopter decend as long as it is within the time limit / duration. I am just checking my understanding that it can be used as a spell substitute for the parachuting skill from the military skill category.

3. I do see the spell as a de-buff. It does NO damage. But it can slow someone down.

4. The wording is "off." I meant can someone cast the Float on Air spell to move according the the description of the spell laterally floating across a river and such (thin ice on lake that might crack and break if you walked on it, etc).

I like the idea of going over lava but didn't know about the actual real world lava.
So I didn't know floating over it would burn your boots.
What would a good damage amount be for someone FLOAT sprinting over lava?

[darthauthor]

Say what would happen if someone was using this spell "Float on Air" and they floated over a pit trap for a man or animal?

Would they fall into it or float over it or what?

Could they still do something like tight rope walk like in the acrobatics skill?

I know these questions are like crazy extremes but those are the kinds of players I have.

[drewkitty ~..~]

Drewkitty,
3. I do see the spell as a de-buff. It does NO damage. But it can slow someone down.

4. The wording my be off. I meant can someone cast the Float on Air spell to move according the the description of the spell laterally floating across a river and such (thin ice on lake that might crack and break if you walked on it, etc).the spell

I like the idea of going over lava but didn't know about the actual real world lava.
So I didn't know floating over it would burn your boots.
What would a good damage amount be for someone FLOAT sprinting over lava?

3: It is the intent of the Caster which makes it a Buff or a Debuff. It was that intent difference which would trigger a saving throw of not in my way GM way of looking at it.

4: the spell almost literally makes the target into a hovercraft, except that there is no skirt. so basically anything a present day hovercraft can do, can be done with this spell. As a GM I would include sliding/spinning out of control with a bad piloting skill roll.

Lava, haven't thought about what sort of damage other than an unprotected char getting that close to Lava would get at lease 2nd degree burns, more likely 3rd degree burns.
Look at science programs where when they walk in to collect lava sample.....they are wearing one of those shiny suits firefighters use to fight oil well fires.
There is a movie called "Volcano" 1997 with Tommy Lee Jones, where one erupts under LA.

[darthauthor]

I am not trying to be a trouble maker about the word "LAVA"

I have seen it in at least two of my games:

The first is in a Fire Warlock spell that uses LAVA.
I forgot the name of the spell "River of Lava" or something.

So a character needed options to get past it and they couldn't jump that far or fly.
He especailly wanted to save his friends from the LAVA.

The second case was in the dimension of Hades.
There are literal rivers of LAVA in that dimension.
So the characters didn't want to walk all the way around the river of lava.

I just remembered now:

"Can a character cast this on themselves and carry someone ELSE?"

OR

IF the caster puts it on someone else can they grab someone else to come along with them for the ride?