Real World Physics...


Pathfinder First Edition General Discussion


Do they apply in Pathfinder?
Example: If someone uses stone shape (or an ability that functions as stone shape) what happens to the stone that is sculpted when making a tunnel. Is it displaced or does it vanish?

Would be great if a developer could chime in.


Generally, when the real world and Pathfinder collide, magic wins.

Which is to say, Pathfinder isn't meant to follow the physics of the real world, and some of the biggest drama on these boards occurs when players try to force the rules to "make sense" with regard to real life.


I understand that, but when the spell says you "sculpt" something that would imply the matter stays, but it's shape changes. Regardless of if it's magic, the matter is not being destroyed, it's just being reshaped.


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John-D-Frogman wrote:
when the spell says you "sculpt" something that would imply the matter stays, but it's shape changes. Regardless of if it's magic, the matter is not being destroyed, it's just being reshaped.
Quote:

Posted on February 24, 2016 by John Stevenot

Remove Everything That Isn’t David

Michelangelo was asked by the pope about the secret of his genius, particularly in regards to the statue of David, largely considered to be the greatest sculpting masterpiece of all time. Michelangelo responded by saying, “It’s simple. I just remove everything that is not David.”

Quote:


["I choose a block of marble and chop off whatever I don't need."
~ Auguste Rodin (1840 - 1917) French sculptor, when asked how he managed to make his remarkable statues

"remove" is a pretty clear indication that the matter is not simply being reshaped, as is "chop off".

If that's how sculptors describe what they do, you can probably rest easy that the material is not just being reshaped.


The material in that example is, in fact, being reshaped. Considering the original object is having pieces removed from it, but the pieces removed are not being destroyed (as in "does not exist"), it is being displaced somewhere else.


But, of course, as the GM, you can decide whatever you like about what happens to the material that is removed. It can stay on the floor, it can be magically whisked away, whatever works for your story.

And equally, the GM you're playing with gets to make that same ruling.

Liberty's Edge

In a word, No.

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