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Preparing a high level adventure I noticed this the potential interation of those 2 spells.
Dimensional Anchor
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A green ray springs from your hand. You must make a ranged touch attack to hit the target. Any creature or object struck by the ray is covered with a shimmering emerald field that completely blocks extradimensional travel. Forms of movement barred by a dimensional anchor include astral projection, blink, dimension door, ethereal jaunt, etherealness, gate, maze, plane shift, shadow walk, teleport, and similar spell-like abilities. The spell also prevents the use of a gate or teleportation circle for the duration of the spell.A dimensional anchor does not interfere with the movement of creatures already in ethereal or astral form when the spell is cast, nor does it block extradimensional perception or attack forms. Also, dimensional anchor does not prevent summoned creatures from disappearing at the end of a summoning spell.
Freedom of Movement
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This spell enables you or a creature you touch to move and attack normally for the duration of the spell, even under the influence of magic that usually impedes movement, such as paralysis, solid fog, slow, and web. All combat maneuver checks made to grapple the target automatically fail. The subject automatically succeeds on any combat maneuver checks and Escape Artist checks made to escape a grapple or a pin.The spell also allows the subject to move and attack normally while underwater, even with slashing weapons such as axes and swords or with bludgeoning weapons such as flails, hammers, and maces, provided that the weapon is wielded in the hand rather than hurled. The freedom of movement spell does not, however, grant water breathing.
It has been show several times that the bolded part of Freedom of movement work against all kinds of powers that impede movement.
So what you think, it work even against dimensional anchor, that explicitly state that it block extra dimensional forms of movement or not?
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That was my initial response, but FoM protect you against stuff like Hold person, that is a purely mental effect, so its protection is all encompassing.
It is a hard call.
By the rules text RAI can be argued both way, RAW lean toward "it protects from most of the effects of dimensional anchor".
Planar movement is a form of movement.
Spell level vs spell level it is 4 vs 4, so it is not far fetched to think that it protect against Dimensional Anchor.
FoM is a ungodly good spell that I would pilfer with another class if I had a chance.
...Teleportation isn't movement.
The two don't interact at all.
...Teleportation isn't movement.
The two don't interact at all.
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Forms of movement barred by a dimensional anchor include astral projection, blink, dimension door, ethereal jaunt, etherealness, gate, maze, plane shift, shadow walk, teleport, and similar spell-like abilities.
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Unfortunately, the dimensional anchor text disagrees, which makes this far less clear cut.
FoM is such a god-awful rules nightmare. The only reasonable way to handle virtually any question involving it is "Ask your GM".
Spells with Opposite Effects: Spells with opposite effects apply normally, with all bonuses, penalties, or changes accruing in the order that they apply. Some spells negate or counter each other. This is a special effect that is noted in a spell's description.
Does this little snippet mean that it would depend on which spell was up first?
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Defining a form of teleportation "movement" is common in the rules:
Dimensional Steps (Sp): At 8th level, you can use this ability to teleport up to 30 feet per wizard level per day as a standard action. This teleportation must be used in 5-foot increments and such movement does not provoke an attack of opportunity. You can bring other willing creatures with you, but you must expend an equal amount of distance for each additional creature brought with you.
Dimensional Hop (Sp): At 8th level, you can teleport up to 10 feet per cleric level per day as a move action. This teleportation must be used in 5-foot increments and such movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity. You must have line of sight to your destination to use this ability. You can bring other willing creatures with you, but you must expend an equal amount of distance for each creature brought.
So saying "Also the fact that dimensional anchor uses movement in one way does not mean freedom of movement is using the term in the same way." is really disingenuous.
The definition of the Teleportation sub school don't help much:
Teleportation: A teleportation spell transports one or more creatures or objects a great distance. The most powerful of these spells can cross planar boundaries. Unlike summoning spells, the transportation is (unless otherwise noted) one-way and not dispellable.Teleportation is instantaneous travel through the Astral Plane. Anything that blocks astral travel also blocks teleportation.
it speak of travel, but that don't necessarily implies movement by the target.
So far the opinions against are been based on "because it is not movement" without a rule citation supporting that, while there are a few rule citations that tenuously support he opinion that it is movement.
"This spell enables you or a creature you touch to move and attack normally"
Freedom of movement doesn't grant you extra-dimensional travel capabilities nor does it dispel, effect or interact in any way with spells that prevent that type of travel.
As an aside, movement / move is used two ways in Pathfinder (and in English) one is the act of moving i.e. walking across the room, the other is the result of moving i.e. being on the other side of the room. Sometimes this phrasing can be tricky when it bumps up against the 'term of art' pathfinder move and attack rules.
That AIN"T normal
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I'm going to side with the people saying FoM doesn't protect against Anchor.
FoM enables you to act and move normally. I don't consider a teleportation power to be normal movement.
But yeah, FoM always causes arguments which will never be conclusively settled.
Best argument against, so far.
@Dave FoM don't give you flight too.
So if you are flying a web or a solid fog would work?
It don't give you a swimming speed, but it specifically give you huge benefits wen moving and fighting in the water.
If you get fly or swim speed thank to magic, FoM will not help you as it is not your "normal" movement?
Or instead "normally" mean "as normally allowed by your current movement abilities, included the magical ones"?
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I think it's best to interpret the movement of teleportation spells as something different than "moving your feet" like that limiting 5ft steps.
I'd be inclined not to apply Freedom of Movement to Dimensional Anchor, because DA isn't stopping you from moving your body freely, it's just keeping it in this dimension. But it's a grey area.
I just wanted to point out that if you're going to classify teleportation as movement, then it probably can't be combined with 5ft steps anymore - which screws over casters a lot more I'd say.
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A related question is -
If a Demon gets Dimensional Anchor cast on it. Then what happens if it flunks the save for the Dismissal Spell (or any other effect that pops an Outsider to it's home plane)?
Summoned by a summoning spell? he should disappear. dimensional anchor say that it don't stop summoned creatures from disappearing.
Conjured? He would stay.
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A related question is -
If a Demon gets Dimensional Anchor cast on it. Then what happens if it flunks the save for the Dismissal Spell (or any other effect that pops an Outsider to it's home plane)?
Summoned by a summoning spell? he should disappear. dimensional anchor say that it don't stop summoned creatures from disappearing.
Conjured? He would stay.
It says it does not prevent Summoned creatures from disappearing at the end of the summon spell duration, which is not the same thing.
Of course all of the spells sending creatures back to their home plane are equal or greater level than Dimensional Anchor...
That does not prevent a caster from heightening Dimensional Anchor, which means we have the same grey area again?
Based on the Tetori ability Inescapable Grasp, I would say that Dimensional Anchor would trump Freedom of Movement:
"At 9th level, a tetori can spend 1 point from his ki pool to suppress his opponents’ freedom of movement and magical bonuses to Escape Artist or on checks to escape a grapple. At 13th level, this ability also duplicates the effect of dimensional anchor."
Similar to what PDK said, looking at the examples, these two don't even compete with each other.
FoM overcomes things that impede physical movement on the current plane.
DimA prevents movement that crosses planar boundaries.
Two different things entirely.
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Also the fact that dimensional anchor uses movement in one way does not mean freedom of movement is using the term in the same way.
Can I just point out how confusing this is? I mean, we have enough confusion over whether standing up from prone counts as "movement" without having to worry about the actual word "movement" has multiple meanings.
Also the fact that dimensional anchor uses movement in one way does not mean freedom of movement is using the term in the same way.Can I just point out how confusing this is? I mean, we have enough confusion over whether standing up from prone counts as "movement" without having to worry about the actual word "movement" has multiple meanings.
It's no more confusing than using the English language every day.
FoM does not protect against EVERYTHIG that impedes you from moving where you want to go. Because it doesnt let you walk through walls. Or let you cross "dimensional boundaries" which normally impede transdimensional movement unhindered should you want to take a quick trip to the Astral Plane.
This proves that FoM is at least somewhat limited in what it helps against.
In the FoM rules it doesnt mention extradimensional travel. The examples given dont touch Teleportation effects at all - thus i conclude that FoM doesnt interact with teleportation-like effects.
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It's no more confusing than using the English language every day.Also the fact that dimensional anchor uses movement in one way does not mean freedom of movement is using the term in the same way.Can I just point out how confusing this is? I mean, we have enough confusion over whether standing up from prone counts as "movement" without having to worry about the actual word "movement" has multiple meanings.
And yet somehow technical writers manage to avoid these situations.
I am aware that the people at Paizo are game designers rather than technical writers. But if you're concerned with having a clear rule set, it may be useful to start thinking like technical writers, or even hiring one.
And while game design in the past seems to have relied heavily on the group working something out when the rule is unclear, I think increased clarity is something to aim for. It certainly seems to be highly valued in PFS. And even in a home game, getting a GM ruling can distract from play.
I don't disagree, but in this particular case I think the intent shine sthrough fairly clearly. It involves PHYSICAL movement, rather than spacial movement.
Could it have helped had they said that (or even something more technical)? You betcha. But I don't think it was strictly necessary in this case.