How long in pathfinder does it take to fall 200 feet? (in rounds) If i figuring it out correctly I believe it is less then a round. up to about 500 feet should be less then a round? does that sound correct?
Hmm interesting. That is what I get for trying to use real world physics. I guess acceleration (from 0 - 200) is not figured in there. fall speed is a constant at that point. OK well that is simple enough
Where does it say 200 feet per round, Zarius?
The only rule I know is:
"A character cannot cast a spell while falling, unless the fall is greater than 500 feet or the spell is an immediate action, such as feather fall."
Which I take to mean that you fall 500 feet in your first round of falling.
(Which is fairly realistic: according to physics someone in earth gravity in a vacuum will fall 573.3 feet in six seconds starting from zero velocity. With air resistance, 500 feet sounds about right. Though you'd keep accelerating after that until you hit terminal velocity of 1200 feet per round or so.)
The falling rules under environmental dangers imply a speed of 500' per round because at that height or lower you can't cast non-immediate spells.
The only place I know of where an actual speed for falling is explicitly stated is in the text for Ace Trip.
If the combat maneuver succeeds, the target falls at a rate of up to 100 feet per round (assuming it is conscious and attempting to remain airborne; otherwise, it falls at a rate of 500 feet per round) until it hits the ground.
So a creature who is not trying or is unable to remain airborne falls at 500' per round.
Wrong in what way?
On earth terminal velocity is around 1200 feet per round. In Golarion it is 500 feet per round unless you have some source saying otherwise. That's no more 'wrong' than the rule that a Roc or Giant Wasp can fly, even though physics tells us it that couldn't happen on earth.
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There's no mention of rounds in that rule. It implies they've reached terminal velocity after falling 200 feet (if you consider falling damage to only relate to speed), but that doesn't in itself mean their speed is 200 feet per round. Without any further information, it could happen in a single second for all we know.
I took that rule to mean that in the time it takes to make a standard action (to cast a spell), you'd fall 500 feet. Thus a full-round fall would be 1000 feet.
Wrong in what way?
On earth terminal velocity is around 1200 feet per round. In Golarion it is 500 feet per round unless you have some source saying otherwise. That's no more 'wrong' than the rule that a Roc or Giant Wasp can fly, even though physics tells us it that couldn't happen on earth.
Wrong in that if terminal velocity is 500' per round, you would only fall 1/2 that in the first round, so you could get a spell off if you were over 250' from the ground.
It's wrong in that the math and physics are not consistent with each other, so one of those rules messed up the math. Considering that 1000' per round is consistent with earth physics, and there's no reason to believe that Golarion gravity is half that of earth, or that Golarion air density is twice that as earth, given that other stats like projectiles, jumping, and other physics dependent activities seem to be within earth norms, it's likely that the "terminal velocity is 500' per round" rule got it wrong.
Where do you get that you would only fall half the distance in the first round? Is there a rule that states this. All of the rules indicate you fall 500' per round.
Does this reflect real world physics? Of course not, nor is it intended to. If you want a closer approximation of reality in your own game you can certainly house rule it but as far as the actual published rules are concerned you fall 500' per round from the moment you start falling.
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Wrong in that if terminal velocity is 500' per round, you would only fall 1/2 that in the first round
Only if you assume it takes the whole round to reach terminal velocity, accelerating at a constant rate. (Acceleration starts out fast and then decreases as air resistance rises, so you'd travel further than 1/2.)
Of course, the only way you'd actually fall 500' every round is if you accelerated instantly to terminal velocity, so you have a point about the unrealistic physics of it all. But the rules for, say, diagonal movement aren't realistic either. Maybe it's better not to look into it too closely.
In many circumstances, the time of such a long fall would take take exactly until the end of the character's turn. :)
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Was expecting this to be a Paladin thread.
It's sad that I associate Paladin alignment threads with actual falling threads...
This was way more convoluted then I expected. (also I would not start a paladin alignment thread I don't need random people to tell me right and wrong)
I think I like the first round 500 ft then every following round 1000 feet. Seems closer to how I thought the physics should work.
So, what is different about the Golarian world that makes terminal velocity 500' per round instead of 1000' per round?
Is gravity 4 times less, or is the density of air 4 times higher?
Or maybe someone just screwed up the math in one particular rule...
Nah, that would never happen, eh?
Well real world terminal velocity is neither 500' nor 1000'... So be it one or the other you can't say they are true in term of real life terminal velocity... so if terminal velocity is different then it can be anything they choose it to be regardless of what we know... Maybe magic in the air slow the terminal velocity speed ? :p
Constant acceleration is a much better simplification than constant velocity, don't you think?
Constant acceleration is a better simulation of physics. Constant velocity is a better simplification, since it's simpler: 500' per round.
Though since we also have the rule that maximum falling damage is 20d6, that means you've reached terminal velocity after falling 200' (different from Earth, but Golarion's air must be thicker than ours, to support all the giant winged monsters). If there's still time to fall another 300' after that in the same six seconds, then you should fall about 600' in successive rounds.
This was way more convoluted then I expected. (also I would not start a paladin alignment thread I don't need random people to tell me right and wrong)
Just because it doesn't start as a Paladin thread doesn't mean it can't be a Paladin thread...
More seriously, the falling rules aren't exactly accurately spelled out in terms of how fast you fall in relation to the remainder of actions you have prior to committing to falling, which seems like it could use some clarification.
Terminal Velocity is about 1000' for a human... For a Dragon it's certainly not the same... :p
But it appear that in Golarion terminal velocity does not take the mass in account... so, once again, it can be everything... Magic in the air seems to max terminal velocity to 500' whatever the mass of the object...
You can set it at 1000' but in this case you're doing exactly the same, you're not using the real formula and setting it so 1000' is the maximum terminal velocity in your world... Which is certainly not the case in ours :p
If someone falls more than 500 feet it gives them time to cast a spell that is not an immediate action so we know that people can fall at least 500 feet in one round. The rules don't give a max distance.
Basically there is no official max falling distance. <---Yes, I am aware that I am repeating myself.
I would say the distance is 800 to 1000 feet.<----Not official, and not even justifiably RAI, but it gives a max number for a home game if needed.
A character cannot cast a spell while falling, unless the fall is greater than 500 feet or the spell is an immediate action,...
Don't do that... Real world physics would tells us that a small 8000lb Dragon would fall at a terminal Velocity of 660mph... about 5800 feet/round... :F
But still takes max 20d6 damage... :D
If this thread has taught me anything, it's that I'm glad I don't have to carefully simulate real-life physics every single time a creature incidentally falls off a cliff. Or the wizard uses a Create Pit spell....
If this thread has taught me anything, it's that I'm glad I don't have to carefully simulate real-life physics every single time a creature incidentally falls off a cliff. Or the wizard uses a Create Pit spell....
Yeah I don't need it to be perfect 500 first round 1000 the next because your moving at max speed instead of accelerating sounds good to me. Ill probably use that.
Uh thanks everyone.