How does Dimensional Steps actually work? (Conjuration school power)


Rules Questions


SRD wrote:

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.

Most abilities, such as Shift, say that the effect is "like" a certain other spell, usually Dimension Door, which gives you an idea of the nittier details of how they work. This one gives none, and none of the threads about it that I've found seem to ask anything but the obvious.

What I want to know is the more circumstantial details. For example, can you teleport to a place you don't see? Such as on the other side of a door? Dimension Door allows it, but Shift (Teleportation subschool) specifically says you need to see. Dimensional steps doesn't say you need line of sight. But it also doesn't say that you can go somewhere you don't see. Nor provide any guideline as to what to do if that space is occupied. Do I need to have seen a room to teleport to it? Or say I've got a picture of a room and it's within reach, can I teleport to it without knowing in what direction it lies? Does it end your turn when you use it?


Most of the answers you are asking are in the description. The description states it uses a standard action. That means using it does not end your turn. But it will limit what you can do with the remaining part of your turn. You cannot do anything that requires a standard action, or a full round action. You can take other types of actions like move actions, swift actions etc.

For the rest of it look to the spell teleport.


pretty much as written
You are talking about the Wizard specialist Conjuration school ability. It is rather short and relies on Arcane school descriptions and existing CRB spells (aka Teleport:C5). It is superior to Dimension Door (in that you can act) but doesn't have the range of Teleport.

Arcane/Spell School descriptions

There are terms like Line of Effect(LoE) and Line of Sight(LoS). Your spell or targeted spell effect can't reach past your LoE. For teleport LoE is via the astral plane.
It's clear teleport arrival location can be 1)LoS {the safest}, 2)range and direction, 3)visualized location {here Familiarity comes into play so seen/visited once/known(studied) reduces risk}.

What's not described is a teleport mishap. Your GM will have to decide how to handle it, likely use teleport spell and roll on the table.

Commentary

One way to look at school powers is 8th level = 4th SplLvl. So a class ability is about the same power level (4th) that can grow with level.

Shift is Conj(TP) subschool and starts at First level. It is weaker than Dimensional Steps. Remember the subschool gets both.

Arcanist came out later. Arcanist Exploit Dimensional Slide can start at First level so a weaker ability is expected.

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