Casting spells into forcefields

[Veknironth]

Well, this came up in-game and I couldn't find any clear answer. If someone has a forcefield around them like TK Forcefield or Energy Field, can you cast spells or use powers into it? Obviously spells that originate at the caster or psionicist and travel through space to a target are going to hit the barrier. But what about something that creates an effect at a point in space? Could you place a pillar of fire inside such a barrier? What about a wall of ice/clay/iron and have it fall on top of the person inside the field?

What do you do with spells and powers that create an effect larger than the force field? For example, a wall of fire or a cloud spell? Would that stop at the edge of the forcefield and not penetrate it? What if the spell or power is centered on the person inside the forecefield? And if you CAN place a spell inside of the force field, would the forcefield contain it?

-Vek
"Also, is the TK Forcefield visible? If so, what is it's appearance?"

[ShadowLogan]

I don't think there is going to be an easy answer due to the possible combinations.

I know in the past I used a combination of TK:FF with Pyrokinessis's Pillar of Flame, and there was some discussion on how it could work (I know I also posted on it previously).

I would have a FF act as if it was any other physical object if one where to cast a wall/cloud-like spell.

[kiralon]

Its going to be a house ruling.

I use string theory, if you can get a bit of indestructible string between the two points then yes, so if you can see though a wall of fire yes, but no to through glass, but yes through a keyhole etc, so if its a solid force field then no.

[Soldier of Od]

I think that, in principle, you can cast spells into or beyond forcefields, which is what makes Barrier of Thoth so powerful, in that it prevents this.

However, I would say that if there is not enough room within a forcefield to accommodate a physical effect such as a wall of clay or a pillar of flame, then you could not cast it inside the field. If an energy field or telekinetic forcefield is 6ft high, you can't cast an 8ft pillar of flame inside it. If there is a few mm between an armour of Ithan and the person wearing it, you can't cast a 8x8x4ft wall of stone inside it. But if the telekinetic forcefield is 60ft high and 60ft in diameter then, yes, you could drop your wall of clay on their head.

[Library Ogre]

I lean towards no; the forcefield (magical, psionic, or technological) blocks you off from the world. Unless it is specifically permeable in some fashion, or can be adjusted on the fly (like a psychic with their own TK forcefield), then you can't shoot out, and you can't shoot in.

[Veknironth]

Well, one more question. If you want to cast a TK FF on yourself and there is a something attached to you like a chain or rope or something what happens? I don't think that it would be cut in half, that leads to a lot of other questions. I figure either it just can't work, or the field forms around the object. But is that object now stuck in the FF? Or could someone pull one end of the rope and yank it through? If so how hard would that be, assuming that the rope isn't tied to anything heavy. And once the rope is out, is there a hole in the FF or does it close up once the foreign object is out?

-Vek
"Come on Palladium, let us write a book that answers all of these questions. Or at least something online other than just here!"

[Library Ogre]

For the chain or rope? I'd go with those being more or less stuck in the field... I wouldn't let them shear off the line, anymore than I'd let them cut off a leg.

[kiralon]

I generally go by that if there is something in the way then the effect can't happen, but it do allow some push, so if it was a loose chain it would get pushed aside, but not if attached to the body, so a sword in hand would get pushed out a bit but still be gripped. This prevents users from using things in ways they arent meant to, and you dont have to worry about what happens if a large portion of the body is covered by something and what happens when that things is moved from the body, does the field then automagically fill in, or questions like, im carrying a large solid but soft object that the field doesnt penetrate, does that change the AR or sdc, or even using tk forcefield to hold a sword so you cant get disarmed. To me its the same as casting wall of iron where a person is standing.

[ShadowLogan]

An object that can't fit in the FF I would have the FF form around it with a "hole" that the object is plugging. Someone could pull the "plug" out of the hole, but the hole will self-seal immediately if it can be pulled free completely (the hole can only shrink, it can't grow either so you couldn't pull a pocket watch free via its chain if the chain was partially out of the FF for some reason).

[Veknironth]

Well, here's another FF question. If you are aboard a ship, and you are forced to walk the plank or you simply jump overboard for some reason can you create the FF in midair? If you did, would it fall into the water, and if it did, would it float?

-Vek
"Or, would it remain stuck in midiar?"

[kiralon]

It would remain stuck in the air
Yes you can capture people with them and probably suffocate them, especially at higher level.
I would encourage people to not take the power. The imbalance of what can deal with it would not be healthy for the party.

I keep thinking its the second ed version of first ed's basic forcefield, which is telekinetic armour.

[Marcethus]

Iirc doesn't TKFF specifically state that magical effects originate on the other side are stopped cold by the FF, this may not apply to all FF but it does apply to TKFF and magical forcefields.

If an AOE's effect crosses the forcefield's line of effect it stops at the FF.

For the pillar of fire example: No, you can't create a pillar on the otherside of a FF, it would erupt in front of the field on the caster of the pillar caster's side of the field.