Ghost Step and falling

[Zombimode]

So here's the situation:

A Ninja activates his Ghost Step ability to become etheral, moves his speed in a vertical direction, slashes a flying enemy with his Ghost Touch weapon (dealing sudden strike damage) and ends his turn. Ghost Step has a duration of 1 round, so the Ninja stays etheral until the start of his next turn.

But what happens on his next turn? Does he immediately fall to the ground?
Or could he say "wait, I may become visible for the blink of an eye, but I will use Ghost Step immediately to become etheral again, so I will just fall for some very small amount of time"?

[limejuicepowder]

I'm pretty sure by RAW that he falls immediately, but I'm not positive about that. Also consider though that feather fall is a swift action, and it's clearly intended to be used as the character is falling. So maybe I'm wrong.

[ArcturusV]

More or less as it's written, it all depends on how viscous your local DM is. Ghost Step being a swift action, there is basis for it on the Feather Fall example. But there's nothing that actually states that Ghost Step can interrupt a fall or the like, where as Feather Fall itself explicitly states that is the case.

[Cog]

Also consider though that feather fall is a swift action, and it's clearly intended to be used as the character is falling.
You probably should not consider that, as Feather Fall is an immediate action, not a swift one, and can therefore be used in response to another event. RAW, the Ninja does fall, but I don't think it would be inappropriate for the DM to allow this to work.

[Story]

Technically Feather Fall is an immediate action.

[The Random NPC]

If I remember correctly, falling uses up your actions similar to a double move.

[Psyren]

How are you slashing anyone? Ghost Touch weapons don't work while ethereal, only while incorporeal. They aren't the same thing. For instance, for a Ghost to use a Ghost Touch weapon, they have to manifest first. Ninjas using Ghost Step have no ability to manifest.


An ethereal creature can’t affect the Material Plane, not even magically.

[Zombimode]

How are you slashing anyone? Ghost Touch weapons don't work while ethereal, only while incorporeal. They aren't the same thing. For instance, for a Ghost to use a Ghost Touch weapon, they have to manifest first. Ninjas using Ghost Step have no ability to manifest.

Hm. You're right. They are not the same thing.
Ah well, Ninjas can't have nice things :smallyuk:
Ok, Ghost Step is still a nice ability. Its just if this combo would work, it would be a VERY nice ability.

But anyway, thanks for clearing up my initial question :smallsmile:

[ericgrau]

By the time you get the ethereal version you can pick up some form of magic item flight anyway. Stick to bypassing walls and traps, I suppose. Could be nice for slashing incorporeal beings I suppose. Especially since they have low hp and rely on their miss chance. An incorporeal creature's hp is a good weakness to go after.

[Mato]

Ok, Ghost Step is still a nice ability. Its just if this combo would work, it would be a VERY nice ability.Ethereal Reaver (cpis) is a longsword whose blade exists in both planes at once, allowing an Ethereal creature to attack a Material one while maintaining every single bonus an Ethereal Creature has against someone on the Material Plane (you know, invisible, silent, immune to physical/mundane, 50% miss chance from everything but force).

Of course, interplanar play is an integral part of mid-to-high level D&D. So I recommend just living in the Ethereal Plane permanently.. Lots of spiffy bonuses, infinite duration 'ethereal jaunt', Ghosts can't even manifest to escape you, Astral Projected Wizards leave behind helpless strings to kill them with, you can live life like an interspace pirate aboard a 'flying' ship, and your encounter tables boil down to pirates, weather and large whales.

[andromax]

Ghost Strike (Su): At 8th level and higher, a ninja can spend one daily use of her ki power to strike incorporeal and ethereal creatures as if they were corporeal. She also can use this ability to strike foes on the Material Plane normally while ethereal (for example, while using her ghost step ability).


Its just if this combo would work, it would be a VERY nice ability. Something tells me you knew that but forgot :P

Yes it's not 'Ghost Touch' weapons which don't affect ethereal creature's it's your class feature which lets you do it.