The RAW of arcane/psionic genesis and Gravity Traits

[Phelix-Mu]

Hi All,

I personally houserule genesis (both versions) to allow manipulation of the gravity trait of the demiplane created. I was wondering if RAW supports this or not; I've never really sat down and tried to mega-parse the RAW, since the only balance issue obviously apparent (magic and time, mainly) seem to be out of the question by the RAW.

What say you all? Is gravity among the features of the demilplane that are left up to the caster/manifester?

[Jeff the Green]

I think both versions would allow it. You can determine the environment as long as you can visualize it, and I can certainly visualize falling up, or not falling, or falling in a different direction depending on which way I wanted.

[Phelix-Mu]

I think both versions would allow it. You can determine the environment as long as you can visualize it, and I can certainly visualize falling up, or not falling, or falling in a different direction depending on which way I wanted.

This was my logic. In particular, there are certain landscapes that can only exist with unusual gravity, and if you can visualize one, then gravity seems to be part of what you have visualized. My favorite that I came up with was a series of concentric hollow spheres where gravity was directed toward the inner surface of the spheres. Very useful for optimizing available surface area as soon as possible.

[Vaz]

If you take RAW, Genesis doesn't allow the manipulation of time. By the time you are dealing with such vastly open worded amd poorly written spells, you should be deep within house rule territory and they should be no different.

[Phelix-Mu]

Indeed. I even have a bit of a problem with using arcane genesis in TO stuff, because it's in a chapter of the ELH detailing how a DM might give special rewards to epic characters. Thus suggesting its presence in the game is down to DM fiat, and thus unsuitable for TO projects.

[Vaz]

TO relies on the existence of such in setting - and even if it's not, a Wish can bring it in (for example, Wishing to become a native Scaled One of Toril, despite you possibly playing in Rokugan, say) - and that assumes a permissive DM. Considering that TO includes things like minor book dipping to achieve NI amounts of things, such as Psionic Body Outside Body/SLA Body Outside Body, or Cancer Mage, or whatever, TO is nearly defined as something which a DM would never really allow at a table without specifically designing for such (oddly enough this may even include well built wizards/druids/clerics etc depending on the quality of a DM). If we get past that stumbling block, then that pretty much just assumes that the DM will agree with what is available by and large within the rules (nearly to the scale of "it doesn't say I can't") - which can come from things like chaining ACF's (a common one I see is Ranger Wildshape into Shapeshifter), or ignoring fluff prerequisites (Dragonborn's fluff prerequisite to dedicate oneself to the destruction of Tiamat's plots frequently being such a case, when we get such abominations as Dragonborn (Spent) Vecna-blooded Mineral Warrior Lolth Touched Water Orcs etc).

In short, TO is open season for the rules, where any sort of cursory glance through the RAW, fluff, or as a last line of defence, a DM saying "get wrecked" will shoot down an idea, ranging from the RAW legal dread blossom swarm barbarian, to the 1st level caster capable of casting 9th level spells, all the way up to pun-pun.