Can you teleport if you don't know where you are?

[TheDorkShadow]

Hey everyone. I've been reading and using these boards for years and years and years, and I've finally hit a brick wall on a rule that I can't find an answer to.

3.5 Teleport has a maximum range (100 miles per caster level); what if PC's are trying to get home (very familiar), but they can't determine where they are to begin with? (They don't know if home is within the caster's range for the spell.)

Is there a ruling on this somewhere that I can't find (please don't be obvious, I've had a long week and would rather not feel foolish, even in front of anonymous strangers), or is this a good place to House Rule something interesting?

If someone knows of a thread on this and I can't find that either, I'd be more than happy to be linked there.

Thanks so much in advance.

[tyckspoon]

I think that would qualify for the 'False Destination' part of the Teleport chart - the place you're trying to get to can't be found within the range of your Teleport spell, although it happens to be because it's out of reach rather than because the destination as you know it doesn't exist. The spell would land them in the nearest place that was an acceptably close match to the spot they wanted to go to.

I'd be surprised if a group that has access to Teleport doesn't have some way to figure out approximately where they are, tho, even if it's just as rough as 'according to the stars in this area we must be in this world's southern hemisphere.'

[TheDorkShadow]

For context, they are out in the middle of nowhere (the ass end of the High Ice in Faerun, and I hope none of them find this thread), and didn't come prepared to have to Teleport home. They are within range, but they don't know that. And I gave them the "where are we according to the stars" roll, but they didn't pass.

Using the False Destination and getting them somewhere similar (a different city as like their own as possible) would work, and with the right amount of messing-with.

Thanks.



I think that would qualify for the 'False Destination' part of the Teleport chart - the place you're trying to get to can't be found within the range of your Teleport spell, although it happens to be because it's out of reach rather than because the destination as you know it doesn't exist. The spell would land them in the nearest place that was an acceptably close match to the spot they wanted to go to.

I'd be surprised if a group that has access to Teleport doesn't have some way to figure out approximately where they are, tho, even if it's just as rough as 'according to the stars in this area we must be in this world's southern hemisphere.'

[KillianHawkeye]

Knowing where you are is not relevant to how the teleport spell works. That magic takes care of that part. You only need to know where you want to go.

If you are within range, then the spell should work as well as it normally would. If you are not within range, the spell probably just fails, but you can use the "false destination" line of the table if you want to make things interesting.

[Jeraa]

It doesn't matter where you are. You can always cast the spell. If you are in range, everything is fine. If you aren't in range, then the spell fails.

You can always cast the spell. But if one or more of the conditions can't be made to work, the spell automatically fails with no effect. From the Magic chapter, under Spell Failure:


Spell Failure
If you ever try to cast a spell in conditions where the characteristics of the spell cannot be made to conform, the casting fails and the spell is wasted.

[Krobar]

Yes. Whether you know your current location or not doesn't matter. What matters is whether or not the destination is within range.

[tstewt1921]

I think even though they don't know where they are they know where they are going, as long as it's within their range to teleport to then I would allow the teleport, if it's out of the range, then the spell fizzles and wastes a spell slot for the day.

[Deophaun]

You always know where you are. It's the rest of the world that's lost.

[TheDorkShadow]

There it is. Thanks!



It doesn't matter where you are. You can always cast the spell. If you are in range, everything is fine. If you aren't in range, then the spell fails.

You can always cast the spell. But if one or more of the conditions can't be made to work, the spell automatically fails with no effect. From the Magic chapter, under Spell Failure: