Forums of the Megaverse®

Sorry if these are common questions, but the permeability of force fields popped up in a recent game session and we weren't sure.

Firstly is the force field only protecting things from getting in and not getting out, meaning someone inside the field can attack through it at an outside target or someone inside the field can run outside of it without an issue? If it's not one directional and is just a wall of force, does this mean I can trap someone(or objects, or fleeing animals, or anything else you can encase) inside a force field? Is the field tied to a location or to it's target, which is basically asking if it moves with you or is it fixed in one spot?

Secondly, how permeable is the field to liquids and gases? Or acids? Can water flood into a field or can it be used to keep you dry under water? Would acid splashed on the field even do anything or is there something for it to chemically react with in order to damage the field? Is the field airtight or is it permeable to gases like tear gas and such? Would a decent sized campfire inside of a force field eat up all of the oxygen so there's nothing left for those inside?

Thirdly I know a lot of this stuff is probably GM's call, but I'm curious what you'd say or what rules your group uses.

Unless the person creating the force field creates a sealed bubble, diseases, gasses, radiation will penetrate it. If you can fire out of it, it is not sealed.

MrTwist wrote:Sorry if these are common questions, but the permeability of force fields popped up in a recent game session and we weren't sure.

Firstly is the force field only protecting things from getting in and not getting out, meaning someone inside the field can attack through it at an outside target or someone inside the field can run outside of it without an issue?

No, it's not one-directional. It stops things from either side.

MrTwist wrote:If it's not one directional and is just a wall of force, does this mean I can trap someone(or objects, or fleeing animals, or anything else you can encase) inside a force field?

Yes. I require the character to make a roll to hit, and the target gets an opportunity to dodge if it is aware in some way of the impending attack.

MrTwist wrote:Is the field tied to a location or to it's target, which is basically asking if it moves with you or is it fixed in one spot?

Either, it's the choice of the player when they make the field. I use the guidelines of Flying Force Disk when it comes to the "strength" of the force field to resist being moved.

MrTwist wrote:Secondly, how permeable is the field to liquids and gases?

It is not permeable, but unless it is a sealed bubble then gasses or liquids can seep in through cracks and seams.

MrTwist wrote:Or acids?

Acids are a liquid, see above.

MrTwist wrote:Can water flood into a field or can it be used to keep you dry under water?

Only the bubble is airtight and would keep one dry.

MrTwist wrote:Would acid splashed on the field even do anything or is there something for it to chemically react with in order to damage the field?

I have acid do its listed damage to force fields. Otherwise we get too bogged down in science and physics and I don't have any fun anymore because it all falls apart under scrutiny.

MrTwist wrote:Is the field airtight or is it permeable to gases like tear gas and such?

See above.

MrTwist wrote:Would a decent sized campfire inside of a force field eat up all of the oxygen so there's nothing left for those inside?

Only the bubble is airtight. So this would only work in the bubble.

MrTwist wrote:Thirdly I know a lot of this stuff is probably GM's call, but I'm curious what you'd say or what rules your group uses.

All these answers are my G.M. call, unless they match up with what the book specifically says.

It mainly depends on how the Player describes what their char does.

However, simply put, Where the created ForceField is impermeable to everything. Except for non-damaging light.

Can a FF parry a splash of liquide….yes. does it stop from getting wet if thrown in the ocean.. no.

Just out of curiosity, how can a force field have cracks and seams? It's a force field not a material object it shouldn't have cracks or seams.

Nightmask wrote:Just out of curiosity, how can a force field have cracks and seams? It's a force field not a material object it shouldn't have cracks or seams.

They are not so much as cracks or seams as they are deliberate openings like grills, vents or ports. think of force fields as solid energy that can be shaped however the creator wants it. It can be as flexible as latex rubber, or as rigid steel. But unless you have an opening for air to pass through you are going to have heat, moisture, and CO2 build up inside. This is especially true for the body field.

SpiritInterface wrote:

Nightmask wrote:Just out of curiosity, how can a force field have cracks and seams? It's a force field not a material object it shouldn't have cracks or seams.

They are not so much as cracks or seams as they are deliberate openings like grills, vents or ports. think of force fields as solid energy that can be shaped however the creator wants it. It can be as flexible as latex rubber, or as rigid steel. But unless you have an opening for air to pass through you are going to have heat, moisture, and CO2 build up inside. This is especially true for the body field.

If you look at the Body Field text inside the create FF major super power you will notice that it says that user is still vulnerable to Gas attacks (thus saying that the flexible FF is permeable), and that to block gas and rad. the FF needs to be in the bubble format (thus saying the stiff FF is impermeable if fully enclosing the subject).

In the Create FF objects power, in it's body field text it says that that there are unseen holes in the body field that makes the creator vulnerable to gas attacks.

Nightmask wrote:Just out of curiosity, how can a force field have cracks and seams? It's a force field not a material object it shouldn't have cracks or seams.

Only the bubble keeps out gasses. When you make a box or a cylinder or a dome or a pyramid or a dodecahedron feel free to explain that limitation in your own way. I say cracks and seams because that's how I've chosen to visualize that limitation. If someone presents a better reason I open to it.

Glistam wrote:

Nightmask wrote:Just out of curiosity, how can a force field have cracks and seams? It's a force field not a material object it shouldn't have cracks or seams.

Only the bubble keeps out gasses. When you make a box or a cylinder or a dome or a pyramid or a dodecahedron feel free to explain that limitation in your own way. I say cracks and seams because that's how I've chosen to visualize that limitation. If someone presents a better reason I open to it.

The word bubble's primary meaning is that it is fully enclosed, not it's shape. Which gets back to what I said about it depends on how the player describes the FF her/his char is making.

Example #1: "I make a square bubble around me and the rest of my party"

Example #2: "I make a cone bubble around me and my party with the bottle going three feet down as to anchor the FF so it all does not float away when that flash flood gets here."

Example #3: " make a cylindrical bubble around the people in the stream-bed so they will be carried out out of the fight when the flooding water rages through here."

Glistam wrote:

Nightmask wrote:Just out of curiosity, how can a force field have cracks and seams? It's a force field not a material object it shouldn't have cracks or seams.

Only the bubble keeps out gasses. When you make a box or a cylinder or a dome or a pyramid or a dodecahedron feel free to explain that limitation in your own way. I say cracks and seams because that's how I've chosen to visualize that limitation. If someone presents a better reason I open to it.

Yeah still not seeing why it'd have cracks or seams no matter how it was configured because it's not someone assembling an object it's a field of pure energy there's no logical reason for it to have such imperfections.

Nightmask wrote:

Glistam wrote:

Nightmask wrote:Just out of curiosity, how can a force field have cracks and seams? It's a force field not a material object it shouldn't have cracks or seams.

Only the bubble keeps out gasses. When you make a box or a cylinder or a dome or a pyramid or a dodecahedron feel free to explain that limitation in your own way. I say cracks and seams because that's how I've chosen to visualize that limitation. If someone presents a better reason I open to it.

Yeah still not seeing why it'd have cracks or seams no matter how it was configured because it's not someone assembling an object it's a field of pure energy there's no logical reason for it to have such imperfections.

Well there could be "cracks" and "seams" with regard to the Force Field and where it meets objects in the external environment.

Ex: uneven ground may, at the GM's discretion, not create as tight a "seal" as on level ground unless the character says they are compensating for the uneven ground.

ShadowLogan wrote:

Nightmask wrote:

Glistam wrote:

Nightmask wrote:Just out of curiosity, how can a force field have cracks and seams? It's a force field not a material object it shouldn't have cracks or seams.

Only the bubble keeps out gasses. When you make a box or a cylinder or a dome or a pyramid or a dodecahedron feel free to explain that limitation in your own way. I say cracks and seams because that's how I've chosen to visualize that limitation. If someone presents a better reason I open to it.

Yeah still not seeing why it'd have cracks or seams no matter how it was configured because it's not someone assembling an object it's a field of pure energy there's no logical reason for it to have such imperfections.

Well there could be "cracks" and "seams" with regard to the Force Field and where it meets objects in the external environment.

Ex: uneven ground may, at the GM's discretion, not create as tight a "seal" as on level ground unless the character says they are compensating for the uneven ground.

That at least makes sense, the FF isn't perfectly sealed because it can't properly join with the material objects like the ground.

Nightmask wrote:

Glistam wrote:

Nightmask wrote:Just out of curiosity, how can a force field have cracks and seams? It's a force field not a material object it shouldn't have cracks or seams.

Only the bubble keeps out gasses. When you make a box or a cylinder or a dome or a pyramid or a dodecahedron feel free to explain that limitation in your own way. I say cracks and seams because that's how I've chosen to visualize that limitation. If someone presents a better reason I open to it.

Yeah still not seeing why it'd have cracks or seams no matter how it was configured because it's not someone assembling an object it's a field of pure energy there's no logical reason for it to have such imperfections.

You've made an assumption with how the power works which is not supported in the power description. That's okay, this this topic is about house rules, and I'm not going to tell you mine are better than yours. But I can recognize that the way you have envisioned the limitedly described Create Force Field power is different from how I have envisioned it and agree to disagree.

I have had force field bubbles close around characters completely, as in through the ground below them as well as on top. Burning things will use up oxygen in a sealed force field. A partial wall force field, such as one only protecting from one side, is not a sealed force field so gas and fluid would flow around the force field to get at the character creating it.