Topic: RMU Teleport - how do you handle error

[Thot]

The rules for Teleport state that "in case of error, determine direction randomly". I always found it fun to use three dimensions for the error, but I wonder: How does everyone else handle this? Just horizontal deviation? Or can failing teleports also put you up or down up to 100 feet? If so, how do you handle it if someone ends up 50 meters deep in the rock below, or 80 meters above the surface?

[rdanhenry]

"It should be clear from the spell descriptions, but experience
with other game systems may lead to incorrect assumptions, so it
should be noted that it is not possible for teleport error to place
one inside a solid (or liquid, unless one has intended to teleport
into a liquid environment) object. The spell would then fail and
the teleporting individual(s) suffer stun (-50) as explained in the
description of Long Door I." -- note for Lofty Bridge and should be every other list with teleportation spells

[Thot]

"It should be clear from the spell descriptions, but experience
with other game systems may lead to incorrect assumptions, so it
should be noted that it is not possible for teleport error to place
one inside a solid (or liquid, unless one has intended to teleport
into a liquid environment) object. The spell would then fail and
the teleporting individual(s) suffer stun (-50) as explained in the
description of Long Door I." -- note for Lofty Bridge and should be every other list with teleportation spells

Yes, thank you, but how do you handle it?

[MisterK]

I've always thought that the penalties for teleport error were a bit tame - you obviously will not teleport into a hostile situation (both because of the risk of error and the disorientation effect upon arrival), so any error either means that you're OK nonetheless (teleport error does not end in a solid object and near your intended destination) or you're not teleported and are stunned, which means that the only case where it would be an issue is if you're in a hostile situation when trying to teleport away.

Still, my take on it is : in case of error, determine the error direction in a 3D space (so including up and down) and distance. If it ends in a solid object, then no TP occurs and the character is stunned. If it ends in a fluid (liquid or gas), then TP occurs and the character deals with the consequences.
I use basic three axes to determine error direction (1-4 is NESW, 5 is down, 6 is up), and d100 to determine error distance. However, if you want more variety, you can roll d100-50 (OE) for each axis, so you get a full 3D scatter.
The second thing is that each character teleported rolls the error direction and distance separately. This spices things up a bit.

Another option, that I've never used but could have, is to forego error computation as the rules suggest and instead determine place of arrival by similarity: they do not end up where they wanted to, but in a location that looks like it but is not it, and can be quite far away from their intended destination as long as it is in range. After all, error is determined by familiarity with the place, so it seems reasonable to infer that an actual teleport error would dump the characters in a different, yet similar place. In this case, I would scatter around the actual point of arrival (people would be scattered, but in a relatively short area around the point of arrival).

[rdanhenry]

Error only shows up when you're trying to go significant distances. You might well teleport into a hostile situation, possible even without failure, since you likely don't know what is going on at the location you are trying to reach.

And if you allow error in three dimensions, straight up is always going to be bad if you aren't flying to begin with... which is generally the best idea for teleporting anyway, though.

[jdale]

>they do not end up where they wanted to, but in a location that looks like it but is not it, and can be quite far away from their intended destination as long as it is in range

That's a fun take but I would let your players know if you are changing the rule here.

[netbat]

And if you allow error in three dimensions, straight up is always going to be bad if you aren't flying to begin with... which is generally the best idea for teleporting anyway, though.

Not always. You could always end up on a balcony/tree branch/ledge above the intended location, or in a pit/sewer/lower floor below it :-)

[MisterK]

Error only shows up when you're trying to go significant distances. You might well teleport into a hostile situation, possible even without failure, since you likely don't know what is going on at the location you are trying to reach.

And if you allow error in three dimensions, straight up is always going to be bad if you aren't flying to begin with... which is generally the best idea for teleporting anyway, though.

You might *end up* in a hostile situation, but I would argue that you wouldn't consciously teleport into one, given the disorientation effect and the miss risk. Except of course for military operations.

And yes, flight is a necessary precaution... as well as water breathing if you teleport anywhere near a deep enough body of water

[Thot]

[...] However, if you want more variety, you can roll d100-50 (OE) for each axis, so you get a full 3D scatter.
The second thing is that each character teleported rolls the error direction and distance separately. This spices things up a bit.

I like the idea to use coordinates for the deviation, so to speak! But I'd rather use 2D100-100, to have to full range of possible distance from the intendedd destination, even though that might lead to slightly higher distances in many cases.

Another option, that I've never used but could have, is to forego error computation as the rules suggest and instead determine place of arrival by similarity: they do not end up where they wanted to, but in a location that looks like it but is not it, and can be quite far away from their intended destination as long as it is in range. [...]

Pretty cool idea!