Entangle 2: the next generation

[dsatow]

OK, if an entangle is Area of Effect and takes no damage with a character moving through it, does the character take the damage?

 

The question is comes from If Spiderman sprays a web across two buildings to catch himself and other falling people, wouldn't they take damage from an uncontrolled move through on the entangle or barrier?

[Steve Long]

Re: Entangle 2: the next generation

 

Let’s take a step back from this question to a broader one, since I think your question is founded on an assumption that’s not necessarily accurate, or at the very least needs to be discussed first.

 

That question is: If a character buys Entangle with Area Of Effect, and the Entangle has a physical special effect (such as a big net, a huge block of ice, or a field of goop from a glue grenade), does the physical material of the Entangle fill the entire Area? If so, what’s the effect of another character moving into or through that Area?

 

The answer, of course, depends on special effects and thus is up to the GM, but as a default, the rule is this: yes, the physical material of the Entangle fills the entire Area. But unless the Entangle is Constant, it has no effect on characters moving into or through that Area. It doesn’t Entangle them, impede their movement, or the like. If it did, it would essentially re-introduce the “Entangle can create a barrier” rule from previous editions, and that rule was deliberately removed for good reason.

 

Thus, the answer to your question is yes, the Entangled character would take damage from the Move Through you describe. The Entangle doesn’t stop the attacker from moving through the affected Area, and since the Entangle has Takes No Damage From Attack, it doesn’t “shield” the Entangled character in any way.

 

In terms of your example -- I would argue that you're defining it incorrectly. What Spider-Man's doing in that case isn't creating a horizontal Barrier to catch falling people. You could define it that way, sure, but then the falling people could get hurt. I'd define it in some way that avoids that outcome, probably something like Telekinesis, Area Of Effect, Only To Catch Falling People/Objects. I'm sure if you post on the Discussion board you'll get lots of ideas for how to work that particular stunt.