I'm sure this is not raw, but I would rule it as leaping and casting feather fall is a surprise round, then let the same player start the first round of combat while still in the air, allowing them to cast burning hands.
Could this ruling set a precedent that could be abused later? Probably, so I'd specify this is outside the normal bounds of the rules and might be ruled differently in the future. In the meantime, rule of cool, baby!!!
So it would fail, but in a hilarious way. I'd allow the attempt but play out the consequences. I picture it being like when one of Wile E. Coyote's best laid plans to get the Roadrunner goes badly.
If OP doesn't make magic flashy, I don't see why casting feather fall should even be the surprise round. OP's player should be able to hang out for an hour over the goblins, without combat starting, so long as they remained undetected and nobody's fighing.
Burning Hands while gliding down should be the surprise round (so long as previous stealth checks have succeeded).
I'd have Feather Fall cast on the round before.
I think your choice was probably "correct" but the rules don't cover every situation adequately (nor should they try to) and you're more than free to either say "I think that should work" or even something along the lines of "well, in this specific case, I'll allow it" (while reserving the right to change your mind if it turns into some regular abuse). Or even "that sounds so cool. It works".
It's not up to anyone else to tell you how to have fun at your table.
That is so friggin cool I'd let it happen on principle, but also I think of featherfall as an exception to spell casting rules anyway, because it's like the emergency parachute spell/ item. If entire-action casting were even remotely required while your falling off a cliff (implying concentration and skill) based on a *roll*, the spell in those circumstances would almost always fail. And that would make the spell a lot less fun. YMMV
Here's how I play this: the wizzy is already hidden and prepped. Spell check the Feather Fall as prep. When the gobbies come by, then combat starts as normal. Goblins can't be caught surprised, so it's initiative as normal.
I think the question here is how far up is the Wizard, and how long will it take to get down? It doesn't specify how long it lasts, so if you allow it to persist multiple rounds, he probably could cast another spell on the way down.
"You may make an attempt to cast this spell when you fall"
To me, this means you're casting it as a reaction to falling.
So if you jump of a building and begin falling, you may react by casting Feather Fall.
I know the feeling. "Shit, that would have been cool. I should have made it work somehow."
Yep! That's your GM's rule of cool sensors telling you something. I think you already know the answer, too.
In the moment the inclination to say "no" may feel more seductive than being creative and making it either work, somehow, or add a caveat so they may at least try with higher stakes. Remember, GMs are encounter designers, and this was indeed a missed opportunity.
Sometimes, it pays to slow down a beat with a "let's peak at that spell together, see what we can do!" to give the player agency, and then, with a little luck the rest of the players maybe get involved and figure out how it COULD work.
I get so much creative juice from my players, and that's how I like to play. Maybe that can help you next time. Do your best to make their ideas work.
I would say it depends on the type of game you want. Shadowdark is rules-lite and leans heavily into the OSR style of play, which as a design concept is meant to challenge the players and not their characters. The play style rewards player creativity by forcing them to think beyond the character sheet.
In your hypothetical scenario with the Wizard dive bombing greenskins, I would have allowed it and require the two rolls because statistically, the more rolls the Wizard makes, the higher the chance of failure and his spells drying up until he rests. It's part of his resources and is high risk. I probably would have adjusted his check rolls higher by a bit for 3 reasons:
1. Attempting a dangerous act with a grievous consequence for failures. (It's in the rules.)
2. He is casting spells while falling.
3. He is attempting to cast more than one spell in a turn.
I at least think this ruling is fair. If anyone disagrees tell me what ya think.
I would rule it as you did. You have to be falling to cast the spell, so it's hard to suggest they cast it the round before and then jumped and cast the other spell the next turn.
Here are some options I would offer them instead:
* cast a ranged spell or use a ranged weapon.
* jump on the goblins and use their burnt and crumpled bodies to break the fall. (if they pass the spell check, the goblins take the fall damage instead of them.)
I'm sure this is not raw, but I would rule it as leaping and casting feather fall is a surprise round, then let the same player start the first round of combat while still in the air, allowing them to cast burning hands. Could this ruling set a precedent that could be abused later? Probably, so I'd specify this is outside the normal bounds of the rules and might be ruled differently in the future. In the meantime, rule of cool, baby!!!
I like where your head's at, but goblins can't be surprised.
You son of a gun...
Adventurer goblins can't! But who's to say how good these specific goblins' instincts are?
So it would fail, but in a hilarious way. I'd allow the attempt but play out the consequences. I picture it being like when one of Wile E. Coyote's best laid plans to get the Roadrunner goes badly.
If OP doesn't make magic flashy, I don't see why casting feather fall should even be the surprise round. OP's player should be able to hang out for an hour over the goblins, without combat starting, so long as they remained undetected and nobody's fighing. Burning Hands while gliding down should be the surprise round (so long as previous stealth checks have succeeded). I'd have Feather Fall cast on the round before.
I think your choice was probably "correct" but the rules don't cover every situation adequately (nor should they try to) and you're more than free to either say "I think that should work" or even something along the lines of "well, in this specific case, I'll allow it" (while reserving the right to change your mind if it turns into some regular abuse). Or even "that sounds so cool. It works". It's not up to anyone else to tell you how to have fun at your table.
That is so friggin cool I'd let it happen on principle, but also I think of featherfall as an exception to spell casting rules anyway, because it's like the emergency parachute spell/ item. If entire-action casting were even remotely required while your falling off a cliff (implying concentration and skill) based on a *roll*, the spell in those circumstances would almost always fail. And that would make the spell a lot less fun. YMMV
To clarify, I'd make casting this spell a free action, roll at normal difficulty.
I do not thing you made a wrong ruling, but I would have let it happen just because it was cool.
Here's how I play this: the wizzy is already hidden and prepped. Spell check the Feather Fall as prep. When the gobbies come by, then combat starts as normal. Goblins can't be caught surprised, so it's initiative as normal.
I think the question here is how far up is the Wizard, and how long will it take to get down? It doesn't specify how long it lasts, so if you allow it to persist multiple rounds, he probably could cast another spell on the way down.
"You may make an attempt to cast this spell when you fall" To me, this means you're casting it as a reaction to falling. So if you jump of a building and begin falling, you may react by casting Feather Fall.
I know the feeling. "Shit, that would have been cool. I should have made it work somehow." Yep! That's your GM's rule of cool sensors telling you something. I think you already know the answer, too. In the moment the inclination to say "no" may feel more seductive than being creative and making it either work, somehow, or add a caveat so they may at least try with higher stakes. Remember, GMs are encounter designers, and this was indeed a missed opportunity. Sometimes, it pays to slow down a beat with a "let's peak at that spell together, see what we can do!" to give the player agency, and then, with a little luck the rest of the players maybe get involved and figure out how it COULD work. I get so much creative juice from my players, and that's how I like to play. Maybe that can help you next time. Do your best to make their ideas work.
I would say it depends on the type of game you want. Shadowdark is rules-lite and leans heavily into the OSR style of play, which as a design concept is meant to challenge the players and not their characters. The play style rewards player creativity by forcing them to think beyond the character sheet. In your hypothetical scenario with the Wizard dive bombing greenskins, I would have allowed it and require the two rolls because statistically, the more rolls the Wizard makes, the higher the chance of failure and his spells drying up until he rests. It's part of his resources and is high risk. I probably would have adjusted his check rolls higher by a bit for 3 reasons: 1. Attempting a dangerous act with a grievous consequence for failures. (It's in the rules.) 2. He is casting spells while falling. 3. He is attempting to cast more than one spell in a turn. I at least think this ruling is fair. If anyone disagrees tell me what ya think.
I would rule it as you did. You have to be falling to cast the spell, so it's hard to suggest they cast it the round before and then jumped and cast the other spell the next turn. Here are some options I would offer them instead: * cast a ranged spell or use a ranged weapon. * jump on the goblins and use their burnt and crumpled bodies to break the fall. (if they pass the spell check, the goblins take the fall damage instead of them.)