Anti-Gravity spell concept.. Would this be how it would work?

[JesterOC]

So in Storm Front, Harry used wind to vault himself up to the 2nd (or 3rd) story of the house.  I was thinking of a earth spell variant that used the idea of lowered gravity to do the same.  Would that be done by just putting an aspect "Neutral Buoyancy" on the target?   

Name: Anti-Gravity
Power: 4 (3 for maneuver + 1 for extra exchange)
Duration: 2 Exchanges
Effect: Places "Neutral Buoyancy" on target.

So lets say a conflict arises on top of a building and I am on the ground floor, I would just cast this spell and move to the roof zone? (Normally I would have to enter the building on the lower level and move across several zones either as stairs or elevators.) Could invoke in on my next turn (lets say I powered it for 2 exchanges) to say that I was shooting from a direction that they where not expecting?

[Deadmanwalking]

Yeah, that looks fine. Depending on how your GM rules Evocation Maneuvers, you might even be able to make it Sticky instead of adding the extra Exchange.

[CMEast]

I think it depends on what the GM has set the border value between the ground and the roof. Certain distances or circumstances might take more power. If it's just a one or two story building I'd say the standard manoeuvre cost would be fine though. Yeah, as DMW says .

[Da_Gut]

Well that would be an earth spell, so it seems easier to me just to make the ground "hump up" and throw you into the air, to land where you need to go. All Neutral buoyancy will get you is similar to spider climb. Safer, but slower.

[CMEast]

Or gravity reverses and he launches up in to the air before gently landing at moon-level gravity where he needs to go. But that would be fun too

[Ophidimancer]

As with any kind of magic, there are multiple ways to go about it:

You could use a maneuver to apply an Aspect of weightlessness to yourself and then tag it to scale the wall.  This may take more than one action, but it's relatively safe since you can catch yourself if the spell gives out.

You could use a quick burst of anti-gravity to boost or throw you up to the roof.  This would be quicker but potentially more dangerous, as Harry notes in the comment on YS251.

[JesterOC]

I was thinking since earth controls gravity, make it so I am weightless. Then I crouch down, cast the spell and jump up and glide to my destination using subtle changes in gravity to help me land where I want.

Or jump off a building and kick the spell within the first 3-4 feet of the fall. Or cast it on furniture and be able to clean the carpet real well.

[Ophidimancer]

I was thinking since earth controls gravity, make it so I am weightless. Then I crouch down, cast the spell and jump up and glide to my destination using subtle changes in gravity to help me land where I want.

According to Harry, Evocations are simple and unidirectional.  "Subtle changes in gravity to help me land where I want" sounds maybe a bit too complex for evocation.  Of course, that may just be Harry's bias, him being a "magical thug" and all.  It might be worth noting that transportation effects mostly were under Thaumaturgy (and Potions) in the book.

[JesterOC]

I figure because the aspect could be used against me ( Batter Up! Slow ball coming in!) it would not hurt much to allow the extra little bit of control at the end of the action.

Edit:
Now that I think of it. Just because it can be used against me, does not allow it to break the rules of magic. Doing so is a slippery slope and ruins the fun. So disregard that last bit there.

[Ophidimancer]

I figure because the aspect could be used against me ( Batter Up! Slow ball coming in!) it would not hurt much to allow the extra little bit of control at the end of the action.

Hmm ... here's how I think that should work, if you're doing it with Evocation.  Summon enough shifts to do both a) apply the Neutral Buoyancy Aspect AND b) boost you up to the roof.  Then you get bounced up to the roof and you can tag the aspect to float down to the rooftop.

[Ophidimancer]

You'd need 3 shifts for the Aspect since you only need it to last long enough for the landing (unless you want to be extra safe in case you miss the roof) and then you'd need just enough shifts on the jump part of the spell to overcome the Border rating of the wall.

[JesterOC]

So are you saying It would be power 6 total. 3 for the maneuver and 3 shifts to get me up and over the border? 

I have not read border rules, what is the normal difficulty for something like this?

[Deadmanwalking]

You'd need 3 shifts for the Aspect since you only need it to last long enough for the landing (unless you want to be extra safe in case you miss the roof) and then you'd need just enough shifts on the jump part of the spell to overcome the Border rating of the wall.

Huh? I was assuming that you use the Spell to give you the Aspect, then use a normal Athletics roll (on which you Tag said Aspect) to actually jump. You only need the second part of that if you aren't doing it that way.

[JesterOC]

..I was assuming that you use the Spell to give you the Aspect, then use a normal Athletics roll (on which you Tag said Aspect) to actually jump..

I think this is where the mechanics of aspects overlap with the narrative.  If the building is one story high, it should have a border of about +3. If the PC has an athletics of + 1, then even with the +2 from  tagging the aspect there is only a 50% chance to onto the roof. (Ok less than 50% but higher than I think would be likely)

However from a narrative point of view, it is hard to imagine someone with no gravity holding him down could not make it up to the top of the building. The lack of gravity is a game changer and should trump the border difficulty because walls are only difficult to cross because of gravity.

I personally think aspects that nullify the inherent rules of the difficulty should be not be rolled for. On the other hand a completely different challenge could enter the picture. For instance if it was really windy, the PC would have to struggle to not get blown downwind.

JesterOC

[JesterOC]

Another way to "pay" for such power is have the PC invoke the aspect for Effect. And the effect being his success.

JesterOC