This ring automatically activates on any fall of greater than 5 feet, whether the wearer wants it to or not. The faller will then float downwards at a rate of 10 feet per round (1 foot a second) until he lands on a solid surface, catches a protruding handhold or removes the ring.
For example, if a thief forgets he is a wearing the ring as he jumps down from a 10 foot wall, confident that his skill with Acrobatics will provide him with a safe landing, his ring will activate and, after 5 feet, he will slow abruptly and float down the rest of the way over the course of 5 seconds.
Similarly, if someone who is falling down a cliff sees a branch sticking out and grabs at it, the ring will deactivate and he will fall again, potentially losing his grip on the handhold. Of course, 5 feet later, the ring will activate again. |