because i love revelling in the chaos,here's another question: if the disk must remain at least 3 feet from the ground,what happens when you're over water?does it count against the surface of the liquid or the floor at the bottom? my vote is that you can't use it to cross water,otherwise it would completly make Water Walk spells superfluous.if it stayed up on the surface of the water,what would happen when you wanted to dive down,would it suddenly just follow you under,realize the bottom of the lake is 100 feet underneath it,and wink out because of that?the way i see it,it should be above stable ground,any takers on that suggestion?
If, and I repeat, IF, it is decided that the caster CAN ride his own disk (a clear change from 1E, which is fine) then it should be clarified what happens when the disk moves over water or some other surface that could not otherwise bear the weight sitting on the disk. If the disk moves over a surface that would be otherwise unable to support the carried weight, the disk sinks until it comes within 3' of a surface which CAN support that weight.
Well, it looks like the sitting on the floating disk is okay, according to the spell description, though moving would require clever external means.
Only thing now what Jason needs to do is to clarify what ground actually means.
There is no missing connection here: The floating disc can move as fast as the caster can. Say so in the spell discription, therefore it's move speed is set by the caster.
If you read the whole spell description you will see it can only follow the caster to move. Yes the speed the disc moves at is set by the caster's current speed but that doesn't allow the disc to do anything other than just follow.
From the spell "You create a slightly concave, circular plane of force that follows you about and carries loads for you."
If you wish to House-rule something different, then go ahead.
Yes, that's the "fluff" description of what the basic of the spell is, just as "A bank of fog billows out from the point you designate." is the "fluff" description of the following spell, Fog Cloud.
Read further down and it says " It floats along horizontally within spell range" and "If not otherwise directed, it maintains a constant interval of 5 feet between itself and you" meaning that if you direct it you can move it about within the spell range (Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)) from the caster. As the caster moves about he can direct it to move anywhere within this radius, centered on him, including moving along with him sitting on top of it.
If the spell isn't "given" any directions, then it defaults to following the caster at a 5 feet distance.
As eirip has pointed out with the FAQ, you cannot move your own disc if you are sitting on it.
Thanks to eirip for the clarification.
Now, define "ground"...
Ill put in my own vote for yes you can ride the disk and yes if you can find a way to make it move, it will go over water or similar surfaces.
A vision of Michael j.Fox on the hover board in back to the future 2 comes to mind:
Once propelled from a hard surface he could push off of, he hovered above the water, but the water it self was an insufficent surface to create locomotion in and of itself.
If lets say, the half orc with 20 strength gave you a wicked shove, you could scoot out over water (lava im goning to say the mere closeness of you to it ill still do damage however) or a similar surface.
But a hole or void, chasm whatever would not support you, BUT I would rule if the half orc hucked you fast/hard enough, small holes, the space a stair case takes up, whatever would be small enough so that you would skip over it.
How far could the half orc throw/push you? Pretty far really, considering anything on the disk, that does not exeed it's weight limit, is pretty much, weightless, so he could shove you pretty far.
As eirip has pointed out with the FAQ, you cannot move your own disc if you are sitting on it.Thanks to eirip for the clarification.
Now, define "ground"...
And I have pointed out how the FAQ is erroneous, just by giving clear cut examples from the spell description itself. As Krome pointed out earlier, some of the FAQ answers seem to be rather arbitrary and with no basis in the spell description at all.
Care to rebut my earlier rebuttals of the FAQ?If you can't come up with any reason other than "it says so in the FAQ," then we can't really discuss it any further.
Furthermore, why do people keep referring to 1E? Pathfinder is supposed to be grounded in 3E SRD and a lot of other spells have changed significantly since 1E.
Now, define "ground"...
The dictionary covers it pretty well, I don't think Jason needs to start defining commonly used words.
I would like to redact one of my earlier statements, saying that the text is fine as is.
I agree that there needs to be some clarification on whether "ground" and "surface" is meant to be the same (e.g. solid ground (stone, ice, glass, humongous fungus etc.)) or if in fact any surface is applicable (so to include water, lava, oil, rivers of snot etc.).
Personally I have no problem with changing the wording to "surface" throughout the spell description, so as to include not only solid ground.
And no, this won't invalidate spells like Water Walk, since you can do so much more with that spell (including running, charging etc. - also the buoyancy effect inherent in the spell).
With e.g. Water Walk you would be able to traverse the space between two ships at sea, while this wouldn't be a safe endeavour with Floating Disk if there's any kind of waves, since going over even a small swell could nullify the spell because of the "3 feet from the surface" constant.
Even a slightly turbulent river or ford could be "dangerous" to cross with a Floating Disk, while the still pool of acid would be no obstacle.
All I know is that now I want two teams of frost giants playing hockey with some poor 1st-level wizard... >;-D
Now, define "words"....Now, define "ground"...The dictionary covers it pretty well, I don't think Jason needs to start defining commonly used words.
Define "define" for me...
it depends on what your definition of "is" is.
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Well, it looks like the sitting on the floating disk is okay, according to the spell description, though moving would require clever external means.
Only thing now what Jason needs to do is to clarify what ground actually means.
Well thats right, if it is just ground then you cant use it on water if it is surface then you can.
"The disk floats approximately 3 feet above the ground at all times and remains level...The disk also winks out if you move beyond range or try to take the disk more than 3 feet away from the surface beneath it. When the disk winks out, whatever it was supporting falls to the surface beneath it. "
...(so to include water, lava, oil, rivers of snot etc.).....Great. Now Nick Logue is gonna start penning a horribly disgusting tale about a God's flu or some such....
Box text:
"Two immense cave openings suddenly loom before you, as the strange river upon which you've traveled upstream is split into two rivers, each one running out of its own cave opening. A fluctuating breeze escapes from each of the caves along with a strange gurgling sound."
I think now would be a good time for a PF rep to step in and clarify how they see the spell, after all, it's in their book!
Other than the "it-would-be-too-powerful-otherwise-for-a-spell-of-that-level", why would the floating disk NOT be able to support its caster?
I could understand the argument that the floating disk cannot propel itself but is rather tied to you by an invisible, intangible magic "rope", but logically, I still don't see why a caster couldn't climb on it, and find whatever ingenuous way to make it move. In the end, it is an inconvenient, grounded (at 3 feet), 1st level version of a levitate effect. Is it that big of a deal?
...According to this wording, you could make it come to you, and while we could argue that you can't make it come under you, I don't see why you couldn't climb onto it once it is in reach.
Push with your staff, like a poling a boat.
Good god, just let them ride their Floating Discs already.