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Question is in the title. That's all.
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It states it follows you, so that would be a no.
Many years ago (2d ed) our party was in a big fight with some Draconians, and we had slain a group of them that become entangling slime when they die. Our swashbuckling Fighter/Wizard cast a Tenser's Floating Disk and then 'surfed' it across the puddle. It was so dang cool we didn't even look up the rules ;)
So, in memory of that alone, I would say Go for it! :D
GNOME
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However Forgotten Realms' Drow Matrons are using their floating disks SLA to sit on and move effortlessly.
furthermore, quoted srd says:
If not otherwise directed, it maintains a constant interval of 5 feet between itself and you.so RAW it's ok ..
No.
I'm a big fan of creative uses of spells, but this is first level magic. It can't let you hover off of the ground any more than feather fall can. It can't let you fly fly any more than mount can. Levitate is a second level spell, fly is a third level spell, phantom steed is a third level spell.
You are an intelligent person (you game, after all), so you should be able to tell that using Floating Disk to duplicate the effects of a third-level spell (fly, phantom steed, etc) is definitely not intended and thus potentially game-breaking.
The "unless directed otherwise" means that you can "issue command" (standard action) to have it follow at a different distance or different height, or stop, or move in a different direction, or what have you.
It's a first level spell; think about it logically, remember that its magic, remember that is a game that has to be fair and balanced, and make a judgment call.
As for your "offical" example that justifies saying "its RAW so its ok", let's see...
Firstly, it's from a NOVEL. Novels are not RAW, novels are novels. Writers for D&D (and pathfinder and shadowrun and world of darkness and ...), assuming they've had the time to read, much less memorize, the entirety of every single rulebook, are still going to have to break those rules to tell the story. They aren't writing about the game, they are writing their own story which is nominally set in the same world that the game represents.
It's not RAW any more than the short stories that open chapters are RAW, or any more than the entertaining illustrations on the pages are RAW. They are set in the Pathfinder "universe", and thus are more or less "official", but that's not the same thing.
Secondly, the novel you are referring to (Salvatore's Origin of Drizzt trilogy is the oldest work I've seen this effect in), was written when 2nd edition was out, so even if it was by the rules then, that doesn't mean it works now. Any fiction written after this point is "acknowledging the previous works", thus making it "official" but not "RAW" (see above).
Yes, it's complicated. Lots of stuff about the Drow are, from their magic items suddenly not working (yes, Liriel, I know, but most people don't) to the retroactive "levitation is proof of our betterness because of house insignia, not natural blood power". They are trying to maintain a 30 year old world with, at this point, maybe a thousand official writers and tens of thousands of official stories. There are going to be plot holes. Picking them apart is fun; assuming the rules actually work that way is game-breaking.
Thirdly, Drow Priestess. Riding an arcane spell. Never going to happen. They wouldn't let a male have that kind of power over them, they wouldn't use arcane magic instead of Lolth's, etc. So, even ignoring the above two points, it's a rather big stretch to assume they are riding Tensers floating disk.
Finally, this particular big mess has been "patched", though it's unreasonable to expect you to know. In one of the 3rd edition Forgotten Realms rulebooks, there's a magic item that's basically this object, and it costs around 50,000 gold (or maybe 120,000, don't remember exactly, but it's one of those). Definitely not first-level magic.
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If not otherwise directed, it maintains a constant interval of 5 feet between itself and you.
I'm actually going to disagree here.
That quoted line above say to me that you can stand on it and "otherwise direct it".
you mention its a first level spell and compare it to feather fall and levitate but you have to remember that there are limits on this as well; it stays off the ground by 3 feet and has a movement speed walking. Feather fall will stop you from killing yourself when you drop, levitate allows you to go up and down and fly is..well fly. A slow moving floating disk that hovers 3 foot of the ground wont help you cross a chasm. It specifically states "above ground" so no crossing the water. Its well withing the perview of a 2st level spell. At 1st level it wont even carry a person (well a 98lb weaking maybe)
When reffing and in our groups we say it can be used as transport, slow but fly looking
I pretty clearly states that it can be directed. And as Evilref has pointed out, it cannot really be abused.
So go for it, it won't harm anything, and can be cool for some characters.
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I had a 3.5 Forgotten Realms Calishite Wizard who used to sleep on his floating disk rather then sleep on the ground. He would just order it to stop and then lay down on it. (As a Fire Genasi with all the feats to ignore natural fire damage, he would also dig out a fire pit and light a camp fire under his disk to keep nice and warm all night in that damned cold North up by Waterdeep..)
I see no problems with allowing the caster to sit on it, but then it cannot follow them for movement, since it is stated in the spell that you can have it stop, or follow you around at some variable distance (no minimum and a max of 25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels).
I see no problems with allowing the caster to sit on it, but then it cannot follow them for movement, since it is stated in the spell that you can have it stop, or follow you around at some variable distance (no minimum and a max of 25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels).
+1
If you ride your disk off a cliff what happens? Does it stop falling three feet from the ground? Could you cross water that wasn't more than three feet deep? Could you hide under it to protect yourself from falling objects?
If you ride off a cliff, then the disk ceases to exist, and you are free to fall to the ground.
The disk winks out of existence when the spell duration expires. The disk also winks out if you move beyond its 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.I'd allow it to pass 3 ft of water, it is after all a Floating Disk.
You have to be smaller than 3 ft to stand beneath it. Even then, there is nothing that indicates that it will be fixed in place, so it might reasonable be smashed against you.
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The spell is identical word for word between 3.5 and PF. In 3.5, they answered this question in a FAQ.
Can you ride your own Tenser’s floating disk?
No. While you could command your Tenser’s floating disk to move close enough for you to sit upon it, it has no ability to move under its own power. It can follow you only at a maximum rate equal to your normal speed.
One could claim that 3.5 and PF are different and therefore no 3.5 rulings should ever be considered. I would disagree with that logic since PF is a derivative of 3.5 and this is completely unchanged between the versions. No need to reinvent the wheel here.
The spell is identical word for word between 3.5 and PF. In 3.5, they answered this question in a FAQ.
Can you ride your own Tenser’s floating disk?
No. While you could command your Tenser’s floating disk to move close enough for you to sit upon it, it has no ability to move under its own power. It can follow you only at a maximum rate equal to your normal speed.One could claim that 3.5 and PF are different and therefore no 3.5 rulings should ever be considered. I would disagree with that logic since PF is a derivative of 3.5 and this is completely unchanged between the versions. No need to reinvent the wheel here.
Yep,
You could, however, let someone else ride on it, if they were not too heavy for it.Four people with wands of floating disks (assuming it's wandable, haven't looked it up) could double their daily movement rates by two walking and two sleeping on the disks, then reversing, but it's really more of a hypothetically thing than anything else. Kind of like putting Keen Holy and Merciful on a +1 sap. Yes you can do it, but who would bother.
Edit : A wizard with a flying familiar could cast it through the familar, ride on it, then cast it again, and let a friend ride on the second one, and a third time to let another friend ride. Nothing says you can't have multiples going at once. So, the wizard and his 3 friends could all be floating along, pulled by his tiny bat. :)
Edit : A wizard with a flying familiar could cast it through the familar, ride on it, then cast it again, and let a friend ride on the second one, and a third time to let another friend ride. Nothing says you can't have multiples going at once. So, the wizard and his 3 friends could all be floating along, pulled by his tiny bat. :)
I'm not sure you could use the familiar this way. Floating Disk doesn't have a target, so Share Spells wouldn't apply, as far as I can tell. It simply follows he caster, which I don't believe would change.
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Edit : A wizard with a flying familiar could cast it through the familar, ride on it, then cast it again, and let a friend ride on the second one, and a third time to let another friend ride. Nothing says you can't have multiples going at once. So, the wizard and his 3 friends could all be floating along, pulled by his tiny bat. :)
I just had this image of this weird train of adventurers floating through the plains in a hurry. If only you could get them to cluster around, then the bat could pull you all along while in "Camp" at night around the campfire..
Official Rules:
You create a slightly concave, circular plane of force that follows you about and carries loads for you. The disk is 3 feet in diameter and 1 inch deep at its center. It can hold 100 pounds of weight per caster level. If used to transport a liquid, its capacity is 2 gallons. The disk floats approximately 3 feet above the ground at all times and remains level. It floats along horizontally within spell range and will accompany you at a rate of no more than your normal speed each round. If not otherwise directed, it maintains a constant interval of 5 feet between itself and you. The disk winks out of existence when the spell duration expires. The disk also winks out if you move beyond its 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.
By this wording, it would suggest that if your not walking, then the disk isn't moving. So yeah, you could sit on it, even sleep on it (Tenser's floating air mattress?) But you could not ride it like a hoverboard.
We used to use it all the time for interesting uses. Once I had a 3rd level wizard cast it and then cast levitate. Another party member climbed on the disc and held a rope. I then just pushed it away and it dragged me along. I remember that we've used it to gain the +1 higher ground bonus in combat. I would cast it and then someone would stand on it to fight. It has also been useful for transporting prisoners. We would just hog tie them to the disc and away we would go. There was a time when it was very useful for getting past traps too. We didn't have a rogue but everyone was able to get on the disc (one at a time) and be pushed over the trap to safety. It's also been used for interrogations by a group I was in. We tied the poor victim to the disc and held him at the edge of a lava flow. We then would ask him questions. If I recall, we cast it first and demonstrated what would happen if it went over the lava. Seemed to motivate him to talk.
The disc can be a lot of fun but it does have its limitations. A "fly" spell that can only be 3 feet off the ground and move up to 30 feet per round doesn't seem all that potent to me. It's even worse for smaller casters like halflings or gnomes who can only get 20 feet per round out of it.
Edit : A wizard with a flying familiar could cast it through the familar, ride on it, then cast it again, and let a friend ride on the second one, and a third time to let another friend ride. Nothing says you can't have multiples going at once. So, the wizard and his 3 friends could all be floating along, pulled by his tiny bat. :)I'm not sure you could use the familiar this way. Floating Disk doesn't have a target, so Share Spells wouldn't apply, as far as I can tell. It simply follows he caster, which I don't believe would change.
Unfortunately, looking through it, you're correct. Range is close. No target. Hmmm....
A magic item that granted Floating Disk as a continuous effect would not be too expensive. Put said item on your bat familiar. Then have wizard cast it 3 times. He sits on the familiar's disk, the other 3 party members sit on his disk. The bat flys off, the bat's disk follows him. The wizard, on the bat's disk, moves away. The 3 disks the wizard created follow him.
A nice little disk train. That's actually not a bad way to get through dangerous ground (lava, muddy swamp, etc). No faster than walking, but faster and easier than slogging through it (or better than bursting into flames in the lava).
If you ride your disk off a cliff what happens? Does it stop falling three feet from the ground?
Yes. Unfortunately, assuming you manage to stay on top of it while it falls, since it stops abruptly you take damage just as if you'd fallen off the cliff yourself.
Could you cross water that wasn't more than three feet deep?
Yes. Given the reading-between-the-lines involving "directed", we need to read between the lines regarding the "surface". Attempts to make it move more than 3 feet above the surface bellow cause it to pop. Okay. So that's more expansive than "ground". Ergo there's no restriction against using the disc above water, regardless of depth.
Could you hide under it to protect yourself from falling objects?
Unhesitatingly yes.
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Official Rules:
You create a slightly concave, circular plane of force that follows you about and carries loads for you. The disk is 3 feet in diameter and 1 inch deep at its center. It can hold 100 pounds of weight per caster level. If used to transport a liquid, its capacity is 2 gallons. The disk floats approximately 3 feet above the ground at all times and remains level. It floats along horizontally within spell range and will accompany you at a rate of no more than your normal speed each round. If not otherwise directed, it maintains a constant interval of 5 feet between itself and you. The disk winks out of existence when the spell duration expires. The disk also winks out if you move beyond its 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.
By this wording, it would suggest that if you're not walking, then the disk isn't moving. So yeah, you could sit on it, even sleep on it (Tenser's floating air mattress?) But you could not ride it like a hoverboard.
Yes but you're missing the "if not otherwise directed" part. You can stand in one spot and direct the floating disk to anywhere within spell range, at no more than your movement speed. It can be in front of you, off to the side, or following behind. This means it CAN be moved by your command to different locations. If you dimension door away from it, it floats over to you as long as you remain within range but if you directed it to say, float near the fighter so he could stand on it, then that's what it would to. If you then directed it to move over to the cleric, it would float the fighter in that direction at your movement speed.
So if the fighter can ride it, why not you? Climb on top and "direct it" to move in whichever direction you choose, including across the "surface" of nearby bodies of liquid. You could use it to float across a lake as long as there were no waves that take the surface of the lake lower than 3 feet from the height you're floating at after they pass, otherwise prepare for a dunking. Or if there's a narrow bridge that looks unstable or hard to cross, hop on the disk and give the party rouge the finger as he rolls a "1" on his acrobatics check to maintain his balance.
I admit, hiding under it to avoid falling rocks never occured to me but that is a brilliant idea. It's a disk of force that will stay in place as long as the rocks hitting it don't weigh more than it can support, at which time it will wink out and drop anything that hasn't bounced off directly on top of your smugly smiling face.
So if the fighter can ride it, why not you?
Two reasons:
1) The "otherwise directed" is referring to the distance the disk trails the caster.
You create a ... plane of force that follows youIf not otherwise directed, it maintains a constant interval of 5 feet between itself and you.
You can direct the interval behind that it follows you (between 0 and the spell range), but you can't change how it behaves otherwise.
2) Wotc answered this question years ago HERE
Ok, what if you're under it, on your back, supporting it with your feet/legs. Can you increase how much it can carry?
Let's say you could support 100 lbs without the disk, and you're a lvl 1 caster...can you now support 200 lbs?
Ok, what if you're under it, on your back, supporting it with your feet/legs. Can you increase how much it can carry?
Let's say you could support 100 lbs without the disk, and you're a lvl 1 caster...can you now support 200 lbs?
I would say no. It is supporting the weight, and your not. Or your pushing it more than 3 feet off the ground and it goes POP. That is how i would look at it.
See no problem with riding it. It requires that you direct the spell effect (to bad it does not say how long this takes).
As long as your doing noting but setting on it, and directing it as part of your movement, no problem.
In combat, would require you to treat the disk as your movement action (no attacks), or you could stand on it and fight and lose your DEX bonus since your refuse to get off the disk.
Would not allow you to Fight, stand on disk, and direct its action all at the same time.
See no problem with riding it. It requires that you direct the spell effect (to bad it does not say how long this takes).
As long as your doing noting but setting on it, and directing it as part of your movement, no problem.
In combat, would require you to treat the disk as your movement action (no attacks), or you could stand on it and fight and lose your DEX bonus since your refuse to get off the disk.
Would not allow you to Fight, stand on disk, and direct its action all at the same time.
As a house rule, no problem. By RAW, I don't see how it reads that way.
I'm in a 4e game where the DM lets me ride the disk, lets it hover over water, has it act like a featherfall if there's no ground underneath it and lets me use two ropes as a rail line to cross gaps.
It's... not that powerful. These kinds of impediments stop being meaningful pretty quickly in 3rd edition.
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Can you ride your own Tenser’s floating disk?
No. While you could command your Tenser’s floating disk to move close enough for you to sit upon it, it has no ability to move under its own power. It can follow you only at a maximum rate equal to your normal speed.
that's what I liked with 3.5 FAQ/sage answers...
so you can order it to move (close enough that you can sit on it)
then you cannot order it to move again - because you're on it. should a friend step on it, you can order it to move wherever you want.
I'd agree that moving this way requires continuous concentration, as you have to order it to stay below you, then move. Should you stop concentrating (fall asleep, cast another spell), the disk would "float away", hovering close to you.
back to the comparison with spell of other levels, the limitations of the spells makes it clearly comparable. others have pointed that out clearly enough so I won't repeat herE.
Stephane
I would let a wizard sit or stand on his own disk. I would let him choose the altitude the disk hovers at, from ground level (for easy loading) up to the maximum 3 feet.
However, the disk provides no motive power, only lift. In "conventional" use, the disk acts as if pulled by an invisible rope (of a length defined by the wizard up to the spell's range) connected to the wizard. The wizard, by walking, is providing all the horizontal movement, not the disk itself.
Therefore, the wizard on his disk could pole himself along, or be towed or pushed by another party member (provided the wizard's normal speed is not exceeded). Perhaps he could even propel himself with a gust of wind spell.
However Forgotten Realms' Drow Matrons are using their floating disks SLA to sit on and move effortlessly.
AFAIR those were Drow magic items from Houses' Treasuries not spells. Most of Drow Matrons could not cast floating disk and they could not use scrolls or wands of that spell.
furthermore, quoted srd says:
If not otherwise directed, it maintains a constant interval of 5 feet between itself and you.so RAW it's ok ..
Except if disk does not have ability to move on its own then it does not move away from you to stay, say, 20 feet from you when you direct it to stay 20 but waits until you move 20 feet away from it and then starts following at that distance.
so you can order it to move (close enough that you can sit on it)
then you cannot order it to move again - because you're on it. should a friend step on it, you can order it to move wherever you want.
Not exactly. The disks only follow the casting wizard. The wizard can change the distance that the disk follows him, but can't order the disk to move to a location.
If two wizards ride each others disks, they are deadlocked.
Wizard 1 rides Disk 2 that follows Wizard 2 who rides Disk 1 that follows Wizard 1. Neither wizard is moving, so the disks stay stationary.
it has no ability to move under its own power. It can follow you only at a maximum rate equal to your normal speed.
Does that mean that you are limited to your drag speed? That when you have a FD spell on, you are sort of harnessed to a frictionless wagon?
Do, how do you define "follows"? If you are standing still, can you rotate it around you? Is it always behind you?
Also, THe drift disk was a permanent magic item in Underdark that was a mentally controlled floating disk of stone (required floating disk and detect thoughts) Moving it was swift or free and you did not have to be on it, very cool item.
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I am sure you are going to get all sorts of answers to this question.
Can you cast Tenser’s Floating Disc and then sit on it and direct it around?
There are plenty who will quote the text and say no it can’t be done.
I also like quoting things as well. I found a very interesting quote on page 9 of the rule book:
“The Most Important Rule
The rules in this book are here to help you breathe life into your characters and the world they explore. While they are designed to make your game easy and exciting, you might find that some of them do not suit the style of play that your gaming group enjoys. Remember that these rules are yours. You can change them to fit your needs. Most Game Masters have a number of “house rules” that they use in their games. The Game Master and players should always discuss any rules changes to make sure that everyone understands how the game will be played. Although the Game Master is the final arbiter of the rules, the Pathfinder RPG is a shared experience, and all of the players should contribute their thoughts when the rules are in doubt.”
In light of the Most Important rule, It is up to you the player and your GM to decide if your character can sit on your Tenser’s Floating disc and direct it around.
I have in the past enjoyed playing a gnome mage, who would, when faced with an obstacle like a river, would pull a pillow out of his pack, plump it, cast Tenser’s Floating Disc, put the plump pillow on the disc, and then sit on his new cruising easy chair, and cross the river with his feet dry.
Does the rules as written say my character can do this? They say my character cannot. However I was having a bit of fun. So was my DM. So, my gnome, went ahead and did so. The pillow by the way was bright purple with yellow tassles
I hope this is helpful.
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I could see either interpretation.
It seemed pretty clear in earlier editions that this was not the case (or was nay-sayed in Sage Advice), but the 'unless otherwise directed' text remaining here in PF leaves the implication that perhaps this isn't my grand-pappy's floating disk... (It's still weaker than a mount spell, in carrying capacity, movement speed and duration, so I'm not exactly wetting myself with the powergaming implications.)
When in doubt, say 'FAQ it' and move on.
Maybe we'll get an official clarification. Maybe not. I'd be inclined to allow it, 'cause it's cool.
I would allow it very slowly via a fanlike oar, or using gondola poles or something. The main drawback is locomotion.
I would allow it very slowly via a fanlike oar, or using gondola poles or something. The main drawback is locomotion.
I like this idea, actually.
Bottom line you want to ride on a disk... make a magic item for this effect.
Or have your character research and create a "Floating Disk (greater)" Lv 2 spell, allowing this effect. Should not be too hard.
Bottom line you want to ride on a disk... make a magic item for this effect.Or have your character research and create a "Floating Disk (greater)" Lv 2 spell, allowing this effect. Should not be too hard.
Or buy a mule.
Or buy a mule.Bottom line you want to ride on a disk... make a magic item for this effect.Or have your character research and create a "Floating Disk (greater)" Lv 2 spell, allowing this effect. Should not be too hard.
First AOE, mule goes bye bye. Plus floating disk is way more stylish.
First AOE, mule goes bye bye. Plus floating disk is way more stylish.Or buy a mule.Bottom line you want to ride on a disk... make a magic item for this effect.Or have your character research and create a "Floating Disk (greater)" Lv 2 spell, allowing this effect. Should not be too hard.
No no no. You use the mule to pull the floating disc.
But you're right. AOEs are a problem for mules. Get an Ox to pull the floating disc, and then at higher levels take leadership and pull a Druid cohort who can wildshape into a mule.
First AOE, mule goes bye bye. Plus floating disk is way more stylish.Or buy a mule.Bottom line you want to ride on a disk... make a magic item for this effect.Or have your character research and create a "Floating Disk (greater)" Lv 2 spell, allowing this effect. Should not be too hard.No no no. You use the mule to pull the floating disc.
But you're right. AOEs are a problem for mules. Get an Ox to pull the floating disc, and then at higher levels take leadership and pull a Druid cohort who can wildshape into a mule.
I gotcha.
I would allow it.
Speed is equal to movement rate.
and if done correctly (scant inches from the surface...)
makes for a nice effect...
the wizard who seems to glide across the room rather than walk.