Can a Wizard cast the spell Floating Disk, and then ride on it? Move it around and use it like a little hover car? (he would need to be high enough level to have a disk that would carry the weight, 100 lbs/level).
Yup, up to your landspeed and you have to constatnly direct it, but otherwise yea. easily. Frankly you could cast it a few times and have the others (I would say up to three) Follow yours on autopilot. Horses are faster though. ;-)
School evocation [force]; Level sorcerer/wizard 1
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a drop of mercury)
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect 3-ft.-diameter disk of force
Duration 1 hour/level
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
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.
Can a Wizard cast the spell Floating Disk, and then ride on it? Move it around and use it like a little hover car? (he would need to be high enough level to have a disk that would carry the weight, 100 lbs/level).
I would allow it, just as the Floating Disk can be used to transport a dead comrade as needed; nothing against putting a body of any sort, living or dead on it. The spell indicates that you can direct the disk to move in a manner other than just staying within five feet of the caster.
Note though that there's not a lot of benefit to doing this unless the user is encumbered--the disk doesn't move any faster than the caster's top speed, it always has to have a solid surface underneath it (you can't cross chasms or pits with it) and you have to concentrate to move it independently of you, which as a GM I would rule leads to mental fatigue (a la forced marching) if you tried to use it to travel more than your normal allotment in a day.
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Can a Wizard cast the spell Floating Disk, and then ride on it? Move it around and use it like a little hover car? (he would need to be high enough level to have a disk that would carry the weight, 100 lbs/level).I would allow it, just as the Floating Disk can be used to transport a dead comrade as needed; nothing against putting a body of any sort, living or dead on it. The spell indicates that you can direct the disk to move in a manner other than just staying within five feet of the caster.
Note though that there's not a lot of benefit to doing this unless the user is encumbered--the disk doesn't move any faster than the caster's top speed, it always has to have a solid surface underneath it (you can't cross chasms or pits with it) and you have to concentrate to move it independently of you, which as a GM I would rule leads to mental fatigue (a la forced marching) if you tried to use it to travel more than your normal allotment in a day.
I'm going to disagree. My opinion it that you can not. The spell says the disk follow you at your speed, and if undirected, will stay 5' away from you. What I think this means is that you can direct it to be less than 5 feet away, so you can approach it, etc. I do not see anyhting that says you can actively move it in any way.
It doesn't work as well in Pathfinder (since many wizards don't necessarily have familiars), but you can cast the spell, share it with your familiar, and then ride it as it follows the familiar around.
Where it shines for travel purposes is in crossing difficult terrain (presuming you have a flying familiar).
.. you have to concentrate to move it independently of you, which as a GM I would rule leads to mental fatigue (a la forced marching) if you tried to use it to travel more than your normal allotment in a day.
I was with you right up until this point. DIrecting a spell is a standard action (maybe move action, not 100% sure). If you direct the spell to "move forward at top speed (generally 30 feet)" than that's what it does unless directed otherwise. It can only travel "no more than your normal speed," meaning base unaltered land speed which is 30' for most characters.
The "mental Fatigue" think you're inventing is entirely unnecessary and it would annoy me as a player. The spell Isn't That usseful and adding restrictions only serrves to make it not worth even bothering with. There are SO many things that are better than this spell (like a horse).
I'm going to disagree. My opinion it that you can not. The spell says the disk follow you at your speed, and if undirected, will stay 5' away from you. What I think this means is that you can direct it to be less than 5 feet away, so you can approach it, etc. I do not see anyhting that says you can actively move it in any way.Can a Wizard cast the spell Floating Disk, and then ride on it? Move it around and use it like a little hover car? (he would need to be high enough level to have a disk that would carry the weight, 100 lbs/level).I would allow it, just as the Floating Disk can be used to transport a dead comrade as needed; nothing against putting a body of any sort, living or dead on it. The spell indicates that you can direct the disk to move in a manner other than just staying within five feet of the caster.
Note though that there's not a lot of benefit to doing this unless the user is encumbered--the disk doesn't move any faster than the caster's top speed, it always has to have a solid surface underneath it (you can't cross chasms or pits with it) and you have to concentrate to move it independently of you, which as a GM I would rule leads to mental fatigue (a la forced marching) if you tried to use it to travel more than your normal allotment in a day.
From the spell description: " If not otherwise directed, it maintains a constant interval of 5 feet between itself and you"
"If not otherwise directed" is a clear indication that it can be directed. having it follow you around is the default if a mage doesn't want to have to direct it.
This has been beat to death in prior threads. See
Can you ride on your floating disk and direct it to hover around?
and
Floating Disk - Caster can not ride it
and
How many players can ride a floating disk?
C'mon man, it isn't hard to use the search feature.
This has been beat to death in prior threads. See
Can you ride on your floating disk and direct it to hover around?
and
Floating Disk - Caster can not ride it
and
Thanks for saving me the effort.
To summarize: It depends on how much weight you put in the words "follows you about". Ask your GM.
From the spell description: " If not otherwise directed, it maintains a constant interval of 5 feet between itself and you"
"If not otherwise directed" is a clear indication that it can be directed. having it follow you around is the default if a mage doesn't want to have to direct it.
I truly don't understand where the confusion is. Directing or redirecting an active spell is a move action per the "actions in combat" chart in the Combat chapter of the PHB. The spell clearly says it can be directed, but doesn't have to be (ie will follow the caster if not directed).
From the spell description: " If not otherwise directed, it maintains a constant interval of 5 feet between itself and you"
"If not otherwise directed" is a clear indication that it can be directed. having it follow you around is the default if a mage doesn't want to have to direct it.
Group A believes that the disk always follows behind you at a range from 0 to 100 feet (say) as directed, with the default being 5 feet.
Group B believes that the disk has to be anywhere within 0 to 100 feet as directed, with the default being 5 feet behind you.
Floating Disk
School evocation [force]; Level sorcerer/wizard 1
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a drop of mercury)
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect 3-ft.-diameter disk of force
Duration 1 hour/level
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
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.
Read the spell "that follows you" so if you do not move… It dose not move either.
Yes you could act as horse it be a wagon and pull some one else. Regardless of weight there is only 3ft diameter disk of force to put folks. Could it act as stretcher yes mount no, wagon that you pull some else one sure. You are the engines that make it move. You could never move on with out you moving yourself some how. Read the book it in there.
This such old topic it was cover like back when I was a kid 30 years ago in 1 ed. ( hell purple box) When I was 8 year old I remember when same question was in Dragon Magazine . In the early 1980's. I fist level spell stop trying to turn it in to 3 level fly or 5 level overland flight.
R. A. Salvatore took creative license when had his big evil matron mother ride them, but it could have been just a magic item as well.
This spell is noth more than a Magic "Pallet Jack" see
http://www.411mhe.com/199palletjack.html?gclid=CJL_ha-b46oCFQEKKgod-zwQ_Q
From the spell description: " If not otherwise directed, it maintains a constant interval of 5 feet between itself and you"
"If not otherwise directed" is a clear indication that it can be directed. having it follow you around is the default if a mage doesn't want to have to direct it.Group A believes that the disk always follows behind you at a range from 0 to 100 feet (say) as directed, with the default being 5 feet.
Group B believes that the disk has to be anywhere within 0 to 100 feet as directed, with the default being 5 feet behind you.
Ahh, I see. The debate is on if directed means "Directed to move" or "directed to follow at a different distance."
**OPINION** It's really not that impressive of a spell. Just let them ride the stupid thing. By the time a caster is high enough to make it truly useful they've got far superior tricks (like a horse for exapmle) **/OPINION**
Not sure if it was mentioned in the other threads but back in Dragon in the early 80's there was a 'test your D&D knoweldge quiz' that had a though experiment for how a bunch of low level magic-users get across a river, and part of the solution was each magic-user cast Tenser's Floating Disk for the one behind him to ride. I forget how the first one pulls the train along, but it was a hilarious image which this reminded me of.
[...]
Note though that there's not a lot of benefit to doing this unless the user is encumbered--the disk doesn't move any faster than the caster's top speed, it always has to have a solid surface underneath it (you can't cross chasms or pits with it) [...]
You see no benefit in that? Think about traps (other than pit traps) and how you hover over them.
In this context, another question: if you allow riding floating disks or if a flying wizard uses it to let another character glide, what is considered "ground"? Is a (possibly traped) rope bridge ground? Is muddy swamp considered ground? Water? Lava? Does it trigger traps underneath without actual touching? (/is it emitting some kind of "force"?)
sorry to have re-posted the question - and yes I have (now) read the other posts... but it only means I am even more confused about this. I'm thinking of giving this spell to a character in PFSOP - the living campaign. As far as I can tell - if I ask 4 judges, I'm goin gto get 6 different answers ranging from "no" thru "sort of" to "yes". Sigh... I guess I'll just table this spell and hope I never get some player using it at my table when I'm the judge.
There are many questions like that. There prevelance in this game can be astouning at times. I guess that's what one gets for trying to recreate the world, but change the laws of physics. ;-)
sorry to have re-posted the question - and yes I have (now) read the other posts... but it only means I am even more confused about this. I'm thinking of giving this spell to a character in PFSOP - the living campaign. As far as I can tell - if I ask 4 judges, I'm goin gto get 6 different answers ranging from "no" thru "sort of" to "yes". Sigh... I guess I'll just table this spell and hope I never get some player using it at my table when I'm the judge.
Here's probably the most definitive answer you'll get.
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.
The full FAQ is here
The 3.5 and PF spells are identical.
Using prior rulings from 3.5 where the content is unchanged seems pretty valid to me. There are other issues where developer input would have more value.
You create a slightly concave, circular plane of force "that follows you" about and carries loads for you. (snip)
Read the spell "that follows you" so if you do not move… It dose not move either.
Yes you could act as horse it be a wagon and pull some one else. Regardless of weight there is only 3ft diameter disk of force to put folks. Could it act as stretcher yes mount no, wagon that you pull some else one sure. You are the engines that make it move. You could never move on with out you moving yourself some how. Read the book it in there.
If you (the caster) can put things into it and retrieve things out of it, then you must be able to make it come within 5 feet of you. If it can come within 5 feet, then you should be able to climb on it.
If the caster can't direct it while mounted (as the 'follow you' clause), it could reasonably be propelled or pulled by other means (rope, pole etc).
One could even interpret that if you move (once on the disk) it will move under you (since it follows), in which case it would become the fantasy equivalent of these gizmos.
If such is the case, a 3-foot levitation effect that winks out of existence over chasms and pitfalls, with a max speed of a walking person is not beyond the range of a 1st level spell. There are still much better and more suited use of levitation and flight.
'findel
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You create a slightly concave, circular plane of force "that follows you" about and carries loads for you. (snip)
Read the spell "that follows you" so if you do not move… It dose not move either.
Yes you could act as horse it be a wagon and pull some one else. Regardless of weight there is only 3ft diameter disk of force to put folks. Could it act as stretcher yes mount no, wagon that you pull some else one sure. You are the engines that make it move. You could never move on with out you moving yourself some how. Read the book it in there.
If you (the caster) can put things into it and retrieve things out of it, then you must be able to make it come within 5 feet of you. If it can come within 5 feet, then you should be able to climb on it.
If the caster can't direct it while mounted (as the 'follow you' clause), it could reasonably be propelled or pulled by other means (rope, pole etc).
One could even interpret that if you move (once on the disk) it will move under you (since it follows), in which case it would become the fantasy equivalent of these gizmos.
If such is the case, a 3-foot levitation effect that winks out of existence over chasms and pitfalls, with a max speed of a walking person is not beyond the range of a 1st level spell. There are still much better and more suited use of levitation and flight.
'findel
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Let me follow that cart I am dragging behind me. Makes no sense.
As a GM, I allow it. The 3' over solid surface thing limits it quite a bit, and I like creative uses for spells. Especially in non-combat encounters.
(We had someone use Ray of Frost to freeze a cup of water with fish in it to save for later...)
Let me follow that cart I am dragging behind me. Makes no sense.
The disk propels itself; you don't have to invest any effort in moving it, you've got to direct it or it follows you 5 ft behind if you don't. Like a poney or a donkey. Floating Disk is a magical packmule. It isn't unreasonable to mount the packmule, even if it isn't a optimal mount.
The disk propels itself; you don't have to invest any effort in moving it, you've got to direct it or it follows you 5 ft behind if you don't. Like a poney or a donkey. Floating Disk is a magical packmule. It isn't unreasonable to mount the packmule, even if it isn't a optimal mount.
Let me follow that cart I am dragging behind me. Makes no sense.
Though I completely agree, there seems to be some debate on the subject. ;-)
Though I completely agree, there seems to be some debate on the subject. ;-)The disk propels itself; you don't have to invest any effort in moving it, you've got to direct it or it follows you 5 ft behind if you don't. Like a poney or a donkey. Floating Disk is a magical packmule. It isn't unreasonable to mount the packmule, even if it isn't a optimal mount.
Let me follow that cart I am dragging behind me. Makes no sense.
there wouldn't be four different threads on this subject if there wasn't...
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The disk propels itself; you don't have to invest any effort in moving it, you've got to direct it or it follows you 5 ft behind if you don't. Like a poney or a donkey. Floating Disk is a magical packmule. It isn't unreasonable to mount the packmule, even if it isn't a optimal mount.
Let me follow that cart I am dragging behind me. Makes no sense.
It reads in the spell description that it follows you. How can it follow you if you ride it?
Not trying to make a big deal out of it, however the spell is very specific.
It reads in the spell description that it follows you. How can it follow you if you ride it?
Not trying to make a big deal out of it, however the spell is very specific.
... and yet you can direct it away from you (as per range of the spell) assuming you aren't on it. It obviously isn't following you if you are directing it 100 feet away. therefore it can do other things than following you around, even if that is its primary function.
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It doesn't work as well in Pathfinder (since many wizards don't necessarily have familiars), but you can cast the spell, share it with your familiar, and then ride it as it follows the familiar around.
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'Direct or Redirect a Spell' (core book page 186) says that 'Some spells allow you to redirect the effect to new targets or areas...'.
Floating Disc mentions you can direct the thing.
That would suggest (to me at least) that you can 'direct it to new areas' within the range limits stated in the spell.
This is important not just because a Wizard riding a floating disc looks all sorts of cool, but so that you can do stuff like float a bunch of rocks out over a trap, then cause the disc to 'wink out' to trigger the trap (although, since it's not a dismissable spell, to do that you have to sprint in the opposite direction... which probably doesn't look cool, what with the robes and pointy hat and everything...). Interesting stuff like that. And, hey, I prefer spells to be interesting rather than not...
RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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It doesn't work as well in Pathfinder (since many wizards don't necessarily have familiars), but you can cast the spell, share it with your familiar, and then ride it as it follows the familiar around.Place Familiar in bucket. Attach bucket to 10' pole. Cast on Familiar. Sit on disk. Dangle Familiar ahead of disk, direct Familiar via empathy/heckling.
AKA "The Pimp Wagon".
This thread is especially funny to me because in 4E (back when I played it), floating disk explicitly lets you spend a move action to move the disc, so riding it was unquestionably an option - and one of my players did so because his wizard was a pretty-boy elf who didn't want to dirty his feet by walking around in the wilderness.
I told him that if he ever took damage, he'd have to make an Acrobatics check to keep from falling off the disk. ;)
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Floating Disk
School evocation [force]; Level sorcerer/wizard 1
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a drop of mercury)
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect 3-ft.-diameter disk of force
Duration 1 hour/level
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
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.
It doesn't work as well in Pathfinder (since many wizards don't necessarily have familiars), but you can cast the spell, share it with your familiar, and then ride it as it follows the familiar around.
Share Spells only works on spells with a target (like "You", say). Floating Disk doesn't have a target.
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.
At any case FAQ states that you can climb on it but cannot move at your command when mounted (thanks Farmerboy). So any ruling that allows otherwise is of the domain of houserules, off course.
But simply by gauging that would-be power to the fact that this is a first level spell, I don't think this is too far out of the lines. In combat, that could be used to move over some treacherous grounds (like entangled zones, spike growth and the like and avoid some nastiness such as non-flying swarms or keep a stable platform during a earthquake or similar situation. Given the circumstantial advantages that it could provide, I don't think this would be overpowered for a second level spell. It's not likely to put you out of range of most attackers (like levitate) and even less likely to give you any advantages over land-based creature (like fly).
Whether keeping your balance on the disk is enough to cause distraction (concentration check) is another consideration for houserulers. It does say that it always keep level... I also wished to know whether floating disk can hover over surfaces that cannot support the caster (like water or lava). I'd be tempted to say that it doesn't, at which point the usefulness of the spell decrease even more, even if you allow the caster to ride it.
'findel
From the spell description: " If not otherwise directed, it maintains a constant interval of 5 feet between itself and you"
"If not otherwise directed" is a clear indication that it can be directed. having it follow you around is the default if a mage doesn't want to have to direct it.I truly don't understand where the confusion is. Directing or redirecting an active spell is a move action per the "actions in combat" chart in the Combat chapter of the PHB. The spell clearly says it can be directed, but doesn't have to be (ie will follow the caster if not directed).
I guess it's all in interpretation. For some reason, I envisioned (my own interpretation, not cited by RAW) that for the disk to move, you would have to will it to move here, then move here, then move here, kind of like clicking in a computer game. I didn't think the disk had the capacity, so to speak, to keep moving in a given direction until you told it otherwise; that the only thing the disk could do without your direction and supervision was to follow at 5 feet. Again, there's nothing to back me up on this, just how I read the spell. You're right though that the spell isn't that useful and adding extra restrictions would probably be irritating. I haven't had this question asked of me in a game yet though.
I also wished to know whether floating disk can hover over surfaces that cannot support the caster (like water or lava). I'b be tempted to say that it doesn't, at which point the usefulness of the spell decrease even more, even if you allow the caster to ride it.
This one is truly a tough call. My initial thought is to say yes, because the spell simply mentions "surface" which could include water, lava, quicksand and others (but not open air); on the other hand, if someone were to ride the disk over a covered pit, which has a surface, but cannot support weight, I would expect it to fall in. This assumes that the disk exerts some measure of downward force upon the surface below it, making it potentially useful for triggering traps in front of the party?
I would also assume that any other surface incapable of supporting the weight of the disk and its contents without sinking cannot have a disk levitate over it. Note that even this could still be useful. The disk could float five feet above a dungeon floor that is two feet deep in acid. The "acid" surface doesn't support the disk, but the dungeon floor does, and keeps it aloft enough to avoid danger. Seems a bit situational at best, though.
Not for nothing but the text of the spell uses the word "follow".
You create a slightly concave, circular plane of force that follows you
Where possible you have to read all parts of a rule as not contradicting other parts.
If you're riding something it can't follow you - you're moving with IT if anything. If you could command the disk close enough to get on it, then it moved, it would no longer be following you, contradicting the rule description.
The only way to read the part about adjusting distance is that it can follow you from whatever distance you set it, not that it stops following you.
(everyone else is still beating that horse corpse, had to get my lick in!)
The only way to read the part about adjusting distance is that it can follow you from whatever distance you set it, not that it stops following you.
Given that...
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. 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.
... I understand that you may freely command the disk to go anywhere within 25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels feet of you at a max speed equal to your own. Wherever you go, so goes the 'center' of this range. Given a strict interpretation of this, I can see the paradox of "it (the disk) cannot move if it is its own reference", but there usually is a way out of these circular logic.
but yeah, this horse is dead.
So for me, this is a case of Homerule It And Get Over It.
'findel
Level sorcerer/wizard 1
School evocation [force]
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a drop of mercury)
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect 3-ft.-diameter disk of force
Duration 1 hour/level
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
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.
I think the fact that it shows a range plainly means that you can direct the disc anywhere within range of the spell at a rate of 30ft per round, or whatever your base movement speed is. Meaning at level 10, if Im not riding it, I could direct the disc anywhere within 50ft at a rate of 30ft per round.
Also the section I highlighted (made bold) plainly shows that if you dont direct it it maintains a 5ft distance.There is nothing that says you cant ride it, or anyone else for that matter. Just because the mythic version says you can doesnt somehow invalidate riding the regular version.
To me it pretty clear cut.
Only thing I would say is you have to concentrate to move it, (but not to maintain it). So for example the caster wouldnt be able to move it and cast a spell in the same round.