D&D 5E Levitate is a save-or-die spell

[jaelis]

Floating in the air is going to make that virtually impossible. They have no leverage, so anything thrown is going to be very weak and very inaccurate. I'd rule disadvantage on the attacks and advantage on the concentration checks.

That seems like an unnecessary boost to an already strong spell. The target has enough leverage to climb along a surface, it is reasonable that it has enough leverage to attack.

 

[Mistwell]

Seems like strong enough wind blowing a levitated creature around is a good ruling - and definitely not something against the rules of the spell.

I don't think it's necessarily a bad ruling, I just think if the wind wouldn't move you if your feet were on the ground, it wouldn't move you if you were levitating.

 

[Maxperson]

That seems like an unnecessary boost to an already strong spell. The target has enough leverage to climb along a surface, it is reasonable that it has enough leverage to attack.

I'll axe the spell before I run a game that doesn't make sense. The ability to pull yourself along by grabbing and holding things does not equate to enough leverage to attack while free floating. When you swing your body will spin, throwing you off and your attacks will be weak. The fact that you can just pull yourself long a surface indicates that the spell is treating the victim as if he were weightless in space.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Floating in the air is going to make that virtually impossible. They have no leverage, so anything thrown is going to be very weak and very inaccurate. I'd rule disadvantage on the attacks and advantage on the concentration checks.

Cite the rule?

Sure, you have a point in terms of physics*, but there are an infinite number of cases where you could houserule something like this, and doing so would turn the game to mush. It's a game, not a simulation.

*And even then, a thrown dagger, for example, being a tiny fraction of the mass of the thrower, would be relatively unaffected. Might throw technique off. Ever see a baseball player throw while in the air? Works pretty well.

EDIT: And given all the times you've condescendingly dismissed others' opinions as "houseruling", I'm kind of surprised you feel this way.

 

[Maxperson]

Cite the rule?

The rule on how a body reacts when weightless? The game doesn't have one that I'm aware of, hence "I'd rule disadvantage on the attacks and advantage on the concentration checks." I'm basing that on what I know about weightless environments here in real life.

Sure, you have a point in terms of physics*, but there are an infinite number of cases where you could houserule something like this, and doing so would turn the game to mush. It's a game, not a simulation.

It's both. The game has a ton of realism in it. It just doesn't try to mirror reality.

*And even then, a thrown dagger, for example, being a tiny fraction of the mass of the thrower, would be relatively unaffected. Might throw technique off.

Technique would be thrown off(disadvantage on attacks). Power would be weaker(advantage on the concentration check). When you throw something, you aren't just using your arms. You are using the ground and putting your back and body into it in order to give it power.

 

[jaelis]

I'll axe the spell before I run a game that doesn't make sense. The ability to pull yourself along by grabbing and holding things does not equate to enough leverage to attack while free floating. When you swing your body will spin, throwing you off and your attacks will be weak. The fact that you can just pull yourself long a surface indicates that the spell is treating the victim as if he were weightless in space.

You seem to have a very specific vision of how the spell works, which isn't actually grounded in any of the mechanics given. Of course you're welcome to interpret it that way, or ban the spell if you want. But there's no reason you need to. The spell is supporting you against gravity, there's no reason it can't provide enough leverage and support for you to move your body the way you want.

 

[Maxperson]

You seem to have a very specific vision of how the spell works, which isn't actually grounded in any of the mechanics given. Of course you're welcome to interpret it that way, or ban the spell if you want. But there's no reason you need to. The spell is supporting you against gravity, there's no reason it can't provide enough leverage and support for you to move your body the way you want.

Floating as if weightless? "One creature or object of your choice that you can see within range rises vertically, up to 20 feet, and remains suspended there for the duration." Check.

Can only move slowly as if weightless? "The target can move only by pushing or pulling against a fixed object or surface within reach (such as a wall or a ceiling), which allows it to move as if it were climbing." Check.

The mechanics of the spell absolutely support my conclusion. Feel free to interpret it differently, but don't tell me that the spell doesn't support what I'm saying I'd rule at my table.

 

[Guest 6801328]

It just seems strange to me, given the sheer number of ways that RPGs fudge reality, to get hung up on this one.

We had a wizard use this just last week, and he was jumping in and out of cover on his turns specifically for this reason. So the target held his action to wait for him to appear. If the DM has decided that THIS is where he is finally going to draw the line on realism, the wizard probably wouldn’t have bothered trying to hide, and the game would have been less fun for everyone.

 

[Guest 6801328]

You may have missed my previous edit, Max, so I’ll ask again: ever see an athlete jump, catch, and throw again before landing?

 

[keynup]

If the creature being levitated threw something and was treated as if weightless, then the reverse would be true.
If they were hit by something then they would be treated as weightless and be moved/spun by that contact.