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

[Maxperson]

"The target can move only by pushing or pulling against a fixed object or surface within reach".

Correct. "The target can move only..." That is not the same as "The target can only be moved..." Under his own power, he can only move by the methods described. The spell is silent on whether or not wind can move the target.

 

[FrogReaver]

Correct. "The target can move only..." That is not the same as "The target can only be moved..." Under his own power, he can only move by the methods described. The spell is silent on whether or not wind can move the target.

Or an eldritch blast with the invocation that pushes...

Now we have 2 magical spells, I wonder which one they think takes precedence?

 

[Guest 6801328]

The push/pull portion of the spell very strongly implies it is treated as if it is weightless. It's a strong nod towards moving in 0g as we see astronauts do. In the deliberately vague, rulings over rules designed 5e, it's only about a 2 millimeter stretch to rule as he describes.

Uhh....

Here's the text:

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.

I've done a LOT of climbing, and I never once recall feeling weightless. Witless, maybe.

 

[Lanefan]

I've done a LOT of climbing, and I never once recall feeling weightless.

Er...that might be because there wasn't anyone handy to cast Levitate on you...

I'd say that you can't move vertically at all - the Levitate spell trumps everything as far as your elevation goes - but for purposes of horizontal movement you're weightless.

 

[Maxperson]

I've done a LOT of climbing, and I never once recall feeling weightless. Witless, maybe.

How much climbing involved pushing off of an object? Falling, sure. Climbing? Not so much. The climbing portion is probably mentioned so we know how fast the target is moving.

 

[Maxperson]

Or an eldritch blast with the invocation that pushes...

Now we have 2 magical spells, I wonder which one they think takes precedence?

The spell is silent about being moved by an external force, so I'd say a spell that pushes would take precedence.

 

[Oofta]

The push/pull portion of the spell very strongly implies it is treated as if it is weightless. It's a strong nod towards moving in 0g as we see astronauts do. In the deliberately vague, rulings over rules designed 5e, it's only about a 2 millimeter stretch to rule as he describes.

Does it matter? I mean, as long as you don't change the parameters of the spell to give disadvantage to the target, advantage to hit, limit movement by the target to pulling or pushing against a fixed object.

There is no instability like 3.5 had. The spell is explicit that throwing heavy objects, wind or other forces don't move the target. the only way to move is to push or pull against a fixed object. You obviously aren't floating aimlessly - if you were there would be penalties.

I get that people really, really want it to be weightlessness. But if being weightless has no impact I don't see why it matters.

EDIT: changed wording.

 

[Mistwell]

Correct. "The target can move only..." That is not the same as "The target can only be moved..." Under his own power, he can only move by the methods described. The spell is silent on whether or not wind can move the target.

Can the wind move them if they were on the ground? Then it can move them when levitated. If the wind couldn't move them when on the ground, then it cannot move them when levitated, because levitation does not grant any special movement abilities aside from the specified move against fixed objects.

 

[Mistwell]

Or an eldritch blast with the invocation that pushes...

Now we have 2 magical spells, I wonder which one they think takes precedence?

The wind spell does NOT move a creature ordinarily. The blast with the invocation that pushes DOES move creatures ordinarily. It's pretty simple - levitation does not add any special ability to move aside from the pushing against a fixed object rule. So it's otherwise the default - would it normally push them regardless of whether or not they are on the ground? If yes then it pushes them. If no, then it does not.

 

[Mistwell]

How much climbing involved pushing off of an object?

Uh, ALL of it? How else do you think people climb other than pushing off a fixed object (the cliff)?