Question about (Tenser's) Floating Disk

[Vaxalon]

Yeah, YOU can't hover around on it, but your buddies can.

Load it up with sandbags, and put your buddy on it with a repeating crossbow. You use a fly spell.

 

[dvvega]

Yeah, YOU can't hover around on it, but your buddies can.

Load it up with sandbags, and put your buddy on it with a repeating crossbow. You use a fly spell.

Been there, tried that. The Wizard can only move his NORMAL speed thus 30. He can't use expeditious retreat, nor can he fly faster than his NORMAL speed of 30. He's a sitting target and the disc only remains 3 feet from the ground, not very useful in the longterm. Against Mooks its great.

Perhaps an invisible wizard would work.

 

[Li Shenron]

It follows about five feet behind unless otherwise directed.

So if you direct it otherwise, there's nothing to stop you climbing on and telling it where to go. As long as it stays within 30 feet of you and three feet off the floor.

-Hyp.

I agree. The line above simply states that if you don't actively direct it to go somewhere, it follows you as you walk away. It is supposed to be a feature, not a limitation.

 

[diaglo]

I agree. The line above simply states that if you don't actively direct it to go somewhere, it follows you as you walk away. It is supposed to be a feature, not a limitation.

it is a low lvl spell. it is supposed to be a limitation.

otherwise it is too useful in overcoming pit traps, water, mud, quicksand, whatever...

 

[Greybar]

So is the more expansive argument essentially that Floating Disk (1st level) is a weaker form of Levitation (2nd level)?

Floating Disk has a much longer duration (1 hr/level vs. 1 min/level) and less limitations on movement - Levitation is only vertical (one axis) and Floating Disk is non-vertical (two axis)?

Consider that the next level step is fly - three axes and higher speed.

Thus the "ride on my own disk" argument seems to fail in comparison to other spells. Perhaps in a rules-lawyer sense it adhere to a letter or two of the rules (chosen selectively) but not to the spirit.

john
p.s. hmm. I'm vaguely remembering a Sage Advice on this one.

 

[Rel]

I've seen this come up before and I seem to recall one answer to the question that was sound by the rules and allowed the caster to ride the disk:

You can use the "share spells" ability with your familiar and have the disk keyed to him. Then you climb on and have your familiar tow you around. If you've got a flying familiar, you can move pretty fast that way. So long as the familiar stays within 5 feet of the disk, this should work fine as far as I can tell.

It does mean that if you're trying to use the disk to move over a hazard (like say a section of floor covered in Green Slime) then your familiar had better be able to fly. But if you're doing it to look cool then your "toad-towed floating chariot" is bound to make an impression on the local townsfolk.

 

[Vahktang]

Has anybody thought of _two_ TF disks, two different caster, each sitting in the others disk?
You should be able to travel well there.
The range is 25'+, so each caster just directs it to go 'there' and, viaola, you're travelling 25/round, 3' off the ground.
Personally, I would have a platform built and the platform placed on top of the disk to make it:
A) safer
B) more secure

Put in some high sides and you have cover.

Can you say Howdah?
Heck, the platform can be used with just one caster.
Each round the caster causes the 'Archers platform' to go ahead.

What think you all?

More later,

Vahktang

 

[silentspace]

From the text, it sounds like you should be able to sit on it and direct it where to go.

If not, I like Hypersmurf's outboard motor principle!

Or other ideas:

The gondola principle!
Have someone/something (a riding dog?) tow you!
Use a Fan Feather Token! (or a Wind Fan!)
Use a Decanter of Endless Water (aim it at the walls)!
Have someone push you!

Sounds like a lot of fun.

Oh, and you shouldn't be able to go over pits with it, since it has to be 3' above the ground

 

[silentspace]

Get several wizards together, and you can play bumper cars!

 

[dcollins]

... which would be a problem, since it always tries to follow you... unless otherwise directed.

You have misquoted the spell. The actual quote is "If not otherwise directed, it maintains a constant interval of 5 feet between itself and you."

You can direct it to follow you at an interval of 1 foot behind, or 4 feet behind, or 10 feet (up to Close range). However, you cannot have it do anything but follow you -- that is not part of the "otherwise directed" phrase.

Geez, people have been trying to get wizards riding Tenser's floating disks since 1978 and not one designer in 25 years has allowed it when asked.