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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jalkain" data-source="post: 1880755" data-attributes="member: 2473">Caliban, I agree that taken by itself, the following sentence is ambiguous'If not otherwise directed, it maintains a constant interval of 5 feet between itself and you.'Taken alone, that sentence does not make it clear whether it is simply the distance which is adjustable, or the actual mode of operation of the disc.  However, when we look at the first sentence in the description...'You create a slightly concave, circular plane of force that follows you about and carries loads for you.'This clearly indicates that the disc follows you, and this idea is supported when it talks about the disc accompanying the caster.  Note that the only place in the text where it mentions directing the disc, or governing it's behaviour, is in the first of the above quotes, which talks about the default distance between disc and caster.  Nothing else about the disc's operation is mentioned in that sentence, and the implication would seem to be that this is only that property of the spell which can be altered.Assuming that you can set the distance to anything lower than the range of the spell, it seems fair to assume that you could sit on the disc (by setting distance to zero), but not ride on it, since it has to follow you.  Whether you could get someone to push you, or have it lassoed and pulled along, or kicked down the corridor by an giant, is something perhaps best left for another discussion.Furthermore, the Sage made a ruling on the 2nd Ed version of the spell, which in turn supported the 1st Ed DMG.  I believe Dragon was affiliated with TSR back in those days, and so we might consider both these rulings to be official.  It's already been stated on this thread that previous edition rulings shouldn't carry any weight, but it's not as if any of the relevant mechanics have changed anyway (movement and encumbrance are only somewhat relevant to the actual point under discussion, but in any case are still treated in much the same way they always have).  If it was a spell that affected damage reduction/immunity, or number of attacks, or even one which required a saving throw, well, then we would have to be cautious, because all those things are handled differently in 3rd Ed.  But a spell which creates a non-combat object, which then just moves about?  Seems about as light on actual mechanics as it's possible to get.Personally, I think this is exactly the kind of question where it is useful to go back to earlier editions and look at what the designers intended.  And the intention was clearly was for an aid to encumbrance, not a form of personal transport.  The idea of using it to avoid floor traps, to move silently, and to counter tremorsense, is a appealing one, but I think it would take the spell outside of its 1st level remit.</blockquote>

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