Tenser's Floating Disk

[Infiniti2000]

It's a long standing tradition for Patryn, of course. I've personally never seen (or perhaps never noticed) this tradition and I'm imagining neither have you.

Tradition may not be the accurate term, but I concur with Patryn that throughout discussions (Internet, BitNet) ranging backward to the beginning of time (or at least to 1987 when I first plugged in) the majority of people agree that you can't ride your own TFD. Admittedly, this is an opiniated perspective, so take it with a block o' salt.

If you ask it to "follow" one foot in front of you, and you don't move, but you're on it, well... it will have to go forward at it's max speed, won't it?

It "follows" you about, so from Hyp's post, I'd say it's clearly a 'rope-like' effect.

If you get someone who won't allow you to have it "follow" in front, then get a mirror and sit backwards. That's a little silly, but then not allowing it in the first place is a little silly.

And, allowing it in the first place is silly, so there. Now both interpretations have been called silly.

KarinsDad says it's a houserule, but as Hyp stated, by RAW it will work.

I disagree. I think Patryn has shown by RAW it's not possible. The "follow" should be enough to convince Hyp, too.

Sammeal says this makes the spell uberpowerful. I wonder why. Do tell! I love hearing thoughts from a devious mind.

It's not uberpowerful in the sense of destroying-all-your-enemies-without-a-save is uberpowerful, but it's unbalanced in that it makes many higher level spells completely irrelevant (in certain circumstances). Thing such as: levitate, fly, water walking, and air walk.

 

[dcollins]

It's a long standing tradition for Patryn, of course. I've personally never seen (or perhaps never noticed) this tradition and I'm imagining neither have you.

It's true that every edition of the D&D PHB has Tenser's floating disk written the same way, without any allowance for riding on it. And players attempt to use it that way, and an official response is given that it's not within the power of the spell.

For example, here's the "special commentary" from the 1st Ed. AD&D DMG (c) 1979, p. 45:

Tenser's Floating Disc: The caster cannot ride on the Disc. The Disc always follows the magic-user.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Thanks for the quote, dcollins. That certainly proves the tradition!

 

[lukelightning]

Cast the spell but share it with your familiar so it follows your familiar (preferably a bat or other flying creature), sit on the disk, you've got a floating bat chariot!

 

[nittanytbone]

You CAN have friends sit on the disk, use "fly" or "levitate" on yourself, and thus get the whole party off the ground without using lots of high level spells. Could be good if you don't want to leave tracks or if you need to get over a pit of boiling lava.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Cast the spell but share it with your familiar so it follows your familiar (preferably a bat or other flying creature), sit on the disk, you've got a floating bat chariot!

You can't share this spell.

It's an effect spell, not a targeted spell.

 

[KRT]

Cast the spell but share it with your familiar so it follows your familiar (preferably a bat or other flying creature), sit on the disk, you've got a floating bat chariot!

This is so far the best one i've seen. For the rest who think that they can ride their own disc, the fact that the disc can be set to zero distance behind the magic user does not allow him to sit on it as this number refers to the 2 dimensional game tabletop setting. The distance is measured from the most distal point of your body (rearfacing) to the most distal part or edge of the disc, its not centre to centre as many have been suggesting.

 

[chitzk0i]

You CAN have friends sit on the disk, use "fly" or "levitate" on yourself, and thus get the whole party off the ground without using lots of high level spells. Could be good if you don't want to leave tracks or if you need to get over a pit of boiling lava.

The disk also winks out if you move beyond range or try to take the disk more than 3 feet away from the surface beneath it.

It's pretty hot 3 feet above lava. And the disc's diameter is three feet. Can you fit your entire party in less than a five foot square?

 

[Krelios]

It's pretty hot 3 feet above lava. And the disc's diameter is three feet. Can you fit your entire party in less than a five foot square?

Flesh to Stone + Shink Item = Yes

Of course, by the time you could make that work you could save three spells and boiling your party by casting Mass Fly.

 

[lukelightning]

Picture a "Wile E. Coyote moment" My wizard is floating along on a TFD he's shared with his bat familiar...when all of a sudden that spoilsport Patryn of Elvenshae comes along and informs him "um, this doesn't work..." causting the spell to vanish in a *poof* and my poor wizard falls on his butt.

You can't share this spell.

It's an effect spell, not a targeted spell.