Wind Walk - Encounters in the air

[Greenfield]

The game is D&D 3.5, and the spell is Wind Walk.

The effect is that the affected characters can transform themselves into clouds of mist and fly.

In mist form they can't speak, swing weapons, hold or use magic items, or cast any spell that requires verbal, somatic or material components or foci.

They can move at one of two speeds: They can drift at speeds of up to 20 foot movement, or they can catch a magical wind that propels them at 600 (60 mph, according to the spell). Note that the 600 is a fixed speed: They can do 600, but not 500, or even 599. No "Hustle" to 1200 or "run" to 2400.

Transition to and from material form takes five rounds. There isn't anything said about movement during that time, or relative vulnerability.

So here are the questions: How vulnerable/invulnerable are the targets of this spell to physical attack? Can you slice or bash a cloud of mist? The spell Gaseous Form might give an insight, but the Wind Walk spell doesn't reference it , so parallels would be arguable at best.

How vulnerable are the targets of this spell to magic influence or attack? Spells like Gust of Wind can do nasty things to some vaporous forms, but again there's no such reference in the spell description.

And of course, how would one plan an encounter for such a group of adventurers?

 

[Greenfield]

Okay, a few answers to my own mistakes...

GASEOUS FORM
Some creatures have the supernatural or spell-like ability to take the form of a cloud of vapor or gas.
Creatures in gaseous form can’t run but can fly. A gaseous creature can move about and do the things that a cloud of gas can conceivably do, such as flow through the crack under a door. It can’t, however, pass through solid matter. Gaseous creatures can’t attack physically or cast spells with verbal, somatic, material, or focus components. They lose their supernatural abilities (except for the supernatural ability to assume gaseous form, of course).
Creatures in gaseous form have damage reduction 10/magic. Spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities affect them normally. Creatures in gaseous form lose all benefit of material armor (including natural armor), though size, Dexterity, deflection bonuses, and armor bonuses from force armor still apply.
Gaseous creatures do not need to breathe and are immune to attacks involving breathing (troglodyte stench, poison gas, and the like).
Gaseous creatures can’t enter water or other liquid. They are not ethereal or incorporeal. They are affected by winds or other forms of moving air to the extent that the wind pushes them in the direction the wind is moving. However, even the strongest wind can’t disperse or damage a creature in gaseous form.
Discerning a creature in gaseous form from natural mist requires a DC 15 Spot check. Creatures in gaseous form attempting to hide in an area with mist, smoke, or other gas gain a +20 bonus.

So they can be attacked via weapon or spell, and at least some of their items may continue to function. Good to know.

Further, Wind Walk does reference the Gaseous Form spell, and movement is not fixed at 600 on the high end. It's "up to 600".

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Perhaps a passing dragon takes a deep, deep breath ...

 

[Greenfield]

Looking at the spell, I'm quickly coming to the conclusion that encounters are something that's never supposed to happen.

The PCs are pretty much helpless, both in terms or combat or even simple RP: No talking!

At the same time they move faster than anything else in the air. So they can run away from a dangerous encounter, but that's about it. Any other interaction requires that they spend 5 rounds becoming solid.

I'd still like to see some definition for what you can or can't do during that transition period, but my original question has been answered: Q) How do you plan/play encounters for PCs using Wind Walk? A) You don't.