How powerful would a spell to levitate a few inches off the ground be?

[Resileaf]

As title says.

Basically, I want to make a spell that will allow a character to 'power float', as it were. However, the only spell that allows long-lasting flight is overland flight, which is pretty high level spell. What I have in mind would have the limit to only be able to float a few inches off the ground, with no movement speed bonus. Its advantages would mainly come from being able to avoid pressure-triggered traps, and the ability to hustle without taking nonlethal damage, as overland flight allows. I would however reduce the duration to ten minutes/level, as the power is lower than true flight. Furthermore, the spell would also prevent any contact with the ground (or some other surface acting as ground, such as attempting to sit on a chair) unless dismissed, which I assume could be problematic at times.

I would assume that such a spell would be level 2, but I want to ask for some advice before I put it on paper (so to speak).

Of course, if such a spell already exists and I've missed it, do let me know!

[tstewt1921]

As title says.

Basically, I want to make a spell that will allow a character to 'power float', as it were. However, the only spell that allows long-lasting flight is overland flight, which is pretty high level spell. What I have in mind would have the limit to only be able to float a few inches off the ground, with no movement speed bonus. Its advantages would mainly come from being able to avoid pressure-triggered traps, and the ability to hustle without taking nonlethal damage, as overland flight allows. I would however reduce the duration to ten minutes/level, as the power is lower than true flight. Furthermore, the spell would also prevent any contact with the ground (or some other surface acting as ground, such as attempting to sit on a chair) unless dismissed, which I assume could be problematic at times.

I would assume that such a spell would be level 2, but I want to ask for some advice before I put it on paper (so to speak).

Of course, if such a spell already exists and I've missed it, do let me know!

You could drop it to like a minute per level and it would be a level 1 in my opinion, there is also a magic item that does this for you, so if you look that up and see what spells are required to make it you may find the spell your looking for as well.

[Darrin]

Check out Halastar's light step in City of Splendors: Waterdeep. The spell effect doesn't mention if you can ignore most types of difficult terrain, but I can't see how it wouldn't. Unfailing terrain (Forge of War) is also kinda similar?

[liquidformat]

This spell would be very powerful in melee since you can charge over just about anything as you have it stated. I would adjust it to change it to talk about terrain cost since floating an inch or two off the ground should still allow you to say jump over a table while maintaining your charge. So maybe something like this:
"You can enter any square that normally costs two squares of movement (such as heavy undergrowth, shallow bog, or up a hill) at normal speed, spending only one square of movement. You can enter any square that normally costs four squares of movement (such as deep bog) by spending only two squares of movement."

You should also think about how this is going to interact with other terrain altering bfc spells like web and entangle. As well as things like trip, bull rush, grapple. Right now it sounds like you might get some weird interactions due to your wording...

[Darth Ultron]

How about Air Walk? Or Phantom Steed?

[Segev]

The Elocater's Scorn Earth (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/prestigeClasses/elocater.htm#scornEarth) power does what you're asking for. Earliest you can get it is 6th level.

So maybe third level as an hour/level spell? It's not fly because you're staying within a foot of the ground, but the other advantages you list are significant.

[Dr_Dinosaur]

In Pathfinder, Oracles of the Heavens mystery can gain “Lure of the Heavens” which does what you’re describing (and eventually more) using the Extra Revelation feat. So this ability is worth a little more than a feat but not much

[Segev]

In Pathfinder, Oracles of the Heavens mystery can gain “Lure of the Heavens” which does what you’re describing (and eventually more) using the Extra Revelation feat. So this ability is worth a little more than a feat but not much

What's the earliest level they could get this?

[Yanisa]

What's the earliest level they could get this?

5th level (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/oracle/mysteries/paizo-oracle-mysteries/heavens/) for the hover up to 6 inches. However it says as if "levitating", but beyond the spell I don't think there are actual rules for that. And well, the levitate spell is kinda poor for travelling horizontally.

[Resileaf]

The Elocater's Scorn Earth (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/prestigeClasses/elocater.htm#scornEarth) power does what you're asking for. Earliest you can get it is 6th level.

So maybe third level as an hour/level spell? It's not fly because you're staying within a foot of the ground, but the other advantages you list are significant.

This is very much exactly what I would like. Thanks for showing me!


This spell would be very powerful in melee since you can charge over just about anything as you have it stated.

I actually meant it as being that you can't stick to a surface under you, not that you automatically 'jump' over whatever might be an obstacle. For instance, if you were to sit on a table, the spell would correct itself quickly and make it so you would be floating over the edge instead (leaning would not have the same effects). But if you were to run full speed at a table and knock yourself on it, you would just trip over it and fall over (but stopping a few inches from the ground when you fall).

You should also think about how this is going to interact with other terrain altering bfc spells like web and entangle. As well as things like trip, bull rush, grapple. Right now it sounds like you might get some weird interactions due to your wording...

And that's a good point. There could be wording to say that the magic is not strong enough to prevent forceful contact by someone else's efforts.

[DaveOTN]

You would also presumably be immune to Grease and similar spells, and be largely untrackable (I'm assuming you don't leave footprints). It's still pretty niche, but it's not nothing. I'd put it at Level 2. 3.5 has Air Walk at L4, Fly at L3, and Levitate at L2, and this effect seems on par with Levitate (it's basically just horizontal instead of vertical). If you make it Level 1 then you set up a system where 3rd level wizards can all essentially Fly by casting this plus Levitate. Maybe not at 100% efficiency but at the level of "I'm gonna sit up here and not get melee attacked" which is what really drives wizards into flying.

[legomaster00156]

It has the power of Feather Fall (preventing falling damage), plus several other goodies. It is also not as powerful as Fly. This seems like the very definition of a level 2 spell to me.

[Thurbane]

Seems similar to the mode of movement for the Dabus (EttDP p.192):


Floating Form (Ex) Dabus never stand on the ground. They neither fly nor walk, but use a unique movement mode somewhere in between the two. Thus, they are immune to magic that affects the surface beneath them as well as spells that would affect flying creatures. A transmute rock to mud or grease spell doesn’t affect them because they do not touch the ground, and a gust of wind spell does not send them spinning out of control.

[denthor]

When I cheat like this

1st level spell floating disk.

It says it hovers caries 100 pounds per level and follows,you not hard to get a DM to let you steer like a boat with you in it. Or if really nice mental commands.

[Crake]

Step of the dancing moth lets you levitate up to 5 feet off the ground (dnd doesn't do well with anything less than 5ft increments) which lets you ignore difficult terrain, and even hover over liquids. It's a 5th level shadow hand stance though.

[ericgrau]

The duration is the main thing that makes it strong. I would peg it at 2nd or 3rd level. At 10 min/level I'm leaning towards 3rd or a high 2.5. Min/lev or maybe round/lev might make it 2nd level.

It's better than various hour/level level 1 spells. At 1 min/level it's worse than fly. Etc.

While it might not negate all terrain issues as pointed out, it does negate many things you may not have thought of. I would specify a few things to make it clear: Doesn't negate falling damage. Doesn't negate most difficult terrain unless it is less than few inches high or deep. Any effect that forces you to the ground still works, but you hover a few seconds later. Doesn't let you walk on water nor swamp. DOES keep you from triggering pressure plates. DOES keep you from leaving tracks on ground that is less than a few inches thick (stone yes, tall grass no). Etc., etc. If you're strict enough you might even get a 2nd level spell at 10 min/level or perhaps even hour/level.

[Knaight]

It has the power of Feather Fall (preventing falling damage), plus several other goodies. It is also not as powerful as Fly. This seems like the very definition of a level 2 spell to me.

It having the power of Feather Fall is very much optional - coming to an abrupt stop an inch above the ground isn't any better than coming to an abrupt stop on the ground. On top of that a large part of the reason Feather Fall is as good a spell as it is is that you can cast it as a reaction to suddenly falling, and not just before a big jump.

As for spell level I'm on board with the level 2 consensus.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Dr_Dinosaur
In Pathfinder, Oracles of the Heavens mystery can gain “Lure of the Heavens” which does what you’re describing….


Originally Posted by Yanisa
However it says as if "levitating", but beyond the spell I don't think there are actual rules for that. And well, the levitate spell is kinda poor for travelling horizontally.

I played an oracle with this mystery, and the vague wording on Lure of the Heavens caused some issues.

To me it seemed clear that if you don’t leave tracks, then you’re walking as ordinary, just a few inches above the ground. Unfortunately, my DM focused on the comparison with the spell Levitate, and he was insisting that Lure of the Heavens only gave me the ability to hover a little, with no provision for actual forward motion.

This led to some frustrating back-and-forth about what the text really meant. It was only after I asked if I could pole myself along with a quarterstaff that he compromised and allowed for half my usual walking speed. Since I was playing a dwarf, that meant ten feet per round—not ideal, but at least it was something.

Strangely enough, he was perfectly happy with my moving at full speed across an insubstantial bridge of moonbeams. So it goes. :smallsigh:

[icefractal]

At 1 minute/level or even 10 minutes/level, 2nd. At 1 hour/level, 3rd. If it doesn't stop falling damage or let you hover across fluids, it could be 1 hour/level at 2nd, comparable to longstrider.