Tenser's Floating Free Mount

[drengnikrafe]

Is it at all possible to use Tenser's Floating Disk as a sort of Quasi-Mount?
I have come to the realization that you can give your Floating Disk specific instructions, one of which allows you to stop it from moving, and even lets you go and sit on it (if it can bear your weight). The question is, is an acceptable command to this disk "Move forward", thus allowing you to ride the Disk at your own speed without actually using any of your energy?

[FlyMolo]

Is it at all possible to use Tenser's Floating Disk as a sort of Quasi-Mount?
I have come to the realization that you can give your Floating Disk specific instructions, one of which allows you to stop it from moving, and even lets you go and sit on it (if it can bear your weight). The question is, is an acceptable command to this disk "Move forward", thus allowing you to ride the Disk at your own speed without actually using any of your energy?

RAW, I dunno.

But you can get a hummingbird familiar, use Imbue Familiar with Spell Ability, and cast it that way. RAW, that definitely works.

[drengnikrafe]

People keep saying "Hummingbird familiar", but nobody will answer me this:
What is the base speed of the Hummingbird? Because if it's any less then 30 feet per round, then that would be a bit of a waste.

[de-trick]

i done exactly this before, saved me from being eating by alligators in a swamp, but not sure by raw if you can ride it.

[Fostire]

People keep saying "Hummingbird familiar", but nobody will answer me this:
What is the base speed of the Hummingbird? Because if it's any less then 30 feet per round, then that would be a bit of a waste.

hummingbirds are fast, i dont know the dnd statistics of it but im pretty sure its above 30 feet p/round

[Aquillion]

People keep saying "Hummingbird familiar", but nobody will answer me this:
What is the base speed of the Hummingbird? Because if it's any less then 30 feet per round, then that would be a bit of a waste.Well, a Hawk is 60 feet, so you could use that instead. Owl and Raven are 40 feet. I doubt hummingbird is less than that.

I mentioned this in the other thread, but it's also a useful trick for a gish or for moving your fighter around the battlefield without spending move actions so they can make full attacks.

[Ograbme]

If nothing else, you can sit on it while walking, Flintstone's car style.

[drengnikrafe]

Are you, sir, seriously suggesting that through fairly simple means, I could increase the ground I cover to 60 ft/round with a hawk?
...
Could I have my Hawk summon, say, 4 Tenser's Floating Disks, and carry the whole party forward at 60 ft/round?

[skywalker]

AFAIK, you can ride it. It has been used for exactly the purpose de-trick states many times by a friend of mine.

The OP's idea, then, is completely valid. As for this non-sense with familiars, I have no idea, however, I would caution you that your party would all need to stay within the spell's range, which could be hard, I have no idea what a familiar's caster level is.

[FlyMolo]

Depends on the details of Imbue familiar.

On the other hand, TFD does say unless otherwise directed, so I'd think it could move around at will.

And yeah, that is a good idea. Item of use activated TFD= not that expensive. A hawk with 40 ft speed giving all your front-liners ridiculous mobility? Awesome. Like free hustle for everyone if you do it and even better if your hawk does it (higher base speed). And Pounce, and +1 for higher ground. No downside!

[drengnikrafe]

TFD feels... suddenly... really overpowered as a 1st level spell.

[AlterForm]

The wording is a little vague or misinterpretable (does moving you count as following you?), but it's close enough, and I don't see the spell getting a much better use than a little wizard using it as his personal chariot. :smallbiggrin:

But, in the Spell Compendium, there is a Greater Floating Disk spell, which specifically calls out being able to direct it around so you can ride it. If this ability was already part of the regular Floating Disk's abilities, I don't think they'd need to spell it out.

[Aquillion]

But, in the Spell Compendium, there is a Greater Floating Disk spell, which specifically calls out being able to direct it around so you can ride it. If this ability was already part of the regular Floating Disk's abilities, I don't think they'd need to spell it out.Greater Floating Disk can actually fly, though, can't it? Floating Disk can't, even with all these tricks (it just floats a few feet from the ground or water or boiling lava or whatever.)

[drengnikrafe]

I feel slightly rediculous for suggesting this, but...
It's quite simple. You simply hussle until the point you begin to grow fatigued, then hand everybody an "Oil of Tenser's Magic Disk", and everybody floats forward for awhile, then when you're no longer tired, you hussle again... Let's you cover 1 1/2 times the ground in the normal time.

[Ascension]

You can do all sorts of fun stuff with Tenser's Floating Disk.

In my session today the DM had us meet a non-hostile little baby magmin. It didn't really mean to cause any harm to anyone, but it was curious about everything... and it tried to follow the party into an armory full of bombs. Thinking quickly, I had one of the fighters (who it had taken a shine to) lure it onto my Tenser's Floating Disk. With the fighter periodically distracting him, I dragged him back to a hole in the floor we had found earlier and dismissed the disk, dropping him in.

When we went downstairs later I found out that the magmin had killed the ochre jelly which had been lurking below the hole. We've got a melee-heavy party, and the DM thought he could challenge us with it. He was, understandably, rather disappointed.

[Kurald Galain]

hand everybody an "Oil of Tenser's Magic Disk",

Cute idea, but you can't make potions of floating disk, since it doesn't "target one or more creatures".

[Silkenfist]

I have a concept in store for a paraplegic sorcerer who can't walk and only moves by means of Floating Disk and Mage Hand. As soon as I find a game to sneak it in, I can tell you in how far it gets accepted.

[Starbuck_II]

Is it at all possible to use Tenser's Floating Disk as a sort of Quasi-Mount?
I have come to the realization that you can give your Floating Disk specific instructions, one of which allows you to stop it from moving, and even lets you go and sit on it (if it can bear your weight). The question is, is an acceptable command to this disk "Move forward", thus allowing you to ride the Disk at your own speed without actually using any of your energy?

Nope. tensar's Disc says it remains 5 feet away from you at all times. It would be like tryingto make a Positivew maget end and a positive magnet end touch each other.
The electromagnetic field is so strong; it is almost impossible to hold it for any length of time.

Page 294, seventh sentence from top: If not otherwise directed, it maintains constant interval of 5 feet between itself and you.

[Cuddly]

Mount is a better spell, since you can actually, you know, ride it.

[MorkaisChosen]

If not otherwise directed. That means that if it is otherwise directed, it can get within 5ft.

Also, how about a Gestalt wizard//psion who rides a floating disc? The D&D Stephen Hawking...

[Lapak]

If not otherwise directed. That means that if it is otherwise directed, it can get within 5ft.

Also, how about a Gestalt wizard//psion who rides a floating disc? The D&D Stephen Hawking...Yes, but the description says that it follows you and that it maintains 5 ft. unless otherwise directed. It doesn't say anything about telling it to go a particular place; just that you can direct to maintain a different distance from you while following you around.

While that would apparently show that you can stand on it (by commanding 'maintain zero distance from me'), there's no indication that you can move it in an arbitrary direction once you're on it. You can move it towards you, or away from you, so it follows you at a distance. Neither applies when you're standing on it.

I suppose it might be possible to hook it to a cart with a four-foot leash and tell it to stay five feet away while staying within the description, but I'm not sure about that either since it's supposed to 'follow'. :smallsmile:

[obvious pun]

This is a question I have asked myself many times, and I have currently come to this conclusion. It depends on what the DM says.

However, if he says no, there could be ways to sway his verdict. You could try making some constantly working custom wonderous item that lets you ride it. You could make a spell (or just get Greater Floating Disk from the SpC) that lets you ride it. You could beg threaten persuade the DM to let you ride it...

[Prometheus]

The biggest question in my mind is whether or not you can use mounted combat feats with it. Easy answer: No.

[Paul H]

Hi

As already explained - the PHB states you can't ride your own disk, but you could ride someone else's.

Eg. I summon disk - you ride on mine. You summon disk - I ride on yours, etc.

Have used one to carry rest of party across pressure sensitive trapped floor. (2 Summoning Oozes in room below picking up vibrations as we trod on floorbards above). Also good for encumbrance when looting - er salvaging heavy kit. :smallbiggrin:

Cheers
Paul H

[CASTLEMIKE]

TFD spell doesn't say a being can't have more than one Tenser's Floating Disc. Should be able to get 3 or 4 around a creature.

Probably best with one of the variants and casting it on your animal companion like a wolf with a movement of 50 or an air elemental with a fly movement of 100 perfect for the Complete Mage Elemental companion for a Druid. Plenty of other source books for similar options since most games don't involve solo PCs.

[skywalker]

It's a poorly worded spell that never actually specifically states whether or not you could ride it. It doesn't say that otherwise directed does not include being ridden, it doesn't say that it does. I think the reason is because it's really not a big deal. Why not let him ride his disk, I say? Kudos for ingenuity.

However, as for a bird familiar, they have a walking speed(of only 10ft), and while I would reward your ingenuity of riding the disk, I would not appreciate you trying to break the game with cheese, and you would wind up with a disk that can move only 10 ft per round.

As well, I've had stickler DMs rule that the disk isn't visible, as a force effect. Again, it never says the disk is invisible, but it never says it is visible either. Also probably not that big of a deal.

[Citizen Joe]

Nope. tensar's Disc says it remains 5 feet away from you at all times. It would be like tryingto make a Positivew maget end and a positive magnet end touch each other.
The electromagnetic field is so strong; it is almost impossible to hold it for any length of time.

Page 294, seventh sentence from top: If not otherwise directed, it maintains constant interval of 5 feet between itself and you.

I would have to say that negates the usefulness of the spell entirely. Since the caster would never be able to put ANYTHING on it or remove anything.



Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
It floats along horizontally within spell range and will accompany you at a rate of no more than your normal speed each round. If not otherwise directed, it maintains a constant interval of 5 feet between itself and you. The disk winks out of existence when the spell duration expires. 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. When the disk winks out, whatever it was supporting falls to the surface beneath it.

Direct or Redirect a Spell

Some spells allow you to redirect the effect to new targets or areas after you cast the spell. Redirecting a spell requires a move action and does not provoke attacks of opportunity or require concentration.



My interpretation is that if you use your move action, you can redirect the disk to anywhere within range of the spell up to your normal movement rate. If you do NOT use a move action, it will attempt to follow you at a five foot interval. So, you could physically move your regular movement rate, or you could sit on the disk and move your regular movement rate. Since it is using your move action to move the disk you can't actually rest while moving. However, if you created multiple disks, you could control the one you are sitting on while your buddies rest on the ones that default to following you.

[skywalker]

My interpretation is that if you use your move action, you can redirect the disk to anywhere within range of the spell up to your normal movement rate. If you do NOT use a move action, it will attempt to follow you at a five foot interval. So, you could physically move your regular movement rate, or you could sit on the disk and move your regular movement rate. Since it is using your move action to move the disk you can't actually rest while moving. However, if you created multiple disks, you could control the one you are sitting on while your buddies rest on the ones that default to following you.

Aren't there other things you can do as a move action that don't keep you from resting, tho? I'm not trying to quibble or anything, but don't you think your interpretation's a bit strange. I don't think move actions are supposed to indicate the effort required, I think they're supposed to indicate the time required. But then, that's my interpretation.

[Suropej]

As already explained - the PHB states you can't ride your own disk, but you could ride someone else's.

Eg. I summon disk - you ride on mine. You summon disk - I ride on yours, etc.


I completely agree with this as it is more or less what I get from the spell description. Also, this allows you to use the disks as movement without having anyone actually "do" anything. You sit on your friend's disk 5' behind him where it's supposed to stay. You summon your own disk, your friend gets on it, then you command it to stay 10' away from you in whatever direction.

Since your friend is on your disk and he moves, so does his disk, which your on, moving your disk which he's on. It gets hard to put into words really.

The only problem would be speed, the DM could say you guys only move 5' in a round, or he could say you guys are constantly accelerating and soon you end up going through the sound barrier (or a tree).


Either way, to me it seems like you can only direct your disk to either stay at one spot, or maintain a certain distance, I don't think it would be commandable, especially with the Greater Disk spell.

[Citizen Joe]

Either way, to me it seems like you can only direct your disk to either stay at one spot, or maintain a certain distance, I don't think it would be commandable, especially with the Greater Disk spell.

No, you can spend a move action to redirect the spell to someplace within range (up to your standard movement rate), OR you could ignore it and it will try to move to a five foot interval from you (again at your standard movement rate).

I don't see what the problem is since it won't support your weight (usually) until at least second level and then the duration is only a couple hours. This doesn't become feasible until level 4 or so, and then you're either casting it twice or extending it...

Personally, I think it would be cool looking for a Jaba the Hutt looking wizard to be floating around on a velvet cushion and acting all regal and better than thou.

[skywalker]

Personally, I think it would be cool looking for a Jaba the Hutt looking wizard to be floating around on a velvet cushion and acting all regal and better than thou.

My friend's favorite spell after rope trick is Floating Disk, and he does exactly this. At 8th level, it's perfectly feasible as your transport for the day.

[Ascension]

I don't see what the problem with riding it is. The hawk familiar thing, yeah, that's potentially game-breaking, but as long as a PC is casting it himself, what's the big deal if he rides on it? It's not like it's all that powerful. If it could really fly, that'd be a whole 'nother story, but three feet off the ground max? Let the wizard ride.

[shadow_archmagi]

Yeah. Of course, by the time hours/level gets high enough to be useful as a mount, you have Phantom Steed. You know, that one with a base speed of 20xcaster level and a 2hours/level duration

[Heliomance]

We've used this before. A pair of casters sat on the disc while a couple of other people pushed the disc along. The upshot of this? The casters got a perfectly smooth ride, and could spend marching time crafting magical items.

[FlyMolo]

We've used this before. A pair of casters sat on the disc while a couple of other people pushed the disc along. The upshot of this? The casters got a perfectly smooth ride, and could spend marching time crafting magical items.

Funny mental image. Trudging barbarian, wizard poking a wand, assembling bits inside and chanting over it. "Pass me the screwdriver, hey?":smalltongue: