Characters Life on the Line, HELP!!!

[Infernum]

Ok, my character is about to be bush wacked by a huge creature that has 200 hp roughly and i am lvl 5. It also has scent. If I use a potion of Gaseous Form, do I have a scent? Can it follow me like that. Or Would I be better off using Expeditious Retreat and running like hell.

BTW the terrain is thick forest and i have no idea what the creature is.

Please give me any info you can. Any more details will be added as necessary.

[Harperfan7]

How do you know it has 200hp?

[Infernum]

Dm let some info slip cause it was late. I know its huge, has 200 hp roughly and that it kinda blends in with the trees.

The main question here is the one on Gaseous Form. While in it can you be tracked with scent and the like.

[Fortuna]

By RAW probably, by RAMS maybe, but doesn't it become academic once you're gaseous if you can find a small hole to slip through?

[Infernum]

Yes, bolt for a hole is a simple choice, just not sure how long it will hang around. Maybe i should use the Expeditious Retreat one and RLH.

[PhoenixRivers]

If he's in the outdoors, that's not always an option.

Expeditious Retreat is more reliable, if you have open running lanes. 1 minute of running as fast as a horse is pretty solid.

Gaseous Cloud wouldn't be trackable (unless it could fly), if you elevated first to well above the creature's height.

[Kol Korran]

did the creature track you down, or did youhappen to stumble on it's turf? i think you should drink the potion anyway, and try to move away, preferably through some thick underbrush or some other hindering terrain (though whether it would hinder it is to be determined). at least it will give your companions time to act, giving you some breathing space.

[Infernum]

Well the character is a 5th lvl warmage, so I cant fly or elevate. Gopher hole is probably the most likely option. Running is viable too, but its thick forest, at most triple move so said the dm.

[Fortuna]

Expeditious Retreat leaves you the option of going Gasous later, right? Keep your options open and run like all Baator was on your tail.

[Infernum]

Oh also, im alone as my companions are off doing something. And its a random encounter. So it happens upon me, not sure yet if it surprised me. If I see it which option is the safest bet?

[Infernum]

So it looks like run first then if that doesnt work try gaseous. Ok, but you all believe that it can track me with scent even in gaseous form?

[Fortuna]

It may or may not be able to, depending on your DM. Ask him if you can roll some sort of Knowledge check to determine that, or just ask him whether it can. Tell us the answer.

[Infernum]

Well he left me hanging until the morning so I am plotting how to survive, also hes said he was tired and needed sleep....so im left to fret about my character.

[Infernum]

Well I survived even though it got me to -1 hp. It lost interest since I went in substantial and he couldnt sink his teeth into anything.

But I lived.

[Lochar]

Since you survived, you obviously have a better description of it.

What was it?

[Infernum]

A giant horned Chameleon of some sort. Mean and big, blended int to the environment. Not sure where he got the stats for it.